What Do Staffing Agencies Do for Your HR Team?

August 20 2019 - Approximately 63 percent of businesses in the U.S. have plans to hire new full-time employees by the end of 2019.

Is your business part of this group? If you're having a hard time finding qualified candidates, you may want to consider using a staffing agency.

What do staffing agencies do, though? Is it really worth it for your HR team to work with one?

Read on to learn more about staffing agencies and why you might want to get help from one when looking to bring on new employees. We're also sharing some tips on how to make sure you're working with the right staffing agency.

What is a Staffing Agency?

A staffing agency is also referred to as a staffing firm, recruiting firm, or recruiting agency. They are run by individuals who are experts in connecting job seekers with employers who are looking to hire new employees.

What Do Staffing Agencies Do?

The purpose of a staffing agency is to put people who are in need of jobs in contact with employers who are looking to hire individuals with specific skillsets. They can help people who are looking for temporary work as well as those looking for full-time jobs.

Staffing agencies provide benefits to both job seekers and hirers.

For job seekers, they help to facilitate connections and increase the likelihood that someone will be able to land a job interview.

For employers, they help to narrow down the candidate search and ensure that the hiring managers at a business are only meeting with individuals who meet the minimum requirements and are most likely to be a good fit for a particular job.

Benefits of Using a Staffing Agency

There are lots of reasons why your business may want to work with a staffing agency when looking to bring on new employees. Here are some specific benefits that staffing agencies have to offer:

Save Time

If you're running a small business, you might not have an HR team at all who can help with the hiring process. Or, your HR team might have too much to do to dedicate as much energy as is necessary to the responsibility of hiring new employees.

Working with a staffing agency frees you and your HR rep up to focus on other things while still feeling confident that the job is being handled.

Save Money

Hiring a new employee can be expensive.

First, there's the time wasted interviewing and going over resumes. As we all know, time is money.

There are also things like the cost of evaluations and the cost of putting out ads to let people know you're hiring.

Why not save money and work with an agency that already has all the tools it needs to do these jobs in an efficient and cost-effective way.

Reduce Stress

Hiring new employees is stressful. If you don't have the bandwidth to deal with interviewing and going over resumes, it's better to outsource the job to someone else who's equipped to handle it.

Reach More People

Staffing agencies have access to a huge network of potential employees. They can reach way more people with a "now hiring" advertisement than you can.

Remember, the more people you reach, the easier it will be for you to find the right person for the job.

Work with Experts

The individuals who work at staffing agencies are hiring experts. They know exactly what to look for when finding candidates for a particular position.

Working with them helps to take the guesswork out of the equation and allows you to feel confident knowing you'll be presented with only the best candidates.

Increase Retention

Using a staffing agency increases the likelihood that you'll be paired with a qualified and talented worker right from the start.

This, in turn, reduces the likelihood that this person will not stick around long-term or won't be a good fit for your company. As a result, you'll get to enjoy higher employee retention rates, which save your business even more money.

Tips to Find the Right Agency

Of course, if you want to experience all these benefits, you need to make sure you're working with the right  staffing firm.

The following are some tips that will help you ensure you're using an agency that has the best interests of your business in mind and will give you the most bang for your buck:

Know Your Needs

Start by getting clear on what kind of candidates you need for your business. Write down exactly what you want and spare no details. This will make it easier for you to find an agency that can meet those needs.

Shop Around

Be sure to compare several different agencies before you make a decision. Compare their specialties and look for one that offers the specific kind of help your business needs.

Focus on First Impressions

Pay attention to how you feel after your first interaction with a particular agency. Were they polite and professional? Did they seem capable of helping you find the right person or people for your business?

Learn Their Process

Find out what kind of process the agency uses to find candidates for the job. How do they sort through all the applications they receive and identify people who seem like the best fit.

Ask About Testing and Screening

Don't forget to ask if they do any additional screening or testing, too. For example, do they perform background checks on the job seekers who work with them? Do they handle drug testing?

Choose an Agency Today

Now that you have a clear answer to questions like "what do staffing agencies do?" and "how do I choose the right staffing agency?" you are ready to begin your search.

Keep this information in mind and you'll have no trouble finding a staffing agency that meets your needs and helps you find great recruits for your business.

Do you want to learn more about finding the right employees for the job? Check out some of our other HR-related articles today for more advice.

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