Understand how to best treat your contract, freelance, and other contingent laborers to create the best product with the happiest contractors
Contingent labor is on the rise as a digitized workforce creates a flexible candidate pool for hiring managers. According to a recent TLNT study, 80% of a combined 274 global talent acquisition leaders reported they will either continue to use or increase their use of contingent labor through the 2020s.
A traditional contingent laborer in the past was seen as more a plug-and-play resource than a company employee. This is beginning to change dramatically with their increase in employment. Organizations are implementing full-time onboarding, training, and galvanization into their contingent labor force more than ever before. Surging vendor management system (VMS) partnerships with companies like CSSvSource are also making contingent workforce employment even easier. Hiring, onboarding, and progress monitoring are outsourced giving internal managers time for project focus instead.
“Contingent workers are here to stay, and if you’re lucky enough, a full-time role at your organization may present itself for that contracted project manager that you’ve always wanted to bring on.” Says Andrea Micucio, Managing Director, CSSvSource.
For the time being, here are seven ways you can improve your contingent employee’s work experience.
Recruitment process and onboarding
At the inception of employment is the recruitment process, a set of tasks, touchpoints, and evaluations configured to determine whether a professional is suited for the job you need done. Ensure your contract candidates being considered for similar roles as full-time candidates are taken through the exact same vetting process. Obviously, the pay cycle and benefits packages will differ, but greet a contractor with the same enthusiasm and opportunity offered at your company as you would a full-time employee. Express your organization’s overall goals, the specific project at hand, and the individual role your contract candidate will play.
Once you’ve reached an agreement, onboard your contract employee in a group with other contractors and overlap them with full-time new hires when appropriate. This overlap and interaction between contractors and full-time employees will foster connections and develop community.
Create purpose and clearly define responsibilities and expectations
As previously stated above in the onboarding section, clarify where your contractor fits on micro and macro levels at your company and encourage opportunities to develop and learn, even if it doesn’t lead to a full-time role.
Clear expectations will also set healthy boundaries of responsibilities for contractors as they navigate their new work environment. If everyone knows what to expect, project conflict and abrasion disappear.
Create a sense of community and belonging at your company
One of the most effective ways to integrate contingent workers into your company is by looping them into your full-time employee community. Break down communication barriers between these two types of workers contributing to the same projects and include contractors in employee resource groups (ERGs). If an applicable full-time internal role opens for a contractor, encourage them to apply given they already know the company culture and community.
Cater to your contingent worker’s physical and mental well-being
This should be a given, but many organizations neglect the well-being of contractors throughout their tenure. Although primary health resources always go to full-time employees first, make it a mission to ensure your contractors are given the same attention; these workers don’t usually have full health coverage like their full-time counterparts.
A Limeade study showed that 60% of workers reported their company does not even discuss burnout with them, so a simple conversation on a frequent basis can go much farther than you think.
Ensure a clear, open, consistent pipeline of communication
Clear communication with your contractors will eliminate any ambiguity whether it be related to project progress or payroll. Employ a professional VMS system like CSSvSource to centralize and organize all payroll, HR, healthcare, and back office-related resources. This will enable easy access whenever a contract resource needs it.
Be in regularly scheduled contact with your contractors to support and update them on their work. Give positive recognition often. These contractors may someday be eligible for an internal role, and they’ll remember the personalized treatment received when contracting as a vote of confidence moving forward.
Invest in training and upskilling opportunities for your contingent workers
Your contractors may not have the opportunity to transition into a full-time role with your company, but they should have the opportunity to learn and upskill. Inclusion in internal skill training will develop their abilities which in turn delivers a better product to your clients. Even if they never go full-time, offering upskilling is an easy way not only to improve your product, but to sweeten your relationship as you renegotiate new contracts with your contingent laborers.
Partner with CSSvSource to improve relations and production with a top-tier vendor management system
The vendor management team at CSSvSource provides expert contingent staff onboarding, payroll, organization, and communication to ensure your contractors have the best experience possible working at your organization. Connect with CSSvSource today and streamline your contingent labor employment to maximum productivity.