Has your community experienced multiple leasing agents quitting at the same time—without warning? Or maybe there was a time when one of your tenants complained about damaged plumbing, but all your maintenance personnel were either on vacation or out sick?
If you’re in multifamily property management, chances are you’re already familiar with unexpected vacancies in staffing. They happen more often than we would admit. And when they do, the effects can be terrible—from stressed-out staff to delayed service requests and angry tenants.
This is where temporary staffing can prove especially useful.
What is Temporary Staffing?
Temp staffing means hiring skilled workers for only a short period. It usually involves partnering with a staffing firm, telling them what you need, and deploying the temp hire for the job. It’s a powerful solution to unexpected vacancies. No wonder that in 2023, American staffing firms hired nearly 13 million temp workers.¹
Many industries benefit a lot from temporary hiring, such as healthcare, light industrial, and construction. Property management is no exception—especially since certain roles are more prone to high turnover or seasonal demand. In this field, common temp workers include:
- Maintenance Workers
- Leasing Consultants
- Assistant Property Managers
- Housekeepers
- Administrative Assistants
Why Temporary Hiring is Effective in Addressing Unexpected Vacancies
Unexpected staffing vacancies can happen any time—and for many different reasons.
Common Causes of Sudden Staffing Gaps
Quitting without proper notice is one of the most common causes. Employees often leave abruptly due to job dissatisfaction, burnout, or better offers elsewhere. In fact, turnover in the rental housing industry is among the highest, especially for maintenance (39%), leasing (32%), and property management (23%) roles.²
Health-related absences can strike suddenly—whether it’s illness, injury, or recovery from surgery. These are especially common in physical roles like maintenance, where even a minor injury can sideline someone for weeks.
No-shows from new hires also create disruptions. Sometimes candidates accept the offer but never show up, or they quit after only a few days because the role didn’t match their expectations.
Grave misconduct at work is another issue. Sometimes, you have no option but to let go of employees who get caught doing something serious, such as theft, harassment, or violating safety rules.
Why Temp Hiring Is a Reliable Solution
First, hiring temps is fast. High-caliber staffing agencies can provide temp workers really quickly, even for a few hours a day. They constantly search for jobs and candidates, so you don’t have to. All they need is a signal for deployment.
Second, temp hires come pre-vetted and job ready. Staffing agencies already do extensive screening to ensure that the employees they send are top quality. This involves filtering resumes, conducting interviews, and even providing training.
Third, temp hiring is flexible. How long do you need a temp worker? Just for the day? A whole week? Three months? You can negotiate your needs with a staffing firm, and they will provide exactly what you need. This allows you to respond to short-term gaps without committing to a full-time employee.
How to Use Temporary Staffing Services During a Workforce Crisis: A Step-by-Step Guide
If you’re not sure where to start, here’s a simple six-step guide on using temporary employment for unexpected workforce vacancies in property management.
1. Assess Immediate Staffing Needs
Before anything else, you have to be specific about what you need. If you discuss them on the fly while you talk to your staffing firm, you might end up spending unnecessary time clarifying details. To help you start, ask yourself the following questions:
- How many temporary employees do you need?
- How long do you need them?
- What do they need to do?
- Are you looking for certain skills or certifications? (Examples include HVAC certification, customer service experience, or familiarity with specific software.)
- What’s the working arrangement? Examples include weekends only, night shifts, or on-call.
- Any other specific work-related factors they need to know, such as client demands, location details, or uncommon tasks?
Taking time to answer these questions upfront gives you clarity—and helps the staffing agency deliver exactly what you need, faster and with fewer back-and-forths.
2. Find a Reputable Staffing Firm
Once you identify what you need, the next step is to find a staffing agency willing to understand your unique requirements.
Not all staffing firms are equal in quality. You want to look for one that has a proven track record in recruitment solutions proven by client reviews. You also need to find a firm that specializes in property management. This not only ensures that they have the right kind of professionals but also makes it likely that they’re already familiar with how your company runs.
Depending on your needs, some staffing agencies offer same-day or next-day placements. You must also check what kind of services they offer on top of talent supply, like onboarding support, payroll services, and background checks.
Contact the staffing firm whether through email or phone and communicate your list of needs.
3. Set Clear Expectations from Day One
Give your temp workers a strong start by being clear and organized before they even arrive. Think through the factors they need to succeed on day one, including:
- Major and minor tasks
- Specific tools, whether physical or digital
- Measurable goals
- The people they will work with, like their direct supervisor, your legal team, or HR
Additionally, you must note that these temp workers may be skilled professionals, but not every business is the same. So, you must provide them with specific instructions based on the nitty-gritty aspects of your company.
Ideally, you should provide them with a welcome packet that contains everything they need to know. You can also write down a simple job summary with their responsibilities and what you expect from them.
This level of clarity is foundational for their success, which will also be your company’s success as you fix unexpected staffing problems. How thorough and supportive you are to them will directly contribute to how well they can meet your emergency needs.
4. Evaluate Performance and Fit
As your temp hire works for your company, don’t forget to document their performance. It’s one thing to be satisfied with your new team member—but if you want to build a stronger response plan for the future, it’s important to put your assessments into writing. This way, you’ll know who to rehire, what worked, what didn’t, and how to improve your process for next time.
You can do this by collecting feedback from the team or reviews from your tenants. You can also conduct a brief end-of-assignment review, so you can also listen to comments from the temp hire. Then, use this data to improve your contingency plans in the future.
How to Get the Most Out of Temporary Hire
Once your temp hire is on the ground, here’s how to engage them and get the most value from every assignment:
1. Keep a List of Great Temps
Make a list of temps who did a great job and already know your property. With this list, you can already know who to call first in case of the same issues in the future. This saves you time and ensures consistency in service.
2. Provide a Quick Orientation on Day One
Even the best temps need to understand your property and expectations. A simple welcome brief, list of responsibilities, and overview of who to report to can help them start strong and avoid confusion. This small effort up front often leads to better performance and fewer delays during their assignment.
3. Pair Them with a Buddy
If you want to further ensure a good job, consider assigning a full-time employee to help your temp get settled. They can act like a mentor or a buddy who can answer questions and provide necessary support. This shortens the temp’s learning curve and improves their performance from day one.
4. Show the Path to Full-Time Work
It’s normal to want to hire a hard-working temp worker for a full-time position. In this case, you can simply create a clear set of standards that you require for them to be absorbed by your company. This can be as basic as showing up on time consistently to something like working well with the rest of the team.
Find exceptional temp staff with The Liberty Group!
The Liberty Group is a well-trusted partner with over 40 years of industry experience, supporting property owners and managers with reliable staffing solutions—especially during unexpected vacancies or peak demand. We specialize in temporary staffing solutions and also offer contract and direct hire services to meet your diverse staffing needs.
If you already have a candidate in mind, our RapidHire™ service can onboard them immediately by handling background checks, payroll, and compliance—so they can start working right away with no buyout fees. All you need to do is contact us now and tell us what you need.
References:
- American Staffing Association. “Staffing Industry Statistics.” American Staffing Association, 2023, https://americanstaffing.net/research/fact-sheets-analysis-staffing-industry-trends/staffing-industry-statistics/
- National Apartment Association. “Employee Engagement.” National Apartment Association, https://naahq.org/employee-engagement. Accessed 23 May 2025.