7 Reasons why you should hire a temporary Accountant

Whilst demand for temporary and contract staff typically increases over the holiday period, hiring finance and accounting temps can be a great solution year-round. But why do companies hire temps? Often it’s to deal with last-minute changes in staffing; such as parental leave, sick leave, or unexpected resignation, however many businesses also hire accounting temps to fill in skill gaps and to provide extra assistance on larger projects. There are many reasons a business may consider using temporary workers, and doing so can provide a huge number of benefits.

Here are some of the major advantages we’ve observed from engaging temporary accounting professionals:

1. Quickly adjust to changes

Hiring an accounting temp allows you to quickly adjust to changes in workload and skill requirements. Due to the rapid recruitment process, you can get on top of accounting backlogs and peak periods, as well as fill in for any unexpected employee absences or resignations quickly and easily with a contract worker.

2. Gain access to specialised skills

Hiring a temporary accountant can give you access to new skills and areas of specialisation that you may not require on a permanent basis. Certain projects may need access to a skillset you don’t have amongst your current staff; the recruitment of temporary staff allows you to pick and choose what you need when you need it.

3. Work within your budget constraints

Having the flexibility to choose when and for how long you expand your team allows your business to access accounting expertise within the constraints of your budget. Small businesses may not require or have the funds to sustain a permanent Bookkeeper, but certain financial periods necessitate this role, which is why a temp Bookkeeper is a perfect solution.

4. Alleviate the stress of your permanent staff

Bringing in extra help during peak times and on larger projects will help to alleviate the pressure placed on your current staff, ensuring that their workload remains manageable and their outlook on work remains positive. Stress can have a major negative impact on employee retention and employee satisfaction, so it’s important to bring in additional temporary accounting professionals when necessary to ensure that your permanent staff aren’t at risk of burnout.

5. Evaluate workers without a long-term commitment

When you’re considering permanently expanding your finance team it can be difficult to find the time to go through the normal recruitment process. Instead of spending hours interviewing prospective additions to your team, partner with a temporary recruitment specialist like Richard Lloyd. Using the ‘try before you buy’ process can be an effective and cost-efficient method of ensuring an employee is a good fit for the role and for your company without any of the usual commitment.

6. Increase your workplace’s flexibility

In our current uncertain market, companies need to be flexible to the fluctuating demands of the business by adapting their workforce during busy or seasonal periods. Temporary staff allow for this adaptability. In addition, certain projects require larger teams to execute, and working with temporary staff gives you the flexibility to increase and decrease your team’s size at will to tackle these larger projects.

7. Give your business a competitive edge

Having a flexible approach to your business’s staffing keeps you responsive and competitive. Having the flexibility to increase and decrease the size of your finance team, and the ability to bring in specialist help on short notice will give your business a competitive advantage over organisations that are solely relying on their permanent staff.​

After discovering the benefits of contracting accounting jobs, you may be wondering how to hire a temp employee – which is where we come in. When you partner with Richard Lloyd you’ll get access to a pool of highly experienced talent that’s ready to begin work immediately. If you’re looking to recruit a Temp or Contract worker in Accounting and Finance, contact the team at Richard Lloyd Accounting Recruitment and speak to one of our experts at (02) 8324 5640.