It happens to almost every business: suddenly there is more work than people. An unexpected order, a sick employee or a busy season. How do you solve such a staff shortage without crippling your organization? The answer often lies in flexible personnel.
But what does that actually mean? And how do you make sure your company is ready to handle peak moments without stress? In this article, you'll read how to build a flexible workforce, why temporary staffing and outsourcing are smart, and what strategies you can employ during busy periods.
Why companies with a flexible team are stronger
Imagine: you run a web shop and just before the holidays, orders are flying around your ears. Your permanent team is already working overtime, but it doesn't seem like enough. What do you do?
This is exactly where flexibility comes in handy. A team that moves with you ensures that you can scale up quickly when demand increases and scale down again when things calm down. It prevents stress on your permanent staff and keeps your customers happy.
A flexible staffing strategy not only helps during busy times, but also makes your business more agile. It gives you the freedom to seize opportunities that might otherwise pass you by, such as a large order or an additional project. This not only keeps you stable, but also allows you to grow faster without stress.
How do you build a flexible team of employees?
It starts with a simple question: what kind of help do you need at what time? Think about three layers:
- 1. Permanent team: your core employees who do the day-to-day work.
- 2. Temporary staff: employees you use at peak times or substitute for illness.
- 3. Outsourcing: external partners who take over certain tasks or projects.
1. Work with a pool of on-call employees
Do you often have peaks at the same times, such as around the summer or holidays? Then it is useful to have your own pool of on-call workers. Consider students or people who like to work part-time.
For example, a hospitality company creates a WhatsApp group with on-call workers that they can quickly call on during busy times. That way they don't have to keep looking for people.
2. Use temporary staff through a reliable partner
No time to recruit staff yourself? Then a temporary employment agency or recruitment and selection agency is ideal. They arrange everything: from contracts to payroll. You just get the people you need.
Meta Carrière helps companies with this by quickly finding the right people and taking all administrative worries off your hands.
3. Outsourcing for specialized tasks
Some tasks are better outsourced. Think of customer service during busy periods or processing large orders. This keeps your regular team focused on the most important work.
Example: A webshop outsources returns processing to a specialized company. This keeps delivery times short and customers can always return their products on time.
4. Use smart planning tools
No matter how flexible your team is, without good planning it becomes chaos. Therefore, use a tool in which you can easily shift shifts, see availability and call people directly.
5. Think ahead: analyze your peaks
Ask yourself:
- 1. When have I needed extra help in the past?
- 2. How big was the peak?
- 3. What tasks took up the most time at that time?
By analyzing this, you can better predict when to bring in temporary staff.
How do you keep a flexible team motivated?
Flexibility is nice, but motivation is just as important. How do you keep temporary workers engaged?
- - Give clear explanations: the better someone knows what is expected of them, the better they perform.
- - Make them part of the team: invite temporary employees to Friday afternoon drinks.
- - Appreciation : a simple "thank you for your efforts" works wonders.
Is your company ready to move with the labor market?
A staff shortage can be stressful, but it doesn't have to become a disaster. Through a smart mix of permanent staff, temporary staff and outsourcing, you can build a team that moves with your business. The more flexible you are, the better you can respond to opportunities.
Want to build a reliable network of flexible staff without the hassle? Meta Carrière provides the right people and a team that moves with your organization.
Contact Meta Carrière today and find out how we can solve your staffing shortage.
