From Upshift's Hiring Manager Survey
How hiring managers find workers who show up and do the job
In our survey, hiring managers who use contract workers scored them on availability, retention, quality and reliability. Here is what they told us, and what the managers with the best-rated workers do differently.
How hiring managers scored their contract workers, out of 10
Each number is the average score. The report also gave each score a label.
Want every chart? Read the full report
Availability scored 8.2 out of 10, the best of the four
Most of the time, managers can get people. On the busiest days, they still take whoever they can get.
In high-demand times we need to sacrifice quality for quantity.
I have stayed until the wee hours of the morning to wash dishes because we could not find workers to staff the dishroom.
Quality scored 6.9 out of 10: missing skills and extra training
Managers named four problems: missing qualifications, low productivity, not following instructions, and extra time spent on training.
Reliability scored 6.4 out of 10, the lowest: cancellations and no-shows
Managers named last-minute cancellations, no-shows, and people who stop trying after a few days. The result is delays, overtime and stress for the permanent team.
Retention scored 7.1 out of 10: people who never come back
Managers told us they train a worker, and that worker never returns. One called it "a constant revolving door of hiring and training." Upshift's Matt Gorman put it this way:
You've invested in finding and training a high-quality and reliable worker, just for them to never work another shift with you?
What managers who rated their workers 8 to 10 do
We asked the managers who scored their workers 8, 9 or 10 out of 10 how they keep quality and reliability high. Each percentage is the share of respondents who named that answer.
“We prefer temp workers that people we know recommend.”
“Our hiring manager interviews temporary workers as if we were hiring for full time.”
“I ensure that everyone who I talk to regarding positions knows exactly what I am looking for and my expectations.”
“We work with the temp agency and compile a list of qualified associates who know our different spaces and work well with our clients and team members.”
Also named, by fewer managers:
How they keep shifts filled: plan ahead, keep work steady, stay in touch
- They plan ahead“I make my request for the month ahead to ensure I have the amount of people I need.”
- They keep the work steady“We try to offer consistent work to the best temp workers.”
- They stay in touch“We try to keep in touch with our best workers to maintain a pool.”
- They treat contract workers like their own team“We treat them like our employees and not just temporary employees.”
What all managers want from staffing companies
We asked every manager what staffing companies could do better. 25% said better screening. 20% said a staffing company that understands how their business works.
Come to the plants and tour, ask questions about the job by talking to the supervisors instead of just HR.
How Upshift gets reliable people on your shifts
Upshift is a staffing platform for hospitality and light industrial businesses. Its workers are called Upshifters. Five things keep them reliable.
Upshifters choose when they work. That brings in people with professional careers and people who run their own businesses. A staffing agency usually cannot attract people like them.
80% of new Upshifters come from referrals by proven Upshifters. Good workers bring friends they trust to do the job well.
Upshifters who show up and get good ratings see new shifts first. People who cancel or get poor ratings see fewer shifts.
Victoria M.An Upshifter who no-shows once can never work on the platform again. So the people who book your shift take it seriously.
Kenyetta J.When you post a shift, the people who have worked for you before see it first. People who keep coming back tend to be the most reliable, because they like working for you.
The result: you build a team of familiar faces who already know your kitchen or your floor, and you know who is coming before the shift starts.
Watch real clients answer in short video clips. Pick your industry:
The full report, "Raising the Bar", has all of the managers' answers and more of their quotes.
Read the full reportAbout the survey: Upshift's Hiring Managers' Survey asked hiring managers who use contract workers to rate the quality, reliability, availability and retention of those workers, and to describe their problems and solutions in their own words. Percentages show the share of respondents who named each answer.