Immediate Problems? Meet the Interim Solution

In our last issue, we explored "Fighting the Myth of the Perfect Fit," in which we discussed creative hiring options that involved short-term solutions to potentially critical workforce problems. In this issue,we're going to further discuss how and why hiring candidates on an interim basis can provide the creative solution that companies need in their quest to be more productive. Companies have immediate needs and problems regardless of the economic situation. However, what they don't always have are the resources to be able to meet those needs or the budget to hire full-time employees to solve those problems.

Filling the need

If there's one thing that companies crave right now, it's flexibility.There's no question that many managers and their staffs are over burdened at the moment, constantly looking for ways to accomplish more with less. There are a variety of situations in which a company might opt to hire an interim employee or executive. Those situations include the following:

Part of the flexibility inherent in hiring an interim employee is that the company can utilize their skills and know-how for any length of time, as much -or as little - as they need to without a long-term commitment.

The pros, the cons, and relocation

Benefits:

• The opportunity to draw upon the expertise of somebody not currently on your full-time staff
• Completion of projects and assignments more quickly and efficiently
• Greater productivity with a minimum of workflow interruption
• The ability to add expertise, productivity, and efficiency without the costs associated with hiring a full-time employee
  

Concerns:

• There might be a learning curve involved for the interim employee, necessitating additional education and/or training.
• Theemployee, if they have to maintain two residences, will quickly leavetheir interim position when economic conditions improve.
  

This last point - relocation - is a major issue these days. While companies should not expect interim professionals from outside the area to relocate, corporate housing should be considered in cases involving an extended assignment. The point is to not let the relocation issue be an overriding factor in the decision to hire an interim professional. After all, the person may love the job and stay on longer than anticipated, or perhaps an offer of full-time employment may be possible once the recovery of the economy begins in earnest.

Flexibility and creativity

Speaking of the economy, flexibility and creativity are vitally important in today's market. Companies shouldn't be too rigid in their approach and should instead show a willingness to accommodate the varying factors involved with each individual situation. No two interim positions are exactly the same, and no two interim employees are exactly the same.Attempting to apply the same rigid guidelines to all of them would be counter-productive.

If the ultimate goal is to convince the employee or executive to stay for the long haul, being flexible and accommodating will go a long way toward accomplishing that goal. Remember, a person will always choose the employment opportunity they believe they'll enjoy the most and with which they're the most comfortable. Their stay with your c ompany could be your chance to provide the best and most attractive opportunity for them, so that they're willing to put their house on the market and relocate their family when the time is right to do so.

Companies have no shortage of immediate problems - whether they're department-related or project-specific. What they do have a shortage of is resources.That's why hiring an interim professional or executive can provide the solution they need for their short-term problems . . . and maybe even the long-term answer they've been seeking, as well.

(A special thank-you to Emil Sommerlad, an interim C-level executive, for his contributions to this article.)