Congratulations on hiring Lofton Staffing as your company’s staffing provider! If your company is new to staffing, the process can be a bit confusing.  What exactly is your role as the client? How long does it take? What does the company need to provide? Below are some basic guidelines for this new business relationship:

FIRST CONTACT           

That first phone call to a staffing firm can feel like an interview itself! As a new, potential client, your recruiter will ask a series of questions regarding all facets of the business, as well as the ins and outs of the position itself. Questions could include:  

• How long your business has been established;
• The number of employees at your location;
• Address and location of job site;
• Who will the Lofton employee report to? Contact information, etc.;
• Detailed information as to the role of the Lofton employee, i.e. temporary work, long-term, direct hire, etc.;
• Detailed information as to what the employee’s responsibilities will include.  If there are any safety concerns, your recruiter will ask more detailed questions and may request a safety audit;
• Detailed information as to the requirements the employee will need including education, experience, skills, site-specific training, certifications, credentials or licensing;
• Detailed information as to the work schedule, hours and anticipated salary range; and
• Whether or not your company wants to hold separate interviews or have the person start right away.  

This may seem like overkill for a first meeting, but is vital in establishing a relationship between your company and your recruiter to match the right candidate with your request.  Staffing firms, like Lofton Staffing, have their finger on the pulse of economic and employment trends to help guide employers. Your recruiter will analyze your request in order to submit a competitive salary/bill rate to secure the right candidate for the position.

GETTING SET UP AS A CLIENT  

Great! You have gone through first contact and are ready to make the commitment to partner with Lofton Staffing as your staffing provider. Your recruiter will email new client documents, including a credit application, to be completed by your firm. These forms must be returned to your recruiter, signed by a licensed agent of your firm, before anything happens. Since these forms may need to be completed by multiple departments in your company, it is important to stay on top of the paperwork.  How long it takes to get these forms returned to the staffing firm can expedite or delay the process of getting that position filled – so be sure to act fast!  

Once your company is an established client with Lofton Staffing, your recruiter will be able to make any future placements practically seamless.

LOFTON’S ROLE  

Since the employee works for Lofton Staffing (with the exception of a direct hire), it’s important for clients to know their role so as to avoid any co-employment confusion. While the client is responsible for daily instruction when the staffing personnel are on site, it is the role of the staffing firm to establish what the employees need to know to perform optimally. The staffing firm orients their workers before the assignment begins with pertinent information such as where to report, dress code, lunch hour, basic duties to be performed, and location logistics.  

In keeping with the employer responsibility, staffing firms help separate the client from liability and government regulations by:  

• Hiring and terminating assignment employees;
• Arranging employee work schedules;
• Setting employee pay rates;
• Establishing employee benefits, including bonuses, incentives, holiday and vacation pay;
• Withholding employee taxes and unemployment insurance;
• Preparing and issuing year-end W-2 statements;
• Maintaining workers’ compensation for its employees;
• Handling employee references and background checks;
• Recruiting, evaluating, screening, training and monitoring its employees;
• Custom matching the appropriate employee to the assignment;
• Communicating regularly with its employees;
• Seeking to resolve any personnel problems;
• Bonding its employees;
• Maintaining all personnel records for its employees;
• Protecting you, the client, against willful or negligent acts of its employees while on assignment at your company.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?  

According to American Staffing Association, the average time spent for company recruiters from the interview to offer is 22.5 days, plus any additional time of position analysis, posting the position, reviewing resumes, and scheduling interviews. Staffing firms, like Lofton Staffing Services, have a pool of qualified and screened candidates for their positions of specialization. Instances where the pool is limited, or the client is unsatisfied with the applicants presented, can extend the timeline to match the candidate.  

Executive search firms, including Lofton’s Executive Search Division, work closely with passive candidates in their niche market, giving you access to a wider range of qualified talent. Having a partner that is proactive rather than reactive in the recruiting process quickly cuts your costly down time and additional burden on other employees within the organization.

MONEY SAVED  

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average direct cost for a new employee is $57,967.88 including basic wages, benefits, and taxes. Add in costly overtime during the vacancy of the position, recruiting and advertising costs, screening and testing costs, and this number can quickly grow exponentially.  In addition, as many as 84% of new hires don’t live up to the employer’s expectations. With the time, money, and resources that are associated with the hiring and on boarding process, productivity and staff morale can be affected. Most professional staffing firms offer a guarantee or free replacement on their talent for a certain period after hire.  

A staffing firm, like Lofton Staffing Services, provides you with a cost per hire and offer financial guarantees to support the quality of their talent. In addition to cost per hire savings, employees contracted through staffing firm fall under the staffing firm’s unemployment and workers’ compensation claims. This can quickly decrease costly overhead due to injuries and employee turnover.

SUMMARY  

When you need a temporary employee to cover a vacation, medical leave, or an unexpected increase in workload, having an established staffing partner can provide you with additional resources during your time of need. Staffing firms often work with professionals and skilled workers who are open to short term, project, or part-time work that have experience in their field. Having quick access to experienced talent can provide your company with great flexibility in hiring needs.

About Lofton: Founded in 1979, Lofton Services offers clients the best of all worlds. We provide the responsive, personal service and flexibility of a small local firm while having the technology, resources, and infrastructure to deliver the benefits of the biggest players in our industry. Lofton Staffing can deliver the right people, with the right skills, right when you need them. Contact us today.