Consider temporary staffing services in lieu of volunteers to handle busy times

• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/nba.30137
• Date: 01 December 2015
• Published date: 01 December 2015

6

DECEMBER 2015NONPROFIT BUSINESS ADVISOR

© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company • All rights reserved

DOI: 10.1002/nba

(See HUMAN RESOURCES on page 8)

Human Resources

Consider temporary stafng services

in lieu of volunteers to handle busy times

The holiday season brings with it an increase in

donation processing and, in many cases, a rise in

demand for nonprot services, and many charities

hope that an accompanying upswing in volunteers

will help them handle the extra workload. But ac-

cording to Ward Howick of The Midtown Group,

a Washington, D.C.–based stafng rm, nonprots

should take a good look at their overall human

resources needs—not just during this busy time

of year—and see if a temporary stafng arrange-

ment might offer a better alternative than relying

on inconsistent volunteer labor.

“It depends on a lot of factors, but in most cases,

the extra costs involved are made up elsewhere”

in the form of increased productivity and happier

customers, Howick said.

Howick pointed to several advantages that tem-

porary employees offer over volunteers, including:

• It’s usually higher-quality work. Temps are

selected specifically for the positions they are

filling, Howick said, unlike volunteers, who typi-

cally fill in wherever needed. Having someone par-

ticularly suited for the job usually means higher

productivity and fewer mistakes—both of which

end up costing the organization less money in the

long run.

• It’s more secure. Any temp handling money,

including processing donations of any kind, is

subjected to extensive background checks to weed

out those with criminal histories and problems

with drugs or alcohol, Howick said. And the

temp agency’s liability insurance would cover any

mistakes made by the employees, so if a decimal

is misplaced during data entry or a calculation

is done wrong, any costs to the organization are

covered.

• It’s strategic. It’s common for nonprots and

businesses alike to find permanent employees

through temp agencies, via “temp-to-hire” arrange-

ments, Howick said. While the initial placement of

the worker might be to handle a short-term uptick

in services, it gives the organization a chance to

evaluate the worker’s abilities and cultural “t”

with the group—something that is essential for

well-run, effective charities.

It is also easier for temp agencies to nd work-

ers with specialized skills—like advanced nancial

accounting or IT experience—because they usually

have a large database of people they have worked

with over the years to draw upon, he said. In com-

parison, the pool of potential recruits that a typi-

cal nonprot’s HR department would have at its

disposal would be quite small, he said. And while

the perfect candidate might still be found in that

small pool, odds are that the larger reach of a temp

agency would turn up more and better-qualied

applicants, Howick said.

Contrary to what many may believe, the hiring

organization still has a lot of input when it comes

to the workers that a temp agency places there,

Howick explained. It’s up to the organization, but

they can be as involved in the process as they would

be if hiring in-house. They can have the applicants

go through any number of tests and evaluations—

Howick said there are dozens to choose from,

gauging the full range of skills that employers

look for—and organizations are encouraged to

participate in face-to-face interviews, especially for

staffers who might be considered for long-term or

permanent positions.

And, he said, most temp agencies should be

able to provide comprehensive evaluations of the

organization’s broader HR needs—applying the

Check out NBA on Facebook!

Drop by our page and join

the conversation.

Simply visit Facebook and search for

Nonprot Business Advisor. See you there!