TEMPS ON CAMPUS: THE ANSWER TO A MANAGER’S PRAYER
N PEARCE and D STANFORD, Auckland University of Technology
Abstract
AUT is gaining a reputation as an environment where ideas can germinate. So what happens
when you work in this environment and you have an idea – someone is prepared to listen to
you. This presentation will show what can be achieved with support from management. An
idea from staff members that would save money and solve workload problems associated with
sick leave and annual leave was granted a trial period of 5 months. We will show you how
this worked. The concept can embrace not only ex staff, retirees and even students, but also
outsiders wishing to enter this unique environment. Nine months later the success of this
management support is evident and our baby is well and truly born.
Introduction
Managers will know that sick leave and annual leave are becoming more challenging to
administer, especially as there no longer seems to be any “down time” for allied staff during
the year. Add to this increased staff retention that brings augmented leave entitlements, and
possibly long service leave, and suddenly you have a resource problem.
History
Up until 2000 AIT’s Human Resources Department had a “pool” of staff which managers
could access at short notice to cover for sickness, leave or staff undertaking professional
development. This was usually for a short period of time, sometimes a day, others a period of
weeks. This pool was conversant with most of the Institute’s systems and individuals were
paid at the same hourly rates as permanent staff.
With the disbanding of the service temps were offered the opportunity to change over to
Lampen (now TMP Worldwide) and faculties would approach TMP directly for their staffing
requirements. The assurance was that, where possible, we would be able to access temps with
experience of working within AIT. However, on occasions when faculties have required
assistance the experienced individuals were on assignment. There is no complaint with the
temps used but they all required help initially with systems and programmes.
There was an assurance from HR that this system would not increase costs to faculties.
However, rates varied depending on the skills required; generally we employed in the
$16/hour (to the temp) range but with the agency charge and GST we were paying $27 an
hour – significantly more than if we employed in the middle of our Band B salary range of
approximately $18 per hour. Added to this, if the temp applied for and obtained a permanent
post we paid a fee of $4,000-5,000.
Then AIT gained University status and with that came increased professionalism.
The Plan/proposal
A meeting was requested with the Corporate Services Director and a proposal forwarded in
advance of this meeting. In essence we suggested that AUT revert to running a temporary
pool for a 6 month trial under the following guidelines
 to operate through The Career Centre
 individuals to be employed on Temp Pool short term contracts
 2 flat rates of $13 and $18 p/h whatever the job
 temps to be paid promptly – not a 3 or 4 week wait for Payroll
 temporary logins set up through IT
 training and retraining provided as and when required
 Website set up on AUT's Home Page
 Faculties/directorates provide names/details of personnel to approach to staff the
scheme
 D Stanford and N Pearce to be in overall charge initially to keep track of temps (ie
access through them to register/employ)
Our Trial
I think it would be fair to say we were elated to be given the ball and told to run with it.
Where to start? It was agreed the service would be sited within The Career Centre. We were
offered an office to use one day a week and salaries and other expenses were charged to the
Career Centre cost code.
Now we needed people to do the temping and work for the temps to do. The following
advertisement was sent via the email system to selected managers
Staff away sick and you don’t know which way to turn. Call the AUT Temp pool.
This is run through the Careers Centre and is being staffed with ex AUT staff,
postgraduate students and people returning to the workforce.
Currently we have people on the books who are looking for work. Some have AUT
experience and those who don’t will be given assistance, as required. We have an
agreement with IT around logins so you won’t have the hassle. They will be paid by
Career Centre and you will be charged for the service through an Internal Charge
Docket.
We can fill in for a day’s sickness or larger chunks of time when staff are on leave.
Just give us a call to discuss your requirements.
A similar advert was placed to recruit temps and a questionnaire was designed for anyone
wishing to join the “pool”. Our first “employees” were a couple of ex employees and friends
of current AUT staff. Within a short time we had 12 willing people working throughout the
University from Accounts Receivable to reception work in the School of Social Science. This
created our first challenge - because we work on different campuses a small database needed
to be set up that indicated who was working, where, their pay rate and what they were doing.
This had to be accessible to both of us so a shared drive was organised containing the
database, CV’s and questionnaires, a daily diary of what we had done, and assignments that
required staffing.
One success story
In the second month we had a call from a staff member to say a family member had been
made redundant after many years working for a company. The woman did not know where to
turn and felt her working days were over. Would we interview her and put her on our books.
We agreed and we set up an interview. She was convinced she would never get another job,
her confidence was shot to pieces, what should she do? It is at times like this when you hope
the advice you are about to give is right! We signed her up on the spot and then looked
around hoping a suitable assignment would surface. After a week or two one did come along,
it was cover for sick leave. We sent her to meet the manager and a starting date was agreed.
The assignment was extended several times and eventually the position was advertised. Our
temp applied, was shortlisted for interview and now works permanently for AUT.
It’s a goer
By the end of October we had fourteen temps on assignment and the Executive Director,
Corporate Services called a meeting, the purpose of which was to review the trial of our Temp
Pool. He said the Temp Pool should become a permanent service and we needed to look into
the following:
 Branding - materials, promotion, in house flyer. [Assistance would be provided by
Staff Central.]
 Standard agreement – anyone who uses a temp must sign this agreeing to pay
commission, will not undermine structure of temp pool by paying more. Agreement
sets the rules.
 $1000 fee if temp is taken from the temp pool and placed on a permanent contract.
 Pay rates - top rate for PA related to $25 per hour, the bottom rate would be $14 (all to
include $2 per hour administration charge) but if we were paying students to stuff
envelopes or wrap parcels the rate would be $11 with $1 administration charge.
 Campaign with Student Mentors, students would have to register and need to make it
clear they have to take jobs offered.
 Will become AUT staff members.
 Training - Keys for Employment Success, a training programme that prepares students
to demonstrate basic competency in generic work skills, effective telephone skills, etc
It was suggested that a couple of staff become permanent part time (.5) employees of the temp
pool and if there was no work through the pool there would be guaranteed work within
Corporate Services.
It was at this meeting that we changed the name of the service from Temp Pool to Temps on
Campus. We would have extra staffing to run the service, our own office space, and the
service was shifted to another cost centre within the Directorate, ie Staff Central.
Advertising
Our branding meeting came up with various themes but we liked the idea of “it only takes a
tick to call TOC” and using a stylised clock.
This message went out to all staff:
AUT now has its very own temp pool, Temps on Campus (TOC), and is looking to
recruit people of all backgrounds to become part of a network of staff who will fill a
wide variety of roles all over the university. As an AUT employee, you might be
interested yourself, or you may know of someone who would make an ideal AUT temp.
TOC would like to hear from anyone, but in particular are looking to recruit temps
with at least five years experience working in an administration role. They should be
competent in Microsoft Office, and minute-taking skills would be an advantage. TOC
would also like to hear from AUT staff who have children interested in working for
various departments around AUT. It provides an ideal job during breaks between
terms, or for a bit of extra pocket money after school.
There are a host of advantages in working for TOC. The regular supply of work
placements means staff can enjoy a more stable work environment than they might
receive with other temping organisations, while still retaining the variety and
flexibility that comes with being a temp. The AUT temp pool also provides ongoing
training, so temps are constantly upskilling themselves and increasing their value as a
temp. Combine all this with very competitive pay rates, and the AUT temp pool is a
great option.
The other part of having a temp pool is providing them with work. TOC needs to hear
from AUT staff whenever they require temporary staff. TOC have a wide variety of
staff on their books so you can be confident it will match the right temp to the right
job.
Whether you are after more information on joining Temps on Campus, or have a
position you would like filled, give TOC a call on x 8966.
Whacky Wednesdays
One of us agreed to take every Wednesday as annual leave from their faculty position to get
the administration side of the business up and running. This included collecting timesheets
every second Wednesday, meeting temps and taking them to their assignments, whatever was
needed to oil the wheels, but most importantly send out Internal Charge Dockets to recoup the
salaries. As the number of temps in work increased the need to keep track of them was
critical. At one stage we had 16 people working on both sides of the bridge. The staff of
Human Resources played a vital role ensuring all our temps were paid by advising us when
the appointment forms had not been received, or they required renewal, and on occasions
making a payment outside the usual pay run.
Lessons Learned
Obviously we have had hiccups along the way, the odd square peg in the round hole, work not
completed satisfactorily, or manager’s not realising they had to pay an extra $2 per hour for
the temp. With two permanent staff new forms have been created
 Application to join AUT Temps on Campus – completed by new temps and submitted
with a short CV (see Appendix I)
 Confidential reference report – telephone checks made after we meet prospective temp
 Temp request form – filled out by manager so we know what is required of the temp
(see Appendix II)
 Agreement – so the manager knows what they are committing themselves to, and what
TOC’s obligation is
 Appraisal form – to let TOC know if the temp was good, bad or indifferent (we don’t
want to send someone useless out on another assignment, we have a reputation to take
care of
We also learned about holidays, stats, sickness, lunch breaks, they all need to be costed in and
understood when charging out to the cost centres. Human Resources were fantastic here, they
patiently explained on more than one occasion how statutory holidays are paid. It was a case
of we did not know what we did not know until we needed to answer the questions.
The future
We are currently working with the Career Centre on a “KEYS for Administration Success”
programme that we hope will be approved to run later this year. This will cover AUT
procedures, finance, Human Resources and computer systems including our student
management system (Arion). Temps who attend this will receive a certificate and at this stage
we envisage they will attend in their time.
We would like temps to attend short courses run through AUT to improve their skills in
Word, Excel, Access or Powerpoint but at this point in time have not decided who should pay
for the sessions.
Management support
Temps on Campus would still only be a dream if it was not for backing and encouragement of
the Corporate Services Director and the supportive staff of his Directorate. We were given
office space, equipment and a cost centre to pay the temps. We should also acknowledge the
managers we worked for who rarely complained when we took time out to set up the venture.
Staff Central has shown its support by agreeing to pay for the time of any temp who wishes to
attend the AUT induction sessions, these are usually two half days or one full day.
Our customers, the managers at AUT have shown their backing by using our temps wherever
possible especially Business and Health faculties who each had up to 6 temps working for
them earlier this year.
Conclusion
We had a dream and we work in a university that allowed us to make it a reality. After nine
months gestation Temps on Campus has a long way to go and there is hard work ahead of us
but we are confident that TOC is here to stay.
for your temporary staffing needs
APPENDIX I
Application to Join AUT Temps on Campus
Name: ………………………………………………. PA/Secretary/administrator/reception/…………
Contact Phone Nos: …………………………………………………………………………………
e-mail address: ……………………………………………………….
Address: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Availability: ………………………………………………………………
Please indicate which of the following systems/duties you have experience of:
E-mail – (Groupwise etc)
Switchboard
Internet
Answering phones
MS Word
Minute taking
Spreadsheets – (Excel)
Front line customer service
Publisher/Pagemaker/Powerpoint
Cash handling
Access
Any other specialised skills not mentioned:………………………………………………………………………………………………
Work Experience (start with most recent):
Dates:
Organisation:
Job Title:
Duties:
Reason for Leaving:
Are there any areas in which you are not prepared to work?…………………………………………………………………
Please complete details for references: (preferably at least one ex-employer.)
Work Referee:
Referee:
Signature:……………………………………………………….
Personal Referee:
Date:………………………………
(Please return completed form to Dianne Stanford or Lisa Le Riche (QX) at
Temps on Campus, Staff Central, WA406, Wellesley St [917 9999 x8966] .
Information on this form will remain confidential.) (Also attach a CV if possible)
APPENDIX II
AUT TEMPS ON CAMPUS
REQUEST FORM
Department:
Reporting to:
EXT:
DATES REQUIRED:
POSITION:
Duties/Job Description:
Systems to be used: Word
Excel
Access
Arian
Powerpoint
Daily hours:
Work location/address:
Pay rate:
(nb - $2.00 admin fee will be added to the hourly payrate)
Additional information:
Please return the completed form to Temps on Campus - Dianne Stanford or
Lisa Le Riche (QX) – Alternatively, e-mail the information to us at
tempsoncampus@aut.ac.nz .