Compared with most jobs, Temp work is unique. First, the contracted employee is always working for at least two companies at the same time, the staffing agency itself and the client company they are assigned to. This has been clear since the onset of the “Joint employer” principle begun by OSHA in 2013 through their regulatory imperative called “Temporary Worker Initiative”. This policy linked both temporary services and their host companies as joint employers for purposes of responsibility” in meeting OSHA requirements”. It now has the force of law for nearly all US Federal regulatory agencies.
This unique status of the staffing agency can be confusing, especially for new hires in the industry. So, we thought it might be helpful for these new employees to get some “basic training” to introduce them to the staffing industry. This training should not only contain information on the particularities of the industry but also to the many advantages for employees that staffing companies provide, like building a broader job portfolio, flexibility in work scheduling, quicker hiring, skill learning and/or upgrading, etc.
We have selected just 5 areas where we think it would be helpful for the new hire to have some basic insight. It might be followed by an “open book” test. An “open book” test is not designed to find out who is good, better, or best, but to better ensure that everyone can achieve a 100% mastery of the key information. You can even allow re-testing to achieve that goal.
Our 5 key areas can be changed or modified to suit your own priorities. These five are:
- A Short History of Staffing Companies
We don’t like to “blow our own horn” (Normally) but we published a blog article with this title on January 1 2021. Actually, the title was “A Brief History of the Staffing Industry” but the information it contains would be an excellent source to understand the basic service of a staffing company, how they got started, and where they are today. Even though we made a passing reference that there were other “staffing companies” throughout history there is no question that the modern staffing company was begun just after the war (WW2) by William Russell KellY in 1946. It was called “Kelly Girl”. The basic idea was to “rent” employees to other companies for short times, due to vacations, a large temporary project, moving to a new location, and 1000 more situations. The idea proved very successful and was copied by many. Today there are about 20,000 staffing companies according to The American Staffing Association (ASA). National and International trade associations serve companies of ever size and category.
- Understanding the “Joint Employer” Concept – What Temp Workers Need to Know.
Here again, we published a Blog article on Oct. 2, 2019 with the title “6 Critical Compliance Issues for Staffing Companies”. The first issues discussed (Item #1) is the origin of the regulation within OSHA (The Office of Safety and Health Administration), the legal reasoning for the “Joint Employer” status’ and its rapid acceptance within the U.S. federal regulatory agencies. The court history alone has established a number of presidents that have established this cluster of regulations as primary and which also underlie the relationship between staffing companies and their corporate clients.Basically, it was instigated by the problem of which company was to be held responsible when it came to enforcement of compliance issues. Since each had a role in hiring, supervising and paying these contract workers, it was determined that both companies would be held jointly responsible. This was true even though the regulatory agencies apportioned legal responsibility by both companies, their investigations determined who was the most responsible party to the violations. (To find out more please refer to item number one in the above cited blog article, i.e., “6 Critical Compliance Issues for staffing companies”)
- Discrimination Issues, Sexual Harassment, and the Law
These compliance issues (above) are common regulatory issues yet well covered in the news; but still need to be well explained and well understood for new employees everywhere. Many still do not know that it is against the law to harass people because of their religion, their disability or handicap, or exactly what constitutes sexual harassment In a workplace This ignorance can get both employers in trouble (see above “joint employer”
- Advantages of Working for a Staffing Company.
Many people might enjoy or even need to have an introduction to the staffing Industry. Not only for its genuine uniqueness, but also because that uniqueness extends to hours of work flexibility so important for students, mothers with school-age children, young workers looking to build a broader resume or simply increase their work experience. Depending on your life situation. The staffing company usually help. When my wife and I moved to Puerto Rico, we were both 22 years old, just out of college. She went looking for a job at a staffing company and had a job in two days. Because the job was temporary, there was less need for screening so hiring decisions could be virtually instantaneous. Some people have a strong desire to get closer to their ideal job by looking for a job somewhere in the field.The famous Broadway playwright, Moss Hart, used the same strategy and got his first job as a messenger boy with a theatrical agency. He never left.
- Possibility of Training Options to learn or upgrade Job Skills.
“Credibility” is an important word for anyone looking for a job and is usually associated to the word “credentials” and the usual question is how you get them? You could use the strategy of a Moss Hart and focus your job search on getting a job in the industry. Its just another way for them to get their “foot in the door”. A staffing agency usually has a lot of connections with employers. About 20-25% of staffing companies have a particular focus on permanent placements. But since most staffing agencies do permanent placements, Temp or Temp to Perm, they should all be open to getting their workers into positions that are good for them and their clients.
Other staffing agencies (I am thinking here of Manpower, Inc) who have a focus of getting their potential workers the skills their clients need by giving them the opportunity to “up-skill” right in their own office. Most agencies are also in the training business one way or another. (OSHA safety training, banquet serving, Microsoft Word, etc. Take a look at Manpower’s website.)
As always, stay safe!