The Current Landscape of Worker Vetting in Staffing
Imagine arriving at your warehouse at 9:00 AM on a Monday morning, greeted by unfamiliar faces. Your company’s staffing agency provided 78 workers instead of the requested 110, and about half of those present are unfamiliar with your warehouse layout.
As a warehouse manager, the routine is all too familiar. You gather the new workers for a quick briefing to orient them within your space. As you start talking about the different SKUs, and outline the picking and packing process, the moment you mention RF scanners, the blank stares are unmistakable—they're newcomers to warehouse work. Just as you're digesting this, a hand goes up; one of the workers wants to know if leaving at 1:00 PM is an option. You think you've reached your limit of patience, but then, to add to the day's challenges, another worker casually walks in at 9:43 AM.
This scenario is all too common and highlights a glaring issue within the staffing industry: inadequate worker vetting.
Common Pitfalls in the Staffing Industry
Worker vetting is essential for maintaining high-quality, consistent staffing in light industrial businesses. Yet, many staffing agencies fall short by not incorporating skills verification programs or conducting basic background checks. This often results in workers being poorly matched to their roles, decreasing productivity and causing disruptions.
The Four Pitfalls of Worker Vetting
Loose Background Checks
Weak Skill Verification
No Attribute Matching
Zero Dynamic Feedback
Loose Background Checks
Staffing providers often overlook the importance of a comprehensive background check process for their workers. This oversight can lead to significant issues and disruptions within your business.
Surprisingly, only 30% of staffing firms report that they:
Always do criminal background checks
Are very confident of the background check service used
Ensure thorough checks are made, even if not requested by the buyer.
Weak Skill Verification
Many staffing providers accept almost anyone willing to work, with interviews being rare and verification of stated skills virtually nonexistent. These agencies often lack the resources necessary to start a comprehensive interview and testing process to confirm the accuracy of resumes. This lack of rigorous vetting can lead to a mismatch between worker abilities and job requirements, affecting overall productivity and efficiency.
No Attribute Matching
Even when a worker seems suitable for a general light industrial role, it's crucial that they have the specific skills required for your business. For example, how can you be sure the worker assigned to you can lift 50 lbs, or has experience working in a cold room if needed?
Unfortunately, many staffing providers fail to accurately match workers' capabilities with the specific attributes requested by businesses. This misalignment results in workers arriving on-site with expectations that don't match their assigned roles, leading to frustration and inefficiency.
Zero Dynamic Feedback
One of the most significant issues is the lack of accountability among staffing providers to systematically collect feedback from businesses. Without established processes for relaying this feedback to workers and tracking it, the cycle of mismatches continues. This lack of data collection and analysis makes skill verification and attribute matching virtually impossible, repeating the same challenges for other businesses.
Enter Traba. We’re here to help.
As an operator, you require a staffing provider that aligns with your operational philosophy. You manage your warehouse with precision, expecting hard work and efficiency from your team. Delays or drops in productivity not only result in lost revenue but also erode customer confidence. With the latest warehouse management systems and technologies at your disposal, you're equipped to operate at peak efficiency and make data-driven decisions. It's only reasonable to expect the same level of commitment and technological sophistication from your staffing provider.
At Traba, we understand the challenges operators face with their staffing providers. We've witnessed firsthand the impact that inadequate worker vetting can have on a business. That's why we've implemented a rigorous and comprehensive vetting process. Our goal is to ensure you maintain high productivity, reduce costs, and uphold a standard of operational excellence unmatched in the industry.
Traba’s 4-Point Vetting Process
Comprehensive Background Check
Skill Assessment and Certification
Targeted Shift Matching
Experience Validation and Business Feedback
Comprehensive Background Check
Our Traba workers go through a rigorous background check process before taking shifts on our platform. We run a standard criminal background check free of charge as part of our worker vetting process that includes: Sex Offender Search, SSN Trace, Global Watchlist Search, National Criminal Search, Drug Charges & County Criminal Search. We use the same background check service provider as Uber, Netflix, and Doordash; they are best in class and review down to the county level.
For more information on our background check partner, see information here.
Skill Assessment and Certification
Workers on our platform are required to submit their resumes upon registering with Traba. We conduct thorough interviews to validate their claims and ensure the skills they list are accurate, which we then record in our system as verified attributes. For instance, we verify a worker's experience with high-volume picking or packing, their ability to consistently lift 50 lbs, or their familiarity with good manufacturing practices (GMP). Our team of experienced operators manually assesses each attribute before documenting it in our database.
This process results in a comprehensive database of workers whose skills and attributes have been verified. We can then utilize this database to match workers with future roles, ensuring a precise fit between the worker's capabilities and the job requirements.
Targeted Shift Matching
When you post a shift through Traba, specifying the role and desired attributes, we reach into our pool of workers to find the perfect match for your role. For example, if a shift in Dallas, TX requires light warehouse picking and packing skills, our algorithm sifts through the worker pool, narrowing it down to a select group of candidates whose verified attributes align with your specifications. But our process extends beyond attribute matching; we ensure that each worker fully understands the expectations of the role. By calling each worker, we clarify what will be required of them for the specific role.
Our operations team takes a hands-on approach to managing worker expectations, guaranteeing that the match you receive is not only tailored to your specified role but also represents the highest quality fit possible. This meticulous vetting ensures that every worker is prepared and aligned with the role's demands, facilitating a seamless integration into your operations.
Experience Validation and Business Feedback
A system of skills and attributes thrives on the accuracy of real-time data, which is why we've implemented a dynamic feedback system. This system enables us to refine the verification of attributes based on new roles and feedback received from businesses. Companies can provide specific feedback on attributes, influencing whether we enhance or diminish a worker's profile attributes. In instances where a worker receives poor ratings or is blocked by a business, our team conducts a detailed assessment of their performance. Following this evaluation, our operations team makes the necessary adjustments to their attributes.
This feedback mechanism benefits both businesses and workers by setting clear expectations, ensuring skills match the job roles more precisely, enhancing safety measures, and aligning workers more closely with job requirements. It fosters a cycle of continuous improvement, where feedback directly informs and refines our vetting process, ultimately leading to a more efficient and effective workforce.
The Impact of Choosing Traba
Opting for Traba means access to vetted workers who fit your exact needs, driving higher productivity, reducing costs, and enhancing operational efficiency. Less time spent on training translates to savings and allows your team to focus on what matters most: increasing productivity.
Through meticulous vetting and targeted matching, Traba ensures that the workers stepping into your warehouse are equipped, informed, and ready to contribute to your success from day one.
