Submitted by rthibode on
in
Forums
Hi everyone,
My job involves supervising part time employees. The longest they can stay is a year or two.
I already do far more with them than is the norm. I take their development very seriously. For example, they have training program, weekly meetings, regular performance reviews, and frequent feedback. Equivalent staff in other departments get a few hours of training and nothing else, period.
I'm eager to apply what I'm learning in MT. I'm not sure how to cope with the short-term nature of employment in particular. I can only promote them to leader, but that involves working extra hours and not everyone wants that. I can't offer more money to better performers. The best I can offer is an excellent reference.
To get everyone performing at a high level, I think I'd need more than a year or two with them. I can't ask for more the contracted weekly. Any suggestions for accelerating staff development without extra time? Or any different ways of looking at this challenge?
Managing part-time temporary staff
I think you're on the right track, already. Instead of focusing on the temporary nature of the job, keep looking toward the quality of the job they do. Continue to offer feedback, training, evaluation. Feedback in and of itself can be extremely powerful. Word of mouth in an educational institution about 1) the job you do, 2) the benefit to the students working for you, and 3) the benefit to the students THEY are working with will travel fast.
It means a lot of investment on your part with visible returns that you can see now and for a short time in the future. It's still a powerful statement that you are willing to invest on a short-term return to the degree that you are. O3's, feedback, individual goals and development. Understand that you're giving these students tools that they can carry forward for the rest of their lives.
Managing part-time temporary staff
Rachelle-
Great note. I think my first thought is to let go of any concern about the temp nature. One thing you can do is accelerate the speed of feedback, or put differently, reduce the refractory period between action and feedback. More feedback/guidance over the course of a year is essentially the same as more development time with them.
Remember what every first grade teacher knows: you have them for 9 months. It's not the length, it's the depth (of love).
Mark