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workers seem to become “part of the woodwork.” They work at a company through the temporary agency, yet they feel a close affinity with the company they physically operate from each day. This can lead to frustration both for the temporary worker and for other employees, who wonder, “Why don’t we just hire this person full time and provide them with benefits and proper pay?” The perception can be that the company is taking advantage of the temporary worker. It is critical to make clear at the outset exactly what is expected of the temporary employee and what the length of the relationship will be. Having done this, companies must also ensure that they communicate any changes in expectations as time goes by. This is an ongoing activity, not something that can be done once at the beginning of a relationship, and then ignored.

      It is important that companies be able to explain — to managers and employees, as well as to the temporary employee — the basis behind the decision to make the position a temporary one.

      One reason you should carefully manage the relationship between your company and any temporary employee is the possibility of co-employment. Co-employment occurs when two or more companies (typically your company and a temporary agency) jointly administer responsibilities, salary and benefit reviews, counseling, and selection or termination of an assignment employee. If co-employment is found to exist, each company is liable for the employment decisions made by the other. If an assignment employee files a legal complaint and wins, both the agency and the client company could be responsible for any damages awarded.

      To avoid problems with co-employment in your temporary employee work arrangements —

      • report any absences, tardiness, or unacceptable behavior to the agency;

      • refer all questions relative to pay, benefits, duration of position, or opportunity for employment to the agency;

      • inform the agency about any changes in an employee’s work schedule; and

      • assist the agency in evaluating employees by completing quarterly or annual surveys.

      Do not —

      • inform any temporary employee that he or she is terminated or suspended — notification must come through the temporary agency;

      • discuss pay rates, increases, incentives, or bonuses;

      • discuss opportunities for full-time employment;

      • extend an offer for employment; or

      • request that an assignment employee complete timecards/forms with your company’s name on them.

      2.3 Working with interns

      Universities and technical colleges can be good sources of experienced and low-cost/no-cost assistance for your business. If you’re not already working with interns, it’s an area you should explore. There are benefits and rewards for all involved.

      For the company, it’s an opportunity to work with ambitious, energetic, creative, and enthusiastic people — often at a very low cost. For interns, typically students, it’s a great way to earn a grade and credits and, in some cases, a stipend for their time.

      When it comes to making the intern relationship work, the onus lies with the employer. Having clear objectives, a solid structure, and a willingness to commit your own time and energy to the relationship will have a significant impact on the success or failure of your interns. These are “must haves,” in fact, to even be considered as a potential “home” for an intern.

      Internships that work best are those that are structured. Most need to be approved by the school that is providing the intern so it makes sense to have written directives available in advance. This also serves to ensure that there is no room for misunderstanding between you, the school, and the student. In essence, you should consider the internship in the same manner as you would a job.

      Interns need to feel valued just as employees do. One common issue for interns is feeling as though they are not being fully utilized. Avoid the tendency to have interns work on menial tasks and provide them with opportunities to learn skills and engage in activities directly related to their courses of study.

      Interns’ output should be overseen just as any employee’s work would be. Toward this end, it is important to make it clear who the intern reports to and who is responsible for overseeing their work and providing feedback. Again, the intern experience should be as close as possible to the experience of a typical employee.

      Since competition for interns can be fierce — especially for the best and the brightest — and since schools are concerned about educational outcomes, speaking in their language can help you get noticed — and get an intern. For example, if you’re looking for a graphic designer, highlighting the specific learning objectives or competencies from the intern’s or school’s perspective will get you noticed. Some pertinent objectives might include:

      • Learn to design user-friendly and visually appealing forms and documents.

      • Develop skills in working with print vendors to produce documents.

      • Build personal portfolio of materials produced.

      A good starting point in developing meaningful objectives can be taking a look online to review various curriculum to see what schools are hoping students will gain through their courses.

      Although larger companies often have an edge, small organizations have a lot to offer too and can sometimes be especially attractive to students because of the ability to gain a broader perspective, rather than being focused on just part of a process. Small companies can effectively compete with larger, more established firms, by selling themselves as though they were selling to a client: “This is what we have to offer. This is what the student is going to get out of the experience.”

      While not all internships are paid, some amount of compensation can help. While students may simply be eager to gain experience to boost their employability, offering compensation can set you apart and make your opportunity that much more attractive.

      The steps involved in obtaining an intern generally include:

      • Clearly defining what your internship needs are — in writing

      • Clarifying and writing objectives (based on curriculum needs)

      • Contacting schools’ career services or internship departments

      • Filling out required materials

      • Interviewing candidates

      • Making your selection and notifying the school

      • Completing follow-up paperwork

      • Completing required evaluations (based on the school’s expectations)

      2.4 Working with freelancers

      More and more small businesses are relying on freelancers to provide services ranging from copywriting to strategic planning. It makes good sense. You hire the help you need when you need it, and you are not faced with the burden of paying a full-time salary. One of the best referral sources for freelance assistance is other small businesses. Ask your colleagues who they have used and what results were obtained. Were they horrified, dissatisfied, satisfied, or elated with the results? Were deadlines met? Would they use the same person or company again?

      The best freelancers to hire are those who have already worked for other companies in the same business as you. They will already have knowledge they can draw from, and you will save time in briefing them and feel more confident that the finished work product will be acceptable.

      Just as when you are hiring temporary employees through an agency, the more precisely you can indicate what you are looking for, the more likely you are to get what you want. This seems to make perfect sense, but many employers get lazy at this point and provide sparse instructions.

      Know what you want when you make your initial assignment. Put your requirements, payment agreements,

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