A high turnover of your temp workers: what to do about it in 3 steps

The major problem on the temporary staffing floor at the moment, as we hear from our clients: a high turnover of flex workers. This rapid turnover is, of course, the result of the increasingly tight labour market. But precisely in that scarcity, you want to retain your hard-won temporary workers.

Good news: you can! Let's go back to the beginning: do you actually know who your customer is precisely, and - more importantly - what they want? We're happy to tell you how to answer those questions.

Customer is king

Let's be clear right away: anyone who thinks everything starts with their product is mistaken. Without a customer, there's no business. You tailor the services you offer to the needs of the customers you target. If those needs change, then you and your value proposition change with them.

Okay, your customer as an intermediary consists of two segments, the client and your flex workers. We will now focus on the customer without whom you cannot exist: your temp workers. Because in our tight labour market, this part of your customer segment is absolutely king.

Determining what your customers want in 3 steps

Our theory about your business model starts with your so-called 'customer segments': who are you targeting?

The next step is to know who your customer is and what they want. If you want to limit the turnover of your temp workers, you must meet their needs. But how do you know if the demands of your temporary workers are changing? And which direction exactly their needs are moving in?

No stress, we'll explain to you here in 3 quick steps how to figure that out and how to adjust your business model accordingly. You do this by determining the so-called customer jobs, pains, and gains of your temp workers:

Step 1. Customer jobs

Your candidates want to achieve something in life, both personally and professionally. And a bit less philosophically: everyone needs to put bread on the proverbial table. It's important to determine which of those 'jobs' or tasks you help your customer with. Think broadly, not from your own product's perspective: ask yourself, 'What does a job seeker need in life?' rather than 'What does a temp worker want from an intermediary?'

Functional 'jobs'

These are very practical tasks: your candidate primarily has the 'job' of providing for his livelihood (and that of family members) with a minimum income. But they probably don't want to spend 24 hours a day fulfilling that task; they also want enough time for their personal life.

A crucial question: how does today's employee, your customer, prefer to manage their time? With fixed working hours and job security, or are they looking for income security and especially a lot of flexibility? If so, how much flexibility exactly?

Emotional 'jobs'

Here it gets more personal: your candidate wants to feel a certain way. Perhaps they like predictable tasks without stress, or they thrive on exciting challenges. Additionally, you can ask what good employership means to your candidates. And good to keep in mind: your temp worker likes to be treated the same as permanent staff.

Step 2. Customer pains

Fulfilling a 'job' doesn't always happen in one go: your customer encounters obstacles that make it more difficult, risks, unwanted effects - these are all 'pains.'

Consider what the pain is for your temp workers in providing income security. Or what they run into in the search for a job where they don't have to be present from 9 to 5 in one place. Maybe there aren't enough ad-hoc assignments to work completely flexibly. Or perhaps the 'job' of your temp workers is to be fully seconded for a longer period, but you only offer part-time assignments. And of course, it could also be that a worker always wants insight into the scheduling but lacks an easy tool to see their shifts ;-).

Why do you identify your customer's problems? As the future intermediary, you can alleviate these pains with the services and assignments you offer.

Step 3. Customer gains

Time for some positivity: 'gains' are the good results and benefits your candidates derive from fulfilling their 'jobs.' Like the tasks from step 1, these can be functional-financial and emotional.

For example: a positive and quite essential result of searching for a temporary temp job is getting paid. But it's also important that payroll is done on time, based on the correct number of hours. And for some temp workers, feeling at home, being appreciated, and having fun interaction with colleagues are just as important 'gains' as income.

So ask yourself: what are the minimal, functional, and expected benefits that candidates derive from my service? But also: how can I offer a little more and pleasantly surprise them?

If you recruit online because your candidates belong to the younger generation and prefer to find a temporary job from their phone, you can give them an unexpected emotional 'gain' by asking them personally how they are doing on the first day of work.

More satisfied temp workers = less turnover

If you know what your customer needs, you know what product you can sell. And if you know what your temp workers want, you can keep them with you longer. Goodbye, turnover!

Of course, we can only make predictions about the future desires of job seekers (which we love to do). But with the 3 steps of customer jobs, pains, and gains, you as an intermediary have a nice framework for determining the needs of your customers. 

What do you think: does the temp worker of the future want more flexibility or more security? We're curious! Let us know in a comment below.

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