Staffing success starts with honesty. Without open conversations about wages, turnover, and workforce challenges, it’s easy to fall into a cycle of short-term fixes. A transparent staffing partnership allows both sides to identify problems early, address root causes, and make better decisions that support long-term results.
If your staffing agency is afraid to tell you the truth, they’re not helping you improve.
Too often, staffing conversations stay surface-level. But behind missed fill rates or high turnover are real, fixable issues. And the only way to solve them is to talk about them directly.
What Transparency Looks Like
A transparent staffing partnership might sound like:
- “We’ve noticed your pay rate is falling below market averages in this area”
- “Workers are dropping off because the job expectations don’t match the reality”
- “Last-minute cancellations are making it hard to retain qualified talent”
- “Your reputation among temps is starting to affect applicant flow”
These are tough conversations. But they’re the ones that lead to better outcomes.
Why It Matters
Staffing challenges are often symptoms of larger issues:
- Wage compression can lead to turnover
- Misaligned job descriptions create confusion and frustration
- Poor onboarding leads to early exits
- Workplace culture issues drive negative reviews
Without transparency, your staffing agency will keep filling roles while the core problems go unaddressed. Eventually, that cycle catches up to productivity, safety, and morale.
What Clients Should Be Asking
Transparency goes both ways. As a client, you should feel comfortable asking:
- Are we paying competitively for this role?
- How does our facility compare in terms of worker satisfaction?
- Are we canceling orders too frequently?
- What feedback are you hearing from candidates or associates?
Asking these questions invites your staffing partner to give you the kind of feedback that can actually improve outcomes, not just keep up appearances.
A Quick Reality Check
If your staffing agency has never challenged a job order, never raised a concern about wages, or never brought up workforce trends in your market, you might not be getting full value from the relationship.
Likewise, if you’re hesitant to share information about internal challenges, shift changes, or budget constraints, your agency may be operating with half the picture.
Bottom Line
Staffing is a people business. It requires trust, clarity, and real conversations. When both sides are open, honest, and focused on improvement, staffing becomes more efficient, more effective, and more strategic.
If no one’s asking the hard questions, don’t expect better results.
If you are looking for an open and honest conversation, contact us to discuss how we can help you.