Nothing makes me angrier than staffing agencies that pop up saying they have 10,000 staff on their books and can cater for any job, anywhere in the country. At iD Staffing we invest a lot of time and money in making sure we meet all our staff before they join our books. It’s surprising how much people differ in real life to what they say about themselves on paper, so it’s important that as a staffing agency you personally know your database. Your brand ambassadors are exactly that – Ambassadors for your brand not just your clients so how can you control who is representing you if they haven’t been through any kind of interview or introduction process?
As a client, when you are selecting your staffing agency you need to ask questions about how they recruit their staff. For example, do they hold interviews and what criteria do they measure applicants against – if they don’t meet ALL their staff face to face before joining the books then run a mile…
Take Stuck for Staff – this mechanic is a very useful tool for those that just need bodies to fill gaps - but what kind of checking process is there? They have thousands of staff on their database but do they really know any of them? When you select your staff from the list, can you really be sure that your staff member will actually look like their photo!? Do they really have those skills? Are they really as experienced as they say? Doubtful I would say.
It’s all about having control.
We constantly review our recruitment processes, in fact we are about to launch our new Auditions – a revolutionary new way of recruiting brand ambassadors, and something that has never been done in the industry before. But what happens once they are successful and join the books?
Managing your database to optimum levels of active staff is key. Staff are forever moving, learning new skills and gaining experience, so keeping details up to date is vital to ensuring the right person is picked for the job. Speaking regularly to the staff and creating great relationships provides accurate information and loyalty on all sides.
The damage caused to your agency and the staffing industry as a whole by having unregulated, unmonitored and unchecked staff is massive, so call me a control freak but I want to know everything I possibly can about my brand ambassadors.
Claire Bloxham
Director
iD Staffing
claireb@iDStaffing.com
0207 428 1451