As we all shelter in place, we have become more dependent on our computer. We order food online, we order movies online, we order a collection of ceramic cookie jars in the shape of owls online, which we know we never would have ordered if we were actually at work. There might even be the bravest among us that would be so bold as to order a new car online (although, where would we go?), sight unseen, without ever taking it for a test drive.
Let’s face it, no matter how bad it gets out there, no one usually buys a new car without a test drive. You want to get the feel of that car, to see if it is a good fit, to make certain that all those bells and whistles that were advertised aren’t just… bells and whistles. And you certainly don’t want to see it keep going into the shop because you bought a clunker. After all, workers’ comp—I mean auto repair—can get very expensive.
Sadly, and in most cases, companies only hire the best fit 50% of the time. The reason being that they never test drive that new employee before placing them on their payroll. But a good staffing company can raise that percentage.  And isn’t it well worth a few extra dollars in order to get the right person for the right job?
The fact is 80% of the talent market is not looking for jobs.  Employers need to allow the staffing companies and professional recruiters to search for the best talent, not just accept the talent that happens to show up, driven by obscure hiring announcements in print and online. Think of it as a form of “Magnet HR,” where instead of waiting for Mr. or Mrs. Right to walk through that HR door, a staffing company can draw out those hidden gems like a magnet to a paperclip.
Companies may have a Human Resources Department, but do they truly have the time to recruit the best talent when they have to wade through a landslide of often worthless resumes (“Deer Sir, I believe I would be qualified for the position of bank manager as I have had a checking and savings account for over five years.”).
There are at least five necessary steps that companies need to take in order to hire the right employee.

• Spend more time understanding the candidate’s resume.
• Make sure that during the interview you get the background information you need and ask the questions you need more information about.
• Use the Group Interview to find out more about the candidate and if he or she truly fits.
• Use Skill Testing to your advantage.
• Pre-Employment Medical Questions and Examinations can help you understand if the candidate is physically capable of doing the job.

Most people hire in a hurry and frequently omit several of the key components of making a great hire.  Staffing companies can handle those necessary steps and increase the possibility of making the correct hire.
Hiring through a staffing company can also allow the employer to see how much the employee really wants the job.  If you know that information going in, then after a certain amount of time he or she can be a member of their team and reap the benefits of the company.  The staffing company is set up to place the possible employee in a position for a certain amount of time, in order to judge if they genuinely want to be part of the team.
When hiring employees to work in jobs that require a certain amount of physical labor, companies rarely investigate the physical abilities of the employee.  Hiring an employee directly without knowledge of their physical abilities can haunt a company.  If a new employee gets hurt or in most cases says they got hurt, the claim itself will usually cost the employer three times the amount of the claim on their experience mod.
Why take the initial risk? 
   Spruill Alexander has been an insurance professional for over 27 years, providing advice to companies in the temporary labor sector.  Spruill is a Certified Work Comp Advisor and has also become well versed in the area of large benefit plans.  salexander@towneinsurance.com  office 252-317-0907