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Why are new temps treated so poorly and not extended the same welcome as a permanent employee?
Elaine Varelas provides guidance on the importance of treating temporary employees with respect.
Q. I was recently laid off and while I’m looking for my next permanent role, I started as a temp at a company last week. I was so disappointed that when I showed up on my first day, I arrived to find my assigned desk had no pen, paper, or ANY office supplies. Meanwhile, a college intern started the same day in the same department (which is quite small, by the way) and had a fully equipped desk with everything she needed. Why are temps treated so poorly? Is this normal? I didn’t feel welcome at all.
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A. Congratulations on finding a temporary role. During this time, I caution you to make sure that your job search gets as much attention as your temporary role does so that you won’t be there forever. It is odd that they were prepared for the college intern that started the same day and that you were overlooked. And those things do often happen because there’s usually one person in charge of different programmatic efforts, like the college intern program or a new recruit cohort start.
Unfortunately, temps are often left to fend for themselves once they’re hired. Although you do have a person to report to, they may not have experienced having someone start as a temp. What’s unfortunate is it absolutely impedes your ability to be productive immediately, as you spend the first half day scouring for supplies and what you need to actually start working. No one gives you a tour to find the ladies’ or men’s room, or where to get coffee or lunch. Or to find who might have your technology equipment and provide access.
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Any organization bringing any person on should be concerned about making the best possible first impression and welcoming professionals who will absolutely talk about their experience, whether they’re onboarded for a day or for a year. Human Resources should be aware of new employees who are starting at an organization, who requires an ID, who needs email addresses, a tour, a buddy within the organization to provide guidance and answer questions, etc.
Frequently, a highly efficient HR person or someone in Office Services will prepare your desk for you, get you scheduled for the first day of meetings, and give an office tour to let you know what it is that you need to do and to meet people. And most importantly, how you get paid.
I encourage HR to have some insight into every temp that’s starting throughout the organization and the HR business partner would have that knowledge. So many organizations right now are invested in temporary to hire programs and it’s important that an organization provides a warm welcome to any employee, whether they are temps, summer interns, MBA interns, or permanent employees who are supposedly filling a very important role.
I’ll remind you to stay positive as you continue to actively search for a permanent role while working temporarily. You should overlook their lack of professionalism on the welcome as this might be the place where you may end up finding a full-time and permanent role or the people in this network might be able to positively impact your job search.
Be civil. Be kind.
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