If you’re comparing staffing partners, you’ve probably seen it: Best of Staffing.
Sometimes it’s the first thing a staffing firm leads with. Sometimes it’s the only third-party signal you can find quickly. And if you’re trying to reduce risk, it’s reasonable to ask:
“Does this actually mean they’ll be reliable for us?”
The honest answer: Best of Staffing is a meaningful signal—but it’s not a full evaluation.
Here’s what it does tell you, what it doesn’t tell you, and how HR and operations teams can use it the right way.
What Best of Staffing means
Best of Staffing is tied to satisfaction feedback. In plain terms, it’s a signal that a staffing firm has delivered a strong experience for clients (and, for Talent awards, for associates).
What that usually indicates
When a staffing firm earns Best of Staffing recognition consistently, it typically means clients experience things like:
- service that feels consistent (not random)
- communication that’s steady, not reactive
- follow-through when issues come up
- fewer surprises over time
What comes up in positive client feedback most often: reliability in the day-to-day, not just “they filled jobs.” Clients consistently point to things like proactive updates, early warnings on risks, and fast response when something’s off.
What Best of Staffing doesn’t tell you
This is the part that matters for HR and ops.
A staffing award can’t tell you everything about how a firm will perform in your environment—your shifts, your roles, your pace, your leadership style, your policies.
Best of Staffing does not automatically tell you:
- how fast they can fill your hardest roles
- whether they have a strong bench in your location
- what their no-show response looks like at 5:30am
- whether they’ll flag coverage risk early or only after you ask
- how they handle repeated attendance issues
- how they define “fit” for warehouse/manufacturing work
- whether they measure success beyond fill rate (retention, attendance, repeat backfills)
In other words: Best of Staffing can be a great signal of service quality—but you still need to confirm the operational details that impact your floor.
How to use Best of Staffing the right way
The simplest way to use it is as a filter + follow-up.
Step 1: Use it as a filter
Best of Staffing can help you narrow the field to firms that have a track record of strong client experience.
Step 2: Use it as a prompt for the right questions
Then you verify reliability with a few specifics—the things HR and ops feel every week.
Here are the most practical follow-ups to ask.
The 5 questions that tell you the most (fast)
1. “What communication cadence should we expect—and what’s included?”
You’re looking for a consistent rhythm and a predictable update format.
Listen for: a weekly update on what’s covered vs. at risk, attendance issues, fit concerns, and next steps.
2. “How do you flag coverage risk early—before it becomes a start-time scramble?”
A reliable partner should be able to explain how they identify “at risk” shifts and what they do next.
Listen for: early notice + options (backups, standby list, shift adjustments), not “we’ll try.”
3. “What happens when there’s a no-show?”
This is where operations feels reliability the most.
Listen for: fast awareness + a clear plan (ETA, replacement process, how repeats get prevented).
4. “How do you measure quality beyond fill rate?”
Fill rate matters, but stability matters more.
Listen for: first-week retention, attendance trends, early turnover, repeat backfills.
5. “If someone isn’t a fit, what’s the process?”
Not every placement will work. The question is whether there’s a system that improves outcomes.
Listen for: quick action + feedback loop that changes screening next time.
Awards Signal Experience. Operations Reveal Reliability.
Best of Staffing can be a helpful indicator that a firm delivers a strong experience—but these operational details are what determine whether staffing will actually feel reliable on your site.
Verstela has been named to ClearlyRated’s Best of Staffing Client list 15 years in a row, based on client feedback. We don’t treat that as a talking point—we treat it as a standard to maintain. What matters most is what the partnership feels like week after week: clear expectations, steady communication, early warnings, and fast action when something changes.
Want to Evaluate Your Staffing Partner?
If you’re comparing agencies—or just want to see how your current partner stacks up—our Staffing Agency Evaluation Checklist can help.
It covers 15+ criteria across communication, reliability, compliance, and response time. In just a few minutes, you’ll see where a firm delivers, where they fall short, and whether it’s time to make a change.
