Business as Usual with Remote Onboarding for Temps

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Office Consultant, Sian Cox, talks about the benefits of being onboarded remotely in a temporary role.

COVID-19 has forced companies to switch to remote working relatively quickly.

With lockdowns and social distancing rules being enforced throughout pretty much the entirety of 2020, working from home was – and still is – one of the best options for offices and businesses that are able to do so. It’s the safest and most logical option; it’s something that a lot of companies have never done before and it’s definitely something that a lot of companies and employees have found quite difficult and scary.

There is a lot of change involved in working from home, including turning your home (which is usually thought of as an escape from work) into a comfortable and professional office space; moving around equipment like laptops, office chairs and monitors, and just generally trying to figure out that perfect home-work life balance.

Despite the initial difficulties that come along with working from home, there are a lot of positives that come with it.

What are the positives of Working from Home?

• It can offer more flexibility

• It gives time for people to focus on things outside of the office as well as their job, for example, family.

• It can create a better work-life balance, without the need to wake up extra early to travel to work, to then spend time travelling home after work also

• You can focus better – a study from Stanford University has proven that WFH increases productivity by 13%

• You can save money – saving on travel, saving on coffees and lunches out

• Your access to the job market isn’t limited to just where you live

What is it like working remotely as a temporary candidate?

Being a temporary candidate in a new working environment can be tough as it is, without throwing working from home in the mix. Instead of the usual induction where you meet the team and start shadowing current employees as you find your bearings in your new role – all of this is now non-existent.

This time, you must be prepared for a different type of onboarding. You may be going into the office for your initial induction and sitting 2 metres away from your colleague whilst you train, or it may be a different experience altogether with you working remotely from the outset.

Upon working remotely, it’s obvious that your colleagues and managers won’t be working in the same building as per the norm, so you can’t just pop over to ask a quick question like you normally might. You’ll need to be proactive, making sure you understand your role fully and the projects that you’re working on from the outset. The main point is to make sure that both you and your manager are on the same page from the start. Whilst you’re both learning to work together remotely, there are bound to be bumps in the road and hurdles to jump, but in this instance, communication is key – don’t be afraid to ask for help!

Of course, it is always going to be tougher to onboard people working from home straight away and tougher to train people working from home; but it’s very doable and it certainly seems to be the way going forward – at least for now!

The Benefits of Temping (especially during a pandemic!)

Temping is a balancing act – for some people, being a temp is perfect for them. For others, being a temp is a short-term option whilst searching for that perfect permanent job.

With the current climate that we are facing, unfortunately a lot of people have found themselves without a job due to redundancy. A lot of companies are remaining cautious at this time and temporary jobs have started to overtake permanent roles in terms of popularity. Temping can be a great option to keep your skills up to date and to stay relevant and proactive in the market – it can also keep you busy! Let’s be honest, who wants to sit at home going stir crazy during lockdown? Not me! It’s not as if you can go out and enjoy a break from work either because everything is closed!

Temping can be so beneficial. It’s flexible for a start, and it can give you great exposure to new industries that you may never have had the chance to try before. It can give you the opportunity to broaden your skillset and if you can find temporary roles with respected companies, you’ll find it immediately makes your CV more desirable and could mean the difference between ending up on the Yes or No pile for future permanent positions if that’s what you’re aiming for in the long run.

Not only this, temporary roles can more often than not turn into a permanent role. If you already have your foot in the door temping with a company and a permanent role becomes available whilst you’re there, majority of the time, businesses look to their temps first.

Some roles are advertised as temporary to permanent – don’t be put off by this!

We at The ONE Group placed someone in a temporary to permanent position very recently as an Editorial Administrator. We know that under normal circumstances, this position would generally be a permanent role as this person is likely to be needed 5+ years down the line. However, in the current climate, the company chose to make this role temporary to permanent – and they did this for a reason. Temporary to permanent roles give the company a chance to get to know you and for them to figure out whether you’re the right fit for the bill before making any final decisions – but don’t forget, it’s mutual for you too! It can also give you the opportunity to try the role and test the company before committing fully to the position – surely that could never be a bad thing?

Right now, we are going through some extremely uncertain times, and everyone is just trying to muddle on through as best they can. We’re all in the same boat. It’s a rough ride, but we will get through it, and I have no doubt that we will all come out stronger on the other side. We at The ONE Group want to be there with you from now, all the way through until the end. So if you need any help or have any questions, please do give us a shout – we’d love to help.