Northwest Staffing Blog

The purpose of drug testing is to lessen the impact from drug abuse in the workplace, including tardiness, absenteeism, turnover, decreased productivity, and theft. Why is it important? Consider these statistics:

• Drug use in the workplace costs employers $75 to $100 billion dollars annually in lost time, accidents, health care, and workers compensation costs, according to estimates from the U.S. Department of Labor.

• Sixty-five percent of all accidents on the job are related to alcohol or drug use.

• Substance abusers use 16 times as many health insurance benefits and are six times more likely to file workers compensation claims than are non-abusers.

Types of Drug Testing Programs

The easiest and most common type of drug testing program is a pre-employment drug test as a condition of employment. Pre-employment testing weeds out applicants who may have drug abuse problems and such a program can be set up with minimal effort. Before testing someone though, make sure you obtain consent and clearly indicate that drug testing is mandatory for employment.

There are also a variety of types of post-hiring drug tests you can conduct on your current employees, including:

• Random testing
• Testing due to suspicion
• Testing after an accident occurs
• Testing that is legally required in certain industries

For post-hiring testing, be sure to develop training and education for supervisors and employees, as well as guidelines for discipline in the event of a positive test.

Also, keep in mind that although the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and similar state laws provides protection for people who are in rehab for drug problems, it does not provide protection for people currently using illegal drugs, nor does it impact drug testing.

If you’re looking to implement a drug testing program at your company, contact Northwest Staffing. Our experience with our own temporary employees gives us in-depth expertise on this complicated issue. We can also help ensure you comply with appropriate employment laws and regulations.

Using temporary employees can deliver a variety of benefits, including flexibility, reduced liability, and time and cost savings. Whether you have a job lasting just a few hours, or one lasting several months, temporary employees allow your company to adjust quickly and operate at peak efficiency – even during the busiest times.

But in order to take full advantage of the benefits offered by a more flexible workforce, you must partner with a temporary staffing agency that’s right for your company. In fact, the stronger the partnership between you and your staffing company, the better the results.

Here’s how just one company, a client of Northwest Staffing for more than 13 years, benefited from partnering with us:

“In the past 13 years, with three different manufacturing companies, I have used Northwest Staffing as a temporary staffing partner. I have found them to be reputable, attentive to our needs, responsive to our requests, and cognizant of our resources. Whether it has been a need for seven laborers ‘in the next four hours’ or a specific skilled CNC machine operator ‘by tomorrow night,’ they have performed with the greatest professionalism.

“The best endorsement of any product or service is the continued purchase or use. My using Northwest Staffing for 13 years should say enough! I tend to be impatient with poor customer service and expect high standards in that regard. I can say without exception that my accounts have always been handled efficiently and effectively by Northwest Staffing.”

- Vern L. Marschall, PHR, HR Manager, HCI Steel Building Systems, a Blue Scope Steel Company

If you’re interested in learning more about how your firm can directly benefit from a partnership with a staffing agency like Northwest Staffing, please contact us today or visit our website.

Your people are your greatest asset – and also your biggest expense. The more actively you manage the cost of your employees, the less money you’ll spend. However, managing your staffing function isn’t just about cutting costs. It’s about giving you the ability to overcome challenges and take on new opportunities.

So here are some ideas you can utilize to enhance profits – and grow your business – through effective staffing.

Get rid of bottlenecks.
Many times, one of the biggest obstacles to growth is a shortage of skilled people. To overcome this barrier, you have a variety of options:

• Hire more full-time staff.
• Hire contingent workers temporarily.
• Train your existing staff to work more efficiently.
• Outsource certain parts of your process to another firm who can get it done quicker or cheaper.

Take on new opportunities.
There are probably times when you have a great idea for your business, but simply can’t implement it because you don’t have the resources. With temporary or contract workers, you can access the resources you need, when you need them – from temporary administrative help to a contract IT guru.

Tap into skilled talent.
Rather than trying to learn something on your own or taking tons of time to train a staff member, bring in a contract employee who already has the skills and experience you need. Once the project is complete, you don’t have to worry about the cost of another full-time employee.

Utilize temporary workers to generate revenues.
For instance, temporary workers can help you:

• Collect data and conduct market research.
• Set up sales appointments.
• Develop marketing materials.
• Manage a seasonal surge in business.
• Fill employment gaps when an employee gets sick, goes on maternity leave, or takes a vacation.

Keep your employees focused on what they do best.
Don’t give your top talent low-level tasks to complete simply because there’s no one else to get the job done. Keep your full-time staff focused on their priorities and bring in temporary employees to manage less important duties.

If you’re ready to use staffing to get more done in 2010, then please contact Northwest Staffing. As one of the top staffing firms in Seattle, we can help you anticipate your future staffing needs and then determine the most effective ways to control costs, enhance profits, and grow your business.

Temporary staffing is a great way to get work done without adding to your overhead in Mill Creek, Washington and beyond. In fact, using temporary staffing can help you reduce personnel costs and increase productivity.

While using temporary employees is a smart decision, it’s also important to follow best practices to get the best results. Here are some tips.

Invite your staffing firm on site.
Ask a representative from your temporary staffing agency to visit your company so they can experience your work environment first hand. This will lead to more thorough job descriptions and better employee matches.

Be clear about your expectations.
What tasks do you want the temporary employee to accomplish? How quickly do you need him or her to perform those tasks? This is the kind of information you need to supply to the temporary staffing agency to ensure your needs are met.

Provide feedback to your staffing firm only.
Don’t coach the temporary employee about his or her performance. Track performance and provide feedback directly to your temporary staffing agency and ask them to coach the employee.

Replace temporary employees that aren’t working out.
If a temporary employee isn’t meeting your needs, don’t think twice about contacting the temporary staffing agency to have them replaced. Be sure to exercise any replacement guarantee offered by your staffing firm.

Also, do not terminate an employee directly. Simply inform your temporary staffing agency about the situation and let them handle it.

Communicate with your staff about using temporary employees.
Some staff members may feel threatened or become concerned that you’re out to replace them with temporary employees. So create a positive work atmosphere by explaining to your staff how temporary employees can help your company as a whole. Foster communication and cooperation.

Provide orientation for temporary employees.
When a temporary worker arrives on the job for the first time, be sure to give them a tour of the company. Also introduce them to co-workers and supervisors who can answer their questions.

Don’t discuss full-time openings or pay rates with the temporary employee.
Temporary employees work for the staffing firm, not for you. So if a full-time position opens up, or you want to negotiate rates, contact the temporary staffing agency directly and discuss the situation with them.

As one of Mill Creek’s leading temporary staffing agencies, Northwest Staffing can help you increase productivity and lower personnel costs through temporary staffing. Visit www.northweststaffing.com to learn more.