Which way to go – temp to perm or straight permanent?

There are pros and cons to either taking someone on a permanent basis or trialing them through a temp to perm. Temp and perm desks are usually run as competing entities within recruitment consultancies. At Attic we want what is best for our clients’ business.

There are valid reasons both for and against both approaches. At Attic we offer a one hundred percent guarantee on all our permanent placements during the first three months, so what are the benefits of going for temp to perm?

There are several reasons why clients may choose a temp to perm

The primary reason is usually the inability to sign off on immediate increase to permanent headcount. A solid business case can be made for having someone start on a temporary basis, allowing them to prove their worth and then being able to justify why the new team member is required.

The second reason usually tends to be that the business is unsure that they have enough work to satisfy a permanent member of staff. By taking someone on in a temp to perm capacity, they can trial the model for as long as they need to before making the decision to hire them permanently.

There are a few factors that clients should consider when opting for a temp-to-perm:

a)    Try to treat the temp as if they were a permanent member of staff from day one – or as much as the business can accommodate. You want to ensure they feel secure and wanted. There needs to be demonstrable commitment from the client to ensure they are taking the temp-to-perm seriously and giving the candidate the best opportunity to shine.

b)    Regular feedback: The role of a temp agency in this scenario is to intervene between parties and ensure that feedback, both positive and constructive is passed back from the client to the candidate and vice versa. Being able to keep the temp candidate engaged is crucial to ensure they are motivated and makes both parties feel that they are committed to making it work. Unless the temp to perm candidate feels secure and has the desire to go permanent, they will continue to look for other roles and just when you want to make an offer, they find permanent employment elsewhere.

c)    The great thing about temp-to-perms is it gives flexibility to the client and if situations change within the business they are in a position to move quickly and alter the spec and/or type of candidate.

We are fortunate that many of our temp to perms at Attic started life with no permanent role on the horizon. Clients have loved our temps and made space for them within the business on a permanent basis which is testament to the ability of choosing candidates who fit well within the business. Through excellent communication we are helping to build some fantastic teams across the Capital and I am very proud to be part of raising the standards in the temp recruitment industry.

Kirsty Miall

Director