There are a number of situations that can cause a business to become understaffed for a period. These situations can include the following:

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• Maternity leave
• Sickness or injury
• Personal or family issues
• Special projects
• Seasonal increases in productivity

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In each of these situations a temp staffing agency can help provide your company with the needed staff. That being said some of these situations can occur on extremely short notice. For example, with a maternity leave you might have months to prepare, but with an unexpected illness or injury you might find out the day before or even the day of. So that raises the question, how quickly can a temp staffing agency deliver staff in a hurry?

The answer depends on a variety of factors. Here are three to consider.

Industry Experience

If the temp staffing agency that you partner with has experience in your industry they will likely have a larger talent pool of workers suitable for your business to draw from when you need staff in a hurry. Because of their industry experience they are more likely to understand your needs which will put them in a better position to fill them.

The Position That You Are Looking For

How quickly a temp staffing agency can deliver staff will depend partially on the type of position that you are looking for. In this area the insider info that is possessed by the temp agency can be a valuable resource. By building a relationship with your agency you will have a better idea of the “skills inventory”  the agency has available. This could help you and your agency to anticipate future needs and determine what the agency should be preparing to recruit for on your behalf..

We also can link this point back to the importance of industry experience. If the temp staffing agency has industry experience they will more likely have that insider info that we previously referred to. They will be better equipped to fill specific positions within the industry.

Their Relationship with Your Company

One of the most important factors in determining how quickly a temp staffing agency can help you find staff, is determined on their relationship with your company. How well do they know your company? You should make sure that you communicate the needs of your company ahead of time.

The best way to access temp staff in a hurry is to “dig the well before you are thirsty”. By developing a relationship with the temp staffing agency before you become understaffed will help the agency become familiar with your business and needs. This scenario can most quickly provide you with the appropriate temp staff when you need them…..in a hurry.