HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Case 3 :-

Creative Staffing Solutions: A Pipeline of Human Assets

Finding the talent, competence, and expertise needed to operate a business, run a project, or grow a company is always a challenging job. In the recent labor market, even with an economic downturn, firms have had difficulty finding enough employees who are skilled in specific areas such as management information technology, software programming, and technical sales.

          There are also firms interested in attracting people willing to work part-time or on a temporary basis to develop and complete a particular project. A temporary work basis differs from “traditional” temporary assignments, which often last a week or two while a permanent employee is ill or on vacation. Instead, some companies want people who can stay on the job for six months or a year.

          Creative Staffing Solutions (CSS), a temporary and alternative staffing firm, provides workers to companies “Temping,” as it used to be called, is a $40 billion industry as more and more companies turn to staffing agencies for help. Companies are willing to pay for these employees. “For high-tech workers, this is an employee’s market,” notes Marc Brailov of the American Electronics Association. “It is very important for Internet companies to create and offer incentives to attract and retain employees.” That’s where Creative Staffing Solution (CCS) comes in.

          CSS, a minority-owned firm founded by Mel Rhone, now has clients ranging from small companies to large organizations such as AT & T, Hershey’s, and Lockheed Martin. CSS specializes in finding IT professionals, engineers, computer programmers, and other high-tech workers for its clients. On one side of the process, a CSS manager meets with and interviews the HR manager at the client firm to determine the firm’s needs. On the other side, CSS managers screen, interview, and test prospective job candidates’ work history, grammar, spelling, math, computer skills, and so forth. CSS makes it possible for the job hunters to post their resumes on the CSS Web site, where staffing managers can review them. In addition, CSS’s staffing managers peruse Internet job sites in search of potential matches.

          According to CSS managers, the alternative staffing solution meets the needs of both the company and the worker. Firms obtain screened, highly skilled, and motivated workers for a designated period. Currently, many high-tech firms prefer to hire temporary workers. They like to hire people to complete a specific project, such as development of a new computer system. Workers also benefit. “You get to make your own schedule,” remarks CSS staffing manager Joy Thomas. Because CSS tests and trains candidates, people who want to improve their job skills can find plenty of opportunity through the company. Some workers are looking to change careers but are afraid to make a total commitment without knowing whether they will like the new field. Filling a temporary position can give them a good taste for what the field will be like. Occasionally CSS sends a worker to fill one temporary position at a company, and the person moves on to a completely different job at the firm. The arrangement gives both parties convenience and flexibility.

           Rhone foresees a future in which temporary and alternative staffing will be routine in American industry, and he wants his company to be ready to grab every opportunity that comes its way. A study by National Association of Temporary and Staffing Services found that 90 percent of companies surveyed employ temporary help. “Companies are incorporating temp workers in long-term plans, whereas 15 years ago they used temps just to fill occasional holes,“ remarks Richard Wahlquist, executive vice president of the association. The same holds true for today’s workers. “The way Americans seek work has fundamentally shifted-so many young adults look to temp agencies first, to get a taste of different fields, that we are a central part of the job search process,” says Wahlquist. Creative Staffing Solution intends to remain part of the process as well.

Questions

1. How can Creative Staffing Solutions create a learning environment for job candidates before they accept a position or while they are between positions?

2. What type of job candidates would use the temporary job support and services provided by a firm like CSS?

3. What difficulties might Creative Staffing Solutions have to deal with in using electronic job and resume posting?