Select the Right Staffing Agency for Your Manufacturing Company

Editor's Note: Take a look at our featured best practice, Lean Manufacturing (167-slide PowerPoint presentation). In this Lean Manufacturing presentation, we explore the Lean philosophy, which is rooted in the Toyota Production System (TPS). Lean aims to enhance customer value by optimizing processes and eliminating waste, ultimately increasing productivity and value with fewer resources. A key [read more]

Also, if you are interested in becoming an expert on Supply Chain Management (SCM), take a look at Flevy's Supply Chain Management (SCM) Frameworks offering here. This is a curated collection of best practice frameworks based on the thought leadership of leading consulting firms, academics, and recognized subject matter experts. By learning and applying these concepts, you can you stay ahead of the curve. Full details here.

* * * *

If you own a business – in particular a manufacturing company, then you probably know that for a product to be of the utmost quality, you need to have by your side a team that puts their heart into work.

However, finding the right people can be challenging – the qualified and talented ones, familiar with the industry and ready to work hard for the firm’s success. You or your HR manager are bound to spend hours looking for your future employees – conducting extensive research of the candidates and performing the recruitment session, which will eventually lead to hiring the best ones.

What if we told you that there is a way to save yourself the trouble and still end up with the best people? Because there is – and it’s called a staffing agency.

However, due to the number of staffing agencies on the market, choosing the best one might be a tough nut to crack. To make this decision easier for you, we’ve prepared a short guide that will help you select the best option for your manufacturing business.

So, how to find the right one?

Experience

When it comes to staffing agencies, you should look for the ones with the most experience. Although companies that are new to the market can also provide satisfactory services, hiring them is always risky. In the end, your product has to be perfect – and for that, you need both excellent and unproblematic staff.

An experienced manufacturing staffing agency will be able to prove the quality of the services they offer – both by a list of happy customers and reliable documentation of the employees they are hiring. So first of all, check the number of placements that the company has performed.

Secondly, ask them about their employees’ credentials. Look into the reference checks they conducted, as well as their insurances, liability, and certificates. When you look into all of these, the agency’s position on the market should be more or less clear.

Values

No matter what your manufacturing company specializes in – whether it’s customer goods, machinery, automotive production, or something entirely else – you want to choose an employee that will suit your company like a well-fitted glove. To find the candidates perfect for your company culture, you should make sure that the staffing agency you’re hiring shares your company’s values and beliefs. Are you focusing more on integrity or passion? Sit down with a recruitment firm to talk about your expectations and the values they can bring to your firm. This way, you will also find out what kind of employees they are hiring for a job.

Understanding of the Industry

To find the most qualified candidates, make sure the staffing company works in the area of your expertise. The recruiting firm should know both about staffing and the industry you’re working in so that they can choose the right employee for a particular type of job. Check if the agency networks in the area or belongs to any trade groups to ensure you’re hiring specialists. You know best what skills your workers need to have – make sure your future recruiters know that too.

Solid Recruitment Process

Whether you’re looking for a long term or short term employee, choosing the right candidate will inevitably start from performing a recruitment process. Thus, ask the staffing agency some more questions about the rules of interviewing candidates. What is their sourcing technique? What is their strategy based on? Ensure they abide by good business practices and have a transparent candidate assessment process that suits your needs.

High-Quality Customer Service

You and the staffing agency must go hand in hand in finding the top talent for you. For that, you need to be in a healthy relationship and work like a properly functioning machinery.

In such close cooperation, your business should be treated fairly and with respect. Before you decide to choose a particular agency, first talk to the manager in person to ensure they treat you like an equal business partner. Plus, ask about their schedule to make sure they will have time to provide you with the attention you need.

Moreover, while searching for staffing agencies, choose the ones that can document customers (and employees!) satisfaction to see how they treat their employees and co-workers. Remember that, in the end, they will be representing your brand.

Conclusion

Choosing the right staffing agency for your manufacturing company can be a tough nut to crack. After all, there are so many, that picking the best one can seem to be impossible – even if you know what you are looking for. Remember that you need to find a company that will help your business in the best way possible, which is why you shouldn’t rush your decision – take all the time you need. This way, you’ll be able to find top recruiters, and along with them – the best employees.

Good luck!

Want to Achieve Excellence in Supply Chain Management (SCM)?

Gain the knowledge and develop the expertise to become an expert in Supply Chain Management (SCM). Our frameworks are based on the thought leadership of leading consulting firms, academics, and recognized subject matter experts. Click here for full details.

Supply Chain Management (SCM) is the design, planning, execution, control, and monitoring of Supply Chain activities. It also captures the management of the flow of goods and services.

In February of 2020, COVID-19 disrupted—and in many cases halted—global Supply Chains, revealing just how fragile they have become. By April, many countries experienced declines of over 40% in domestic and international trade.

COVID-19 has likewise changed how Supply Chain Executives approach and think about SCM. In the pre-COVID-19 era of globalization, the objective was to be Lean and Cost-effective. In the post-COVID-19 world, companies must now focus on making their Supply Chains Resilient, Agile, and Smart. Additional trends include Digitization, Sustainability, and Manufacturing Reshoring.

Learn about our Supply Chain Management (SCM) Best Practice Frameworks here.