I’d love to hear your thoughts on training temporary staff.
There’s been a significant uptick in the logistics and supply chain sector in my country, leading to a high demand for operatives, many of whom are on temporary contracts.
Many of these positions require specific certifications for operating heavy machinery and various types of forklifts, which often involve training sessions lasting 2-5 days and costing between €300 to €1000. Unfortunately, there simply aren’t enough qualified individuals to meet the demand.
I’m contemplating the idea of covering the cost of this training for candidates. However, there’s a concern about the unpredictability of temporary work—often, individuals will attend just one day of training and then not return, or their assignments last only a few days, making it difficult to recoup the training expenses.
Ideally, these roles would be filled by permanent employees, and their employers would bear the training costs rather than assuming candidates come pre-qualified.
I’m considering identifying our more dependable temporary workers—those who have a history with us—and investing in their training. However, this still doesn’t solve the larger issue we face.
Has anyone else in this field implemented a similar approach? I’d appreciate any insights!
RCadmin
It sounds like you’re navigating a tricky situation, but I think you’re on the right track by considering investing in your more reliable temporary workers. Here are a few thoughts and suggestions:
Selective Training: Instead of training everyone, focus on individuals who have shown reliability and a willingness to learn. This can reduce the risk of losing your investment in training. You could even develop a criteria for selecting candidates based on attendance, performance, and attitude.
Incentivize Commitment: To mitigate the risk of people leaving right after training, consider implementing some kind of incentive or contract. For example, you could require them to commit to a minimum number of shifts or offer a bonus after they complete a certain number of hours or weeks of work.
Partnerships with Training Providers: Explore whether you can create partnerships with local training providers or institutions. They may offer discounts for bulk training sessions or could even provide incentives for you to keep your trained operatives employed for a longer duration.
Pre-Training Assessment: Before investing in training, assess whether the workers have the necessary skills or temperament for the roles requiring certifications. Sometimes, it might be more beneficial to invest in other areas of skill development before moving onto specialized training.
Employer Sponsorship: In your discussions with workers, emphasize the potential for long-term employment and the benefits of gaining these certifications. If they know that future employers value these skills, they may be more likely to stay long-term.
Feedback Loop: Create a feedback mechanism for those who undergo training. Understanding their experiences can offer insights on how to improve the training process and possibly help you retain some of them post-certification.
Temporary-to-Permanent Opportunities: Promote the idea that temporary positions can lead to permanent roles, especially for those who gain certifications. Highlighting career progression might encourage many to view these roles more seriously.
Using these strategies could help you strike a balance between meeting immediate operational needs and building a more reliable workforce in the long run. Good luck!