When it comes to general labor staffing there is a crucial piece of the puzzle managers are overlooking. This is the importance of appearance and first impressions.
Managers in all industries and who use all different types of staffing services should reflect on the first appearance they are giving to their workers.
Real-World Example: Two Shifts, Two Outcomes
Picture this, you are a temp worker going to a shift. It’s 6 in the morning and it’s still a little dark. You walk up to the door that you think you’re supposed to go into and the first thing you see is a large caution sign. That sign is going to give you some pause, especially if you are not familiar with the company you’re working for.
You might decide to try a different door and from there a random worker tells you you’re supposed to check in at a different spot. So you go wandering around this building trying to find where to check in. After you think you find the spot, you and the other temp workers try to figure out how to check in for the shift. The process is not clearly outlined and you are confused if you’ve even checked in right.
When you finally are checked in the manager is annoyed that you are late and you get yelled at.
As a worker that’s not going to give a good first impression, and likely you won’t want to work more shifts for that company.
Now picture this, you are still working in temp labor, it's still a dark morning and you’re walking up to the door. This time instead of only a caution sign there is a sign confirming this is where temp labor should enter.
So you enter and there waiting for you is a manager who helps you though the easy and simple check in process. You’re directed to your workspace and can get to work easily.
This time the worker is going to be much more likely to want to come back for future shifts. And the only thing that changed was the appearance of the front door and the smoothness of the check in process. This is why appearance matters.
First Impressions Start with You
The experience temp workers have when they walk in can shape how they perform and whether they return. If the signage is confusing or the leadership is disorganized workers are less likely to want to return.
This matters because temp workers have the ability to decide on day one if they’ll come back. With temp agencies near me workers can just choose to not come anymore. With online staffing platforms workers can simply not apply for your shifts anymore.
If workers don’t want to return, finding temp staff for my business will become increasingly more challenging.
This challenge can be commonly seen with warehouses using warehouse temp staffing. When a warehouse uses a labor agency near me to find good warehouse workers but doesn’t put effort into having a good appearance, temp workers near me won’t want to keep coming back. This creates a retention problem as the warehouse is continually having to find temp employees.
How to Make the Right Impression Every Time
- Put welcoming signage on the door
- Designate a clear check-in area
- Have someone at the check-in area ready to greet workers
- Make sure your team leads know how many are coming
- Keep break rooms and workspaces tidy
- Say thank you at the end of the day
By doing simple things to improve the appearance and first impressions of your business workers are more likely to return, perform better, and recommend your business to other workers. Using tools like Bacon to find temporary labor near me can also help solve your retention problems.
