A floating approach to property management offers a powerful boost in flexibility and adaptability. But it also has its limitations. You might not always have enough employees to handle emergencies, or you might encounter cases that require expertise your team doesn’t have.
An obvious solution is to hire only the staff you need. The problem is some needs are temporary. Busy seasons die down, and major projects end. This is where hiring temporary staff comes in.
Picture your property company juggling multiple properties with varied demands. When major issues arise—like a sudden spike in leasing inquiries or a tricky property legal case—temporary staff can quickly fill the gap. The best part? You don’t have to go through the lengthy onboarding and training process as you would with a permanent hire, giving you the flexibility to address immediate needs without long-term obligations.
The Benefits of Temporary Staff in Floating Property Management
A floating arrangement in property management can already enhance a realty team’s efficiency—but with temporary staffing, you can do more. Here are six ways leveraging temp staff can elevate your floating property management team:
1. Scale Flexibility: Increase and Decrease Your Workforce Quickly
Handling multiple properties can involve problems that require you to adjust the size of your workforce, such as emergency staff shortages and unpredictable client demands. However, not every business season demands scaling up your resources. With temporary staffing, you can quickly scale up your team to meet seasonal challenges and scale back during slower periods.
For example, peak rental seasons often need extra leasing agents to handle the increased demand for showings and applications. Temp hires can quickly provide help to cover the workload at different locations. Once the season ends and the workload decreases, you can release the temporary staff.
2. Cost Efficiency: Cut Unnecessary Labor Costs
Imagine being forced to expand your floating property team during an expected peak season. Once the demand declines, you realize you’ve just committed to providing full-time salaries, benefits, and long-term overhead while being overstaffed. This employment decision not only unnecessarily increases labor costs but also leaves you with an inefficient workforce during the slower seasons.
On the other hand, temp hiring’s needs-based flexibility allows you to spend only when necessary. You avoid unnecessary labor expenses by bringing in staff only during peak demand or when specific support is needed, ensuring your budget is used efficiently.
3. Reduced Downtime: Maintain Smooth Operations During Staff Shortages
Property management requires fast-paced operations. Delaying key tasks like tenant communication or property maintenance can negatively affect tenant retention, property reputation, and even revenue generation. Even with a floating team, unexpected staff shortages or task complications can cause major downtimes. Temp hires reduce delays in your operations by providing support in just a few hours.
For instance, your full-time maintenance staff might already be working on a big project at one location. Meanwhile, a major HVAC issue arises at a different property, and it will take your regular staff a few more hours to finish their project. You can bring in temporary maintenance technicians to swoop in and handle the HVAC emergency immediately since it’s an issue that typically can’t be delayed.
4. Sharper Focus: Help Staff Concentrate on Priorities
Temporary staffing frees up your permanent employees, allowing them to focus on your company’s most critical tasks. Instead of relying on your primary team to handle short-term tasks, temp hires can do the job at the same quality without forcing you to multitask and potentially compromise service quality.
For example, while a property manager resolves building complaints or deals with lease disputes, an assistant property manager can take over smaller tasks, such as coordinating minor repairs or conducting property inspections. This ensures your focus on addressing major tenant issues—which are more crucial to the company—while keeping day-to-day operations running smoothly.
5. Expertise On-Demand: Get Specialists When Needed
Temporary staffing can provide specialized skills that you may not have in-house but don’t need permanently. This can include tasks such as managing IT infrastructure, overseeing marketing campaigns, conducting market research, or completing specialized construction projects.
For instance, you may already have in-house property managers. But, during a major property expansion, you might need temporary project managers with specialized experience in construction management or contractor coordination to ensure the project stays on track. Other examples include a specialized legal consultant for complex zoning laws or a seasoned HVAC technician to solve severe chiller system issues.
Read More: Benefits of Specialized Staffing Solutions for Property Maintenance Teams
6. Risk Mitigation: Avoid Incompatible Hires
The floating property management approach requires high-quality employees with a wide range of capabilities. You want the best, yet hiring the right person is always a challenge. Temporary staffing minimizes hiring mismatches and turnover risks.
When you hire temporary employees, you can monitor their performance without any expectations and make immediate adjustments accordingly. If they meet your expectations, you can continue the temporary arrangement or even consider offering them a permanent role. If not, you have the option to find other workers who suit your needs better. This approach benefits both the company and the temp by letting both parties test their compatibility before committing long-term.
How to Add Temp Hires to Your Floating Property Team
Temporary staff make everything easier for your floating team. But it will still take some work to make sure you get the right fit. Here are practical steps for finding the perfect temp workers.
Identify the Need
Before finding a temp worker, it is crucial to first clarify the specific solution your floating team needs. What problem are you trying to solve? Do you need extra hands for general tasks, or is there a specific skill set required? How long will you need the support? How quickly do you need it? Clearly identifying the gap will help you communicate effectively with staffing sources and ensure you find the right fit without disrupting operations.
Partner with a Staffing Agency
Once you’ve identified the need, reach out to a staffing agency that specializes in property management or real estate. These agencies have access to a large pool of pre-vetted, skilled candidates with various levels of expertise. Simply communicate your requirements, and they will match you with qualified professionals who are ready to step in immediately. Staffing agencies also usually handle onboarding, legal requirements, and payroll, saving you a lot of time and effort.
Deploy and Support the Worker
Once the right candidate is found, the staffing agency will deploy the worker to the necessary property. The temp can begin contributing right away, as they have already been screened and trained for the role. However, your team can assess if additional onboarding, preparations, or general support are needed. For example, you may need to introduce the temp to key team members or provide them with property-specific information, such as local policies or tenant expectations.
Adjust the Terms as Needed
The beauty of temporary staffing is in the big boost of flexibility it offers to your already flexible floating team. The temp hire works for as long as needed—whether it’s for a few days, weeks, or months. It all depends on what your company needs. Once the job is complete or the situation stabilizes, the temporary worker’s contract can end. Based on the temp’s performance, you have the option to either extend the arrangement or look for a more suitable worker.
Work with the best temp staff by partnering with The Liberty Group.
If you want to ensure you get skilled and reliable temporary employees for your floating property team, The Liberty Group is the best option for you. With over 45 years of experience in multifamily and commercial realty staffing, we’ve gained the trust of numerous clients, offering nothing less than top-tier property management staffing services.
From temporary hiring and executive search to property management support, all the real estate staffing solutions you need are here. Reach out to us today to secure top talent now!