Skills for the Job: How to manage agency staff

What are the benefits of employing temporary staff in services for children, young people and families?

Temporary workers can provide much needed skills to plug gaps in the permanent workforce. They can also provide very specific experience that may not be available in the workforce at a given time or that may be needed long term.

These workers often also come with a diverse employment history gained from working across many different organisations, which can then benefit their current workplace.

The number of agency staff working in the public sector is on the rise, and the reasons for this are complex. Over demand and an under supply means that workers can be choosey about whether to take permanent or temporary roles. Pay rates have been increasing and many workers prefer higher pay and short-term contracts, where they can assess an employer before committing. They are also able to move on if they do not like working in a particular organisation.