The candidate experience brings together all the emotions, impressions and feelings of an individual from the moment they apply for a job opening (and in fact, even before!) until they integrate into a company.
In the context of a temp job offer, this experience is the result of the exchanges between the applicant, the temping company and the client company.
What is special about this candidate experience in the context of a temporary contractualization such as that offered by temping?
Chronologically, the interim candidate experience begins from the moment they read an ad, interact on a social network, post on a forum or glance at a sales brochure.
It is critical to optimize all exchanges, to avoid any risk of interruption in the recruitment process on the part of the candidate.
The candidate experience needs to be particularly careful in a sector such as temping that scrolls (the famous "screening") many profiles every day.
The construction industry is a major client of temping
In fact, temping is a sector where good candidates are very often called upon for new assignments, so the candidate experience is (almost) continuous for them, unlike in "classic" cases where the employee experience takes over from the candidate experience.
To ensure a constant commitment from these candidates (punctuality, quality of work done, compliance with instructions, etc.), it is essential to demonstrate, on the part of the temporary employment company, a real quality of listening and close accompaniment.
How to optimize processes on large volumes of candidates such as those managed by the temping business?
This involves working on 4 key points in the relationship between the temp and their direct employer:
- Reception and digitalization
- Accompaniment and follow-up
- Humility and transparency
- Listening to and reacting to the needs of the client
1 - Reception & Digitalization
The physical reception at a temp agency is an essential step in the candidate experience. Different parameters such as waiting time, friendliness of the team, cleanliness of the premises, etc. influence the candidate's perception of the employer.
The candidate's perception of the employer is also influenced by a number of other factors.
What about the' digital interim?
A simple, clear and functional UX makes life easier for temps on a daily basis. No longer having to go to an agency or receive assignment proposals by SMS is a time saver for candidates. They can also manage all their documents from their personal space.
Also in the interest of efficiency, sending a welcome kit to the temp's address before they take up their position makes life easier and allows them to focus on what's important: the success of their assignment.
A temp agency should offer a beautiful space and good UX to its candidates
2 - Coaching & follow-up
When the temp is selected for an assignment, the quality of the telephone exchange must be irreproachable both on a human and professional level.
The same is obviously true if he or she is met in a physical interview prior to taking the job. This step is important because most of the temp's interactions with his temp agency will take place at the company where he is doing his assignment.
If the exchanges go badly, the bond of trust could break between the candidate and the agency.
Once the temp is on the job, it is important that someone be in charge of their follow-up to answer their questions, but also to guide them on a daily basis. But the experience doesn't end there.
At the end of her assignment, it is also important to gather her feedback in an effort to constantly improve.
3 - Humility & Transparency
Whatever its size and reputation, a temp agency must operate on a perpetual questioning of its HR processes. By analyzing the feedback from its temps, it will be able to better meet their needs and thus optimize the experience for all.
A good dose of humility will facilitate exchanges, and improve services, if the agency is digital.
To achieve this, the use of satisfaction surveys or AB testing are very good levers not to be neglected.
Temporary employment is a tripartite contract where the agency is between the company and the temp. Since certain little-known rules inherent to temporary employment apply (salary payment deadlines, advance payment options, bonuses, various benefits, etc), nothing should be done in the dark. The more transparent the agency can be, the more the temp will appreciate it and can be understanding.
4 - Listening & Responsiveness
The emergency recruitment requires great reactivity on the part of the teams, and this is true both in terms of processing the request for the company and the requests of the temps.
It is therefore primordial to be attentive to the needs of both parties and to respond to them as quickly as possible with the same commitment. Indeed, an empathetic agency (which promptly pays down payments when requested, for example) will thus ensure fidelity of its temps over the long term.
It is also very important to diversify the contact options (email, phone, Google questions, social networks, forums, etc), in order to allow the temp to simply get answers to their questions. Note that the presence of an effective FAQ usually answers the vast majority of questions.
The candidate experience is a critical issue for all temp agencies.
So pamper your temps and constantly challenge your operation to be as close as possible to their daily issues.
Article co-written with Mistertemp'
