Overtime is a great tool when it’s used correctly. Not only does it have the potential to boost productivity to new levels, but it’s usually quite profitable for the employees. Unfortunately, those who force overtime onto their staff often experience significant fallout as a result.
Do They Want More Hours?
The first step involves direct communication with your team. Skilled managers use a variety of ways to ask workers about their availability for overtime, including:
- Group-based surveys: These are a great way of gauging the initial interest for overtime. The group setting also gives every employee, regardless of their seniority or experience, the confidence needed to express their genuine opinion.
- Individualized consultation: Managers often approach the most talented and experienced employees on an individual basis. This is one of the best methods of determining their opinions on the matter.
Regardless of the method you choose, it’s important you also determine whether your overtime expectations are feasible – from your employees’ perspective and from a financial point of view.
Is It Financially Feasible?
Offering overtime to an entire staff isn’t always feasible – nor is it always necessary. Some organizations boast hundreds or even thousands of workers. Extending the offer for overtime across the board isn’t always a realistic option.
In this case, managers will have to crunch some numbers. Is it more affordable to offer overtime to a few, highly skilled (and highly paid) individuals, or does it make more sense to have lower-level workers put in extra hours at a cheaper wage? This ultimately depends on a variety of factors, including the amount of extra work needed, any applicable project deadlines and the exact wages of any potential overtime workers.
How to Develop a Strong Relationship With Your Staffing Agency
It’s also important to take the time to develop a strong relationship with your third-party staffing partner. While most of these services are autonomous – at least to a point – it’s beneficial to maintain communication with this resource at all times.
In order to maintain updated and consistent communications, provide staffing agencies with information like:
- Changes in job openings or future staffing needs.
- Modifications to compensation, including hourly wages, annual salaries or compensation and benefits programs.
- Sudden or unexpected fluctuations in staffing needs, including those that come during the Holiday seasons.
- Any plans for upcoming business expansions or lay-offs.
Keeping a third-party staffing agency abreast of changes like this helps them assign talent that matches the specific needs of a project or organization. Maintaining contact with the agency or, ideally, an assigned representative, strengthens this bond even further by allowing the chance to develop a professional relationship on an even deeper level.
Work With a Top Staffing Agency in North Carolina
Are you looking for employees to supplement your team during a busy time? Contact the team at Mega Force today to get started on working with a top staffing agency in North Carolina.
