Business consultants talk about this over and over — but too many companies just simply aren’t listening. They don’t understand that there is a somewhat simple fix for a number of big problems that can sink a business over time – and that fix is job flexibility.
Time and time again, top managers eventually start to realize that their businesses don’t have enough job flexibility. People are stressed and overburdened, and no one can take days off. It’s a serious problem that not only affects morality and productivity, but can really affect core operations and the bottom line of the business. So why don’t companies take this more seriously? Too many executives and top-level people aren’t trained to recognize that you can’t just hire sufficient staffing power on paper — that you really have to invest a bit more in labor to allow for the fact that, in the end, we’re all human.
Vacations, Sick Days, and Family Leave, Oh My!
It’s all too easy for businesses to deny time off to employees. Managers just frankly tell those working under them that the business is understaffed. It’s that simple. The company can’t afford to let someone go on a two-week vacation, or take care of mental health issues, or stay home for a while to care for a newborn child.
But this is really not just bad for employees — it’s a business killer. The easy way to get around this is by hiring temporary or part-time people to help out, so that there is sufficient ‘give’ or job flexibility in the schedule. Then managers don’t have to keep going around to frustrated employees, showing empty pockets.
Offering Job Flexibility
In fact, companies don’t have to wait until there’s a crisis. They can invest in temporary and part-time people in order to offer everyone, part-time and full-time included, more options about when they want to work. With a more vibrant workforce in place, it’s easier to give people more choices and make them feel more empowered at their jobs. Yes, it might require a little more complexity in scheduling or labor management. It may even require some up-front financial investment in dealing with staffing companies or otherwise getting new people in the door. But in the end, many companies find it pays for itself over and over again.
Having Hands on Deck
There is yet another big way that the hiring of part-timers and temporary people helps companies to deal with turnover. It’s the idea that you already have many trained people in the building — you’re not suddenly going to be underwater when one experienced person leaves.
With a bare-bones full-time staff, it only takes a couple of retirements or resignations for a company to start to feel the heat. There’s nobody to immediately replace those people who did all the work. With a more diverse workforce, the company responds to change in a much more agile way.
About Full Steam Staffing
Full Steam Staffing is a full-service staffing agency focused on providing clerical and light industrial staffing solutions to manufacturers, distribution centers and other organizations that need qualified, reliable workers. If you are currently looking to hire and grow your workforce, contact our team of skilled recruiters today!