Productivity Difference between Temporary & Permanent Employees

Written by KOVA Corp

When holidays approach, or an uptick in call volume is expected, contact centers often take advantage of the flexibility that temporary workers can provide. But just how beneficial are temporary workers, really, to a contact center’s performance level? How productive are they, compared with permanent employees? And does it matter, if they’re only being used for a short period of time?

The answers to these questions are complex. If flexibility during times of high call volume is your main goal, then yes, hiring temporary workers is worth it, whether they themselves are more or less productive than your permanent workforce. But if other factors affect your decision-making process, it’s a good idea to take a look at some of the pros and cons of hiring temporary contact center agents vs. sticking with permanent ones.

Pros of Permanent Contact Center Employees

Permanent employees are much more likely to feel a sense of ownership in their company. Because of this tendency for them to internalize the goals and values of their contact center, they are much more likely to strive to meet them than a temporary worker who will soon be gone.

They are also more likely to be committed to their job because of relationships they have built with coworkers and supervisors, as well as a desire to advance their career within this company. And even the simple fact that they have a steady job may provide enough motivation to do their best, in this shaky economy.

Finally, permanent contact center employees develop a level of expertise that simply cannot be matched by a temporary agent. They will know much more about your company’s products or services, and be able to handle many different types of calls easily, while a temporary worker will have a learning curve to contend with.

Pros of Temporary Contact Center Employees

While there are many positives to using only permanent employees in a contact center, temporary workers come with several benefits, as well. For one thing, because they are new to the company, temporary workers are starting fresh, without any negative attitudes towards management, or involvement in office politics, that longer-term employees might experience.

Another plus is the fact that these temps can be especially motivated to do their very best in order to please their temp agency, or maybe even to get a longer-term contract with your contact center. The necessity to prove themselves can drive temporary agents to outperform even very good permanent employees.

Finally, the boost of energy that temps can bring from the outside can actually motivate permanent employees to do even better than usual, whether in a spirit of competition or one of shared enthusiasm.

Regardless of whether you choose to staff your contact center with permanent employees, temporary employees, or a combination of both, let KOVA help you manage your workforce with our suite of Workforce Optimization solutions. Whether you need a simplified solution for scheduling employees at peak times, or you are looking for the ideal way to train new and old employees alike, KOVA has the perfect software to make your life easier. Contact us today to find out more!

Is Your Organization Ready to Optimize their Public Safety Systems?

eyeusers