Article updated August, 2022:
In some cases, if your company is located near a college or university, these staff may be able to transition into part-time; however, many students will return to school outside of the city they are working in for the summer, which leaves their position completely open. The fall is a busy time in many industries, such as those needing call centres agents, data entry personnel, and merchandisers, in the ramp-up for various holidays.
Embracing unique hiring solutions may be the best way to fill those student voids. For example, one outcome of school starting back up is that parents have increased availability during the day.
A key to minimizing end-of-summer staffing and scheduling difficulties is to embrace this alternative pool of candidates who become available once students have returned to their studies. We encourage companies to explore this option through our unique hiring and to welcome the concept of a flexible workforce that activates when stay-at-home parents and other caregivers become available during their child’s school hours in the fall and winter semesters.
ABL often has parents come to our office in September looking for work during the hours their children are in school. While this may be a less traditional work schedule, it can allow offices to maximize their output during core daytime business hours.
Over the years, ABL has found this pool of candidates to be highly motivated to find and maintain steady work during the week that allows them to either drop off or pick up their children at school. In the past, we’ve found that client companies that can offer either a mid-morning shift start or a mid-afternoon shift end can maximize their flexible labour force pool.
In addition, with the introduction of child care fee subsidies in provinces across Canada, there could very well be a new pool of stay-at-home parents who could be tempted back into the workforce – who until now may not have been able to justify the difference in the cost of childcare versus net family income on entry-level wage positions.
Our ABL Careers and ABL Direct divisions are well-positioned to help your company access candidates for your professional staffing or administrative staffing needs, whether for temporary projects or direct-to-hire positions.
Year after year, we have had success in attracting and placing this pool of hidden talent with companies who see the value in building and maintaining a flexible workforce.
If a traditional temp-to-hire arrangement doesn’t suit you, our ABL Careers and ABL Direct divisions also offers Direct Hire, Pre-Hire Screening, and Formulated Hire Solutions which could meet your staffing or hiring needs.
