Finding reliable workers is critical for any business. With labor shortages and rising expenses, many businesses are turning to temporary staffing as a way to find workers. Using temp workers helps businesses manage seasonal surges, last-minute projects, and fluctuating workloads.
Finding the best staffing solution is no small task. There are traditional temp agencies, temp-to-hire, staffing apps and more to choose from. So here are some of the top general labor staffing strategies for 2025.
Staffing is Essential for Businesses
Temp staffing works for businesses in many industries. Warehouses and manufacturers utilize temp labor for seasonal surges and to supplement full time labor. Events and catering businesses can capitalize on temp labor to staff large events, working as bartenders, servers, linecooks, event setup, takedown and more.
Some of the key benefits of temp staffing include flexibility, cost effectiveness and speed. With temp labor businesses can scale their staffing up or down to meet their unique needs. Because temp workers aren’t full-time employees, they can be used only when they are needed, which saves money. With quick access to reliable workers, temp labor lets businesses operate with more speed than traditional hiring processes.
Key benefits of Temp Workers
- Flexibility to scale staffing up or down
- Cost effective solution
- Quick access to workers
How to Choose the Right Staffing Solution for General Labor
- Assess your Needs some text
- Identify what roles you need to fill (e.g., general labor, event setup/breakdown, picker-packers, forklift drivers, etc.).
- Determine when you need temp labor. For example: short- or long-term projects, expected seasonal demand, supplemental labor, event staff, event set-up or take-down, etc.
- Compare Agencies vs. Apps some text
- Traditional Agencies are known for industry expertise but often come with higher cost, slower processes and less reliable workers
- Staffing apps offer speed, flexibility, and cost transparency. Staffing apps are also known for having more reliable workers.
- Check Reviews and Ratingssome text
- Research the reputation of staffing agencies or apps online or by talking to other businesses. Look for platforms with strong ratings in the areas you prioritize.
- Evaluate Flexibility and Featuressome text
- Ensure the staffing solution has the flexibility and features to meet the needs you predetermined. Research their website or talk to one of their representatives.
- Test the Solutionsome text
- Start with a small project or trial period to evaluate the solutions efficiency and quality. Monitor the results to determine if the solution is working.
- Tip: Staffing apps rarely require a contract or subscription. So trying out a contract-free staffing app is risk and commitment free.
Traditional Staffing Agencies
A traditional staffing agency, or temp agency, is a company that helps businesses find temporary workers for a fee. While traditional agencies have established reputations and may have industry expertise, finding an agency that meets your specific needs can be difficult. Many large agencies charge a lot of fees and require complicated contracts.
Local temp agencies can have lower fees and a more personal relationship with workers and businesses, but the temp labor process will still be slow and inflexible.
The Rise of Staffing Apps
Staffing apps are the modern alternative to traditional agencies for hiring temp labor. Staffing apps provide instant access to pools of pre-background-checked gig workers. Staffing apps allow for a more flexible and user-friendly experience. And with that flexibility there also comes more cost efficiency.
Bacon is the Best Staffing App for 2025
Bacon is thousands of businesses’ go-to staffing app for hiring temp labor. On Bacon, managers post the shift they need filled. They have complete control over shift details, required skills, shift numbers and worker wages. Once a shift is posted, it’s pushed out to local workers who choose to apply for the shift. The business then chooses which workers to accept to their shift based on a workers’ Bacon Score and ratings from previous shifts worked.
After a shift is worked, managers have the chance to rate and review workers. Workers who the manager liked can be added to a favorites list and be invited back to future shifts.
“There is a difference, and it’s not a little difference–it’s huge. Bacon is worth every penny. They’re hands and above the best temp company I’ve used in 25 years.” - Jeff Sampson, Red Stag Fulfillment SLC
Advantages of Choosing Staffing Apps Over Traditional Agencies
Where traditional staffing agencies fall short (unreliable workers, contracts, inflexibility), staffing apps shine. Staffing apps are fast, flexible, cost effective, and reliable.
With staffing apps, like Bacon, shifts fill in hours not days or weeks. Bacon allows managers to adjust staffing levels to meet real-time demand. When using Bacon, businesses only pay for the hours worked. Businesses choose the workers’ wages and the workers know the wage before they accept the shift. Bacon workers are reliable. Each worker has a Bacon Score. The Bacon Score is a comprehensive number score that takes into account a worker's reliability and work ethic.
But traditional staffing agencies and modern apps can be a powerful tool for finding general labor temp staff. However, staffing apps are the more flexible and cost-effective way to utilize temp workers. Check out why Bacon is the top choice for businesses looking to find temp staff.
