From Temp to Long-Term Asset: Why Redeploying Talent Wins

Picture this: your star temporary worker's contract is ending next week. They know your systems, get along with the team, and consistently deliver quality work. Yet instead of keeping them, you're about to post another job ad and start the hiring process all over again. 

This scenario plays out in companies every day, but it doesn't have to. Talent redeployment, whether converting temps to permanent roles or moving them to different departments, beats the costly cycle of replacing performers. According to Business News Daily, the average cost per hire is nearly $4,700.¹

When you factor in that new employees typically take around 12 months to reach their full performance potential, keeping your best temporary workers becomes an obvious talent retention strategy that supports your long-term workforce planning. 

The Hidden Costs of the "Replace and Repeat" Cycle

Before exploring your retention options, consider what you're paying when you let good temporary workers go and start fresh recruitment. 

Recruitment Costs

Starting from scratch means advertising, screening, and interviewing expenses that add up quickly. These hard costs hit your budget immediately, often totaling thousands before you even make an offer. 

Onboarding Time

New hires need weeks to reach productivity levels your temp already achieved, creating workflow gaps. Companies spend an average of 57 hours and $954 to train each employee, time your temporary worker has already invested.² 

Knowledge Loss

Company-specific processes, client relationships, and institutional knowledge walk out the door. Your temp understands your customers, knows your systems, and has learned your workflows through hands-on experience. 

Team Disruption

Established workflows and team dynamics get interrupted when you introduce unknown variables. Your existing team has already built rapport with your temporary worker, eliminating the adjustment period needed with new hires. 

Quality Risk

External hires are unknown; temps have already proven their capabilities and cultural fit. You've seen their work quality, communication style, and problem-solving abilities in real workplace situations, removing the guesswork from your hiring decision. 

Two Paths to Retention: Direct Conversion vs. Strategic Redeployment

Once you've identified temporary workers worth keeping, you have two main approaches to transform them into long-term assets for your organization. 

Temp-to-Permanent Conversion

This approach works best when the original role still exists, you have budget approval, and the temporary worker has demonstrated strong performance. Key advantages include: 

• Known performance: You've already seen their work quality and reliability in action 
• Cultural fit: They understand your company processes and team dynamics 
• Immediate productivity: No learning curve for basic job functions or policies 
• Proven demand: According to the American Staffing Association (ASA), one-third of temporary workers receive permanent offers, with two-thirds accepting.³ 

Consider a temporary administrative assistant supporting your operations team for six months already knows your filing systems, vendor relationships, and internal departments. Converting them eliminates the risk of hiring someone who might need months to reach the same effectiveness level. 

Strategic Redeployment

This approach makes sense when the original role is ending but the temporary worker has demonstrated skills and attitude worth preserving. Key considerations include: 

• Cross-department opportunities: Look for roles in different departments where their skills transfer. 
• Seasonal shifts: Move workers from peak-season roles to year-round positions. 
• Skill-adjacent roles: Identify positions that use similar competencies in new contexts. 
• Transferable qualities: Focus on work ethic, reliability, and cultural fit over specific technical skills. 

For example; a retail temporary worker hired for the holiday season might excel at customer service interactions. Rather than losing them in January, consider moving them to your customer support team or sales department. Their product knowledge and customer interaction skills remain valuable, just in a different context. 

Making Smart Retention Decisions: A 5-Step Framework

Not every temporary worker is worth retaining, and successful talent redeployment requires a systematic approach to identify the right candidates and execute smooth transitions. 

Step 1 - Evaluate Performance and Potential

Look beyond basic task completion to assess the full picture. Consider their problem-solving abilities, how they handle feedback, and their willingness to take on additional responsibilities. Equally important are soft skills like communication, teamwork, and adaptability. Cultural fit matters too; do they align with your company values and work well with existing team members? 

Step 2 - Map Internal Opportunities

Conduct regular inventory of upcoming needs across all departments, not just where the temporary worker currently operates. Look for transferable skills and adjacency matches; a data entry temp might have strong analytical skills suitable for reporting roles. Consider both immediate openings and positions that will become available in the next 3-6 months as part of your long-term workforce planning. 

Step 3 - Assess Financial Impact

Compare the total cost of retention versus replacement. Factor in recruitment expenses, onboarding time, and productivity ramp-up periods for new hires. Remember that retained workers eliminate the 12-month performance curve that new employees typically require. 

Step 4 - Create Transition Plan

Develop a clear communication strategy involving current managers, receiving departments, and the temporary worker. Identify any skill gaps that need bridge training and establish realistic timelines. Set expectations for all parties about responsibilities, reporting structures, and success metrics during the transition period. 

Step 5 - Monitor and Optimize

Track success metrics for both temp to permanent conversions and redeployments. Monitor retention rates, performance levels, and manager satisfaction. Use this data to refine your talent retention strategy and improve future retention decisions. 

Partner with Allied OneSource for Strategic Talent Management

The most cost-effective talent retention strategy isn't always the most obvious one. While other companies cycle through expensive recruitment processes, you can build a competitive advantage by recognizing the value in your temporary workforce. 

Whether through direct temp to permanent conversion or strategic redeployment across departments, keeping proven performers delivers immediate returns on your talent investment. At Allied OneSource, we understand that effective staffing goes beyond filling immediate needs. 

Our team works with you to identify high-potential temporary workers and facilitate smooth transitions that benefit both your organization and your employees. 

Ready to transform how you think about temporary talent? Contact us today to learn how our staffing solutions can help you turn short-term workers into long-term assets. 

References 

1., 2. Vasconcellos, Eduardo. “What Does It Cost to Hire an Employee?” Business News Daily, updated 11 Mar. 2024, https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/16562-cost-of-hiring-an-employee.html. 

3. “Introduction: A Vital Workforce That Supports the Economy.” American Staffing Association, https://americanstaffing.net/staffing-industry/workforce-solutions/.