Temporary employee

A temporary employee is someone hired to work for your business for a limited period of time.

Homebase Team

Min Read

What is a temporary employee?

A temporary employee is someone hired to work for your business for a limited period of time. They typically fill in for absent staff, help during busy seasons, or work on short-term projects. Temporary employees can be hired directly by a business or through a staffing agency.

For small business owners, temporary employees offer flexibility. You get the extra hands you need, without the long-term commitment or cost of hiring a permanent worker. Whether it’s covering parental leave or staffing up for a project, temporary hires help keep your operations running smoothly.

How are temporary employees different from seasonal or part-time employees?

While these terms often get used interchangeably, they’re not exactly the same:

Seasonal employees are hired during specific busy times of the year (like the holidays or summer)
Part-time employees work fewer hours than full-time staff but can stay on long-term
Temporary employees are hired for a defined period, which can be short or long, depending on your needs

Temporary roles can last anywhere from a few days to several months.

When should you hire a temporary employee?

Temporary employees can help in a number of situations:

Covering for staff on leave (parental, medical, vacation)
Managing an unexpected increase in demand
Helping with special projects or events
Bridging the gap between hires if you’re still recruiting for a permanent role

Bringing in temporary help means you don’t have to overwork your existing team or put important tasks on hold.

Pros and cons of hiring temporary workers

Benefits:

Flexibility to scale your team up or down
Lower long-term labor costs
Opportunity to evaluate a worker before committing to a permanent offer
Fast hiring turnaround, especially through a staffing agency

Drawbacks:

May require extra onboarding, even for short-term roles
Temporary workers might not be as invested in the business
Can create inconsistency in service or workflows if turnover is high

The key is matching the right person to the right task and setting expectations from the start.

How to onboard and support temporary employees

Even though they’re only with you for a short time, temporary staff still need structure to succeed:

Provide a quick but effective orientation
Clarify job responsibilities and work schedule
Introduce them to the team and assign a point of contact
Give regular check-ins and feedback

Temporary workers who feel supported will be more engaged, productive, and helpful.

How Homebase helps with scheduling temporary employees

Managing temporary team members, especially alongside your regular staff, can be tricky. That’s where Homebase makes things easier. With built-in scheduling and time tracking tools, you can:

Create and share schedules for mixed teams of permanent and temporary employees
Track hours and breaks automatically to stay compliant
Send shift reminders and updates directly through the app
View team availability in one place so you can schedule smarter

Explore Homebase’s employee scheduling tools to keep your shifts covered, your team organized, and your operations running smoothly, no matter who’s on the clock.

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