As a business owner, you understand the challenges of recruiting and retaining talented employees. Employees who call in sick or even worse – quit, can have a significant impact on your company’s productivity. And absenteeism can cost companies billions of dollars.
You must have a plan for hiring extra help whenever you need additional employees due to increased product demand or to replace sick or former employees. Hiring on-demand staff is like having a pool of employees on standby, who are ready and willing to work whenever you need them.
What Is On-demand Staffing?
Various reasons can cause you to have difficulty hiring and keeping employees. Blue-collar labor shortages will continue to grow in the future. On-demand staffing gives you the ability to hire temporary employees to fulfill your employment needs.
On-demand staffing agencies offer a platform where employees who have specific skill sets are matched with companies like yours who can use their skills. Several companies exist, but only one provides a pool of quality employees that you can tap into while minimizing expenses. Before we get into the logistics of ShiftPixy, let’s talk about the importance of on-demand staffing.
Companies that provide on-demand staffing see this type of employment process as the future in creating and fulfilling a shift-led workforce. They aim to empower workers by offering them more employment opportunities and flexibility in scheduling.
A person looking for extra part-time work to supplement their income may not have time to take off from their primary job to look for work or go to job interviews. The time involved, transportation expenses, and childcare expenses can discourage a person from going out to look for work.
Some people looking for work may not own a vehicle, so they must use public transportation. If they live in an area where public transportation is not available, they must rely on family members or friends to give them a ride to work or hire a taxi.
Other hindrances to finding work include problems with finding someone to take care of their children while they are looking for work. This can be extremely expensive if they do not have a family member or someone else to help them with the children. Child care costs can make looking for a job more expensive.
On-demand platforms take away the hassle of going from business to business to apply for a job. Workers can use their computers or smartphones to log onto the on-demand platform to see what jobs are available. Since the jobs on the platform are offered in real-time, there’s virtually no waiting time.
Workers, who sign-up on the platform, have control over when and where they work, and you get an employee who is willing and capable of doing the work that’s needed. The work arrangement is temporary unless you decide to hire a worker directly.
You can contract with ShiftPixy for your employment solutions if you are trying to fill unfilled shifts to meet a temporary need. No platform offers the efficiency and AI like ShiftPixy, which handles a myriad of services for business owners.
With on-demand jobs, you would post positions onto the online platform. Your posting will include the skills required, pay, and the dates you need the workers. Interested employees who are signed up with the company can review the posted job and decide if they would like to apply for the position.
When you post a job on some on-demand platforms, it will be for one shift at a time. If the person wants to work more than one shift, they must sign-up for a consecutive shift, if the job permits it, or apply for more than one day. The worker gets paid when they finish the shift. It’s that simple.
How Does On-demand Staffing Work?
On-demand staffing agencies help companies fill various types of temporary positions. All you have to do is request extra help when the workload for your company increases and you are unable to meet with your existing staff.
Some situations can lead to a temporary worker being hired by your company. You may want to fill a permanent position that uses the staff from the on-demand staffing agency to find the perfect match for the job. You may find this to be a faster and more efficient hiring process than the traditional method.
Traditionally, when you don’t have a current employee qualified to fill an open position, you would advertise the open position to the public. Applications would be accepted and processed. The applicants who meet the cut-off will be scheduled for interviews.
The purpose of the interview process is to select the best-qualified candidate. Once a candidate is selected, a conditional offer may be made contingent upon the results of the background check. After the background check is successfully completed, the person would be hired.
On-demand employment provides workers with a different option. Because of these platforms, you can get help for your business at a moment’s notice. Workers sign up for work and create a profile in the on-demand hiring platforms, which give them access to available posted shift work.
If the worker finds a job that they like, they can select the job through the platform. The on-demand staffing agency may use a company to outsource the issuance of the worker’s paycheck and handle other HR tasks. As the client employer, you determine the length of the employment.
If you find that you no longer need temporary workers, there is a process for canceling a posted job. Some companies require that you pay a cancellation fee of at least 50 percent of what the job would have paid. That seems reasonable since the temporary worker depended upon the job to get paid. At least 6 hours notice is needed to cancel the job.
Employers
If you operate a small business, you may not have a human resource department to review applications, interview candidates, and negotiate salaries. All these activities take time away from the other responsibilities you have in running your business.
For these reasons, it may be advantageous for you to partner with on-demand staffing agencies. However, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to hiring. Utilizing an on-demand staffing agency may not be the answer for every small business, but it works for many companies in place of making a direct hire.
On-demand Workers
Most on-demand platforms require the job seeker to complete an online profile. Once the profile is created, workers don’t have to fill out another application regardless of the number of jobs they select. Workers must remember to keep their profiles up to date, so they can be matched with the best available jobs.
There are many sectors from warehouse staffing to delivery drivers – when the demand can be immediate, especially in the case of and absent employee.
Advantages of On-demand Staffing
The advantage of using an on-demand online platform is that the vetted workers are available when the demand is high. For workers, they do not have to commit to one particular company. The worker can also remain in control of their time. They make more money and can boost their resume.
Employer flexibility in hiring workers
If the demand for your business products fluctuates, you can lose money by having additional permanent staff on the payroll. On-demand staffing lets you post jobs and hire workers when they are required. Gig workers can quickly come to the rescue on short notice to help employers save time. When there’s a mobile app that can usurp local staffing agencies and go straight to on demand hiring, employers are in luck!
Reduction in risk
On-demand workers are not employees of the companies where they work. Most companies find this attractive because the on-demand company shoulders all the legal responsibility for the worker. Therefore, your company receives the benefits of having more workers without risk.
Faster Hiring Process
The job market has become more competitive. Applicants have more skill sets, education, and work experience. Therefore, the hiring process may take longer. If you use on-demand platforms, you can hire faster and don’t have to worry about losing trained qualified applicants to competitive companies.
Routine tasks
All companies have daily routine tasks, such as data entry and sorting and filing paperwork, which pile up because their employees don’t have time to do them. These tasks can be done by almost anyone. Instead of hiring extra employees, it might be more cost-effective to bring in an on-demand worker.
Seasonal workers
Seasonal work is probably one of the most common reasons you may want to hire on-demand workers. The meaning of seasonal could encompass weekends, holidays, or during specific events. Rather than hiring extra employees, you can hire temporary workers to help get through these busy times.
New Services
There may be a service that your company wants to offer that is outside your regular business services. You could hire on-demand workers to perform the services temporarily. If it doesn’t work out, it will save your company the expense of investing in something that was not profitable.
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Employee No shows?
If employees don’t show up for work because of sickness or other reasons that the company could be in a position of not being able to function effectively without hiring additional staff. On-demand staffing agencies provide a pool of workers to come to work in these unforeseen situations.
Disadvantages to on-demand staffing
On-demand staffing comes with its share of risks. Workers may find there is not enough work available to provide them with the salary that they need. In addition to having an unpredictable income, they don’t have any job security. The shifts that were once plentiful may suddenly disappear.
Misconceptions about on-demand employment
Most people think that hiring a staffing agency is too expensive. The fees may be high, but it could end up saving your company money. You can spend a lot more money advertising positions for hire, hosting a selection process, and conducting background checks. On-demand staffing saves you those expenses.
It’s not uncommon for your company to pay close to half a year’s salary while hiring and training employees. Time will pass before you see a return on the money spent. Also, the longer a position is vacant, the more money will be spent on overtime to other employees having to pick up the slack.
A common misconception is that on-demand platform workers are somehow less qualified than employees who apply directly to the company. The truth is that your company probably wouldn’t hire the on-demand worker directly because they may be overqualified for the on-demand position.
As an employer, you may be reluctant to hire a worker that you felt was overqualified because you may fear they will not stay on the job long. As soon as something better comes along, that worker will leave to go and work for the other job that more suited their qualifications.
Many on-demand workers are semi-retired or only looking to supplement their income. Many of them retired for professional careers. They may not want to commit to a full-time job because they want to travel or have other obligations, which causes them to want to remain flexible with their time.
You may think that you’re paying too much if you look at the base pay for the worker in conjunction with what you’re paying the on-demand platform company. Workers may also feel shortchanged. What you must remember is that the on-demand company is responsible for the taxes and other expenses.
Legal Considerations When Using Temporary Staffing Platforms
On-demand staffing agencies must operate under state and regulatory laws. The same rules and compliance regulations apply to your regular employees apply to temporary workers. Here are some of the legal considerations when hiring workers through an on-demand platform.
Employee Versus Independent Contractor
You must understand the difference between an employee and an independent contractor. The worker’s classification determines whether you must withhold taxes and provide other benefits. Incorrectly classifying on-demand workers may have legal consequences for your company.
Confidential Information
Temporary workers may need to have access to trade secrets and confidential information to do their job. If your company handles sensitive information, you must be careful in choosing the right temporary workers. These workers must have the proper clearances to work with confidential information.
You may wish to have a temporary worker sign a written agreement not to disclose any sensitive or confidential information. In these situations, you might consider consulting with an attorney to draft such a contract.
Workers’ Compensation
Typically, independent contractors are not covered by workers’ compensation. In most states, you must provide employers with workers’ compensation coverage. The on-demand staffing companies should provide workers’ compensation coverage.
Workers may wish to verify that workers’ compensation is offered by the on-demand company. Some of these companies view workers as independent contractors instead of employees. Therefore, they may not provide this coverage.
Regulations
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and some state laws, employers must document the number of hours that nonexempt temporary work. Also, if temporary employees become injured, the employers may have to record the injuries on their required Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports.
Workplace or Sexual Harassment Training
Some companies must provide their employees with workplace or sexual harassment training. You may have to provide proof that the training was conducted to meet your industry’s regulatory requirements. If staffing agencies don’t make this training available, you must provide the training as the employer.
Conclusion
Today, on-demand gigs are nothing new. We have on-demand transportation, on-demand meals, and many other services. It’s no surprise that this concept would work in the employment field. On-demand staffing provides your company with a pool of vetted workers who are available when they are needed.
Some of the advantages to on-demand employment for employers are the reduced risks involved with hiring employees, flexibility in the hiring process, and replacing employee no-shows. A significant advantage for the on-demand workers is that they can remain in control of their time.
In addition to shift work, some companies provide on-demand platforms for freelance professionals. These jobs are typically performed remotely, which offers an additional level of flexibility for the worker and the employer. Freelance professionals are independent contractors and receive a 1099 tax form.
On-demand staffing is the way of the future. Using these platforms can revolutionize your company’s hiring process. If you have open positions that are not filled, and they need additional help, try staffing your company with on-demand workers.
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Find out more about how Shiftpixy can empower your business growth.