By now your organization probably understands just how vital the contingent workforce is to your total workforce strategy, and the many benefits these non-permanent workers can bring to your business.
However, many companies are still under the impression that contract workers are a short-term solution that can be easily replaced at the click of a finger.
What if we told you that building a relationship with your contract workers is vital to the long-term longevity and growth of your business, and can help you access top talent and scale up your workforce in a moments notice?
A staggering 87 percent of employees worldwide are disengaged at work, according to a study from Gallup, and that’s why the most forward-thinking businesses are turning their attention to employee engagement.
But, with plenty of guides and advice on keeping full-time employees engaged and motivated, how exactly can your company do the same for contingent workers? HCMWorks has listed some key tips and tricks below:
Contingent workers are lucky enough to be able to pick and choose the companies they work for and the projects they work on - it’s for this reason that worker experience is a major competitive advantage in the war for top talent.
If you want to hire the very best workers in your industry, then you need to nail the entire contingent worker experience. This will include everything from the hiring process, onboarding, payments, all the way to the exit process.
Contingent workers who are happy with every aspect of working with your organization, are going to be significantly more likely to work with you again as well as refer your company to their peers and friends.
People are still motivated by the same fundamental workplace drives, whether they are a full-time employee, part-time employee or a contingent worker - even if contractual obligations mean your company doesn’t have to treat contract workers with the same perks a full-time employee might receive.
By including contingent workers in some of the processes that are usually reserved for permanent workers - such as onboarding, corporate learning and expertise sharing - you will make non-permanent workers feel like a valued member of your team.
A contingent worker that feels engaged with your brand will work with increased efficiency, passion and effectiveness towards achieving your company’s overall vision and goals.
One of the many reasons that a large number of workers choose freelance work is the opportunity to be able to choose where they work and when they work. This means that it’s likely that many of your contingent workers will be remote, rarely (if at all) coming into your company’s office.
That means to build a relationship with your contingent workers it’s important you communicate with them regularly, either by video or voice communication. This will not only help them to feel like a valuable member of your team, but it's also a great tool for you to clearly communicate KPIs and current objectives to your contract workers.
Would you ever hire a permanent employee without ensuring brand alignment beforehand? Probably not, and you shouldn’t with contingent workers either.
While contingent workers are probably going to be working with you across a much shorter timespan than your full-time employees (although not always), there work will still benefit significantly from understanding everything there is to know about your company - including the organization’s vision, company culture, brand story and yearly goals.
Ensuring brand alignment in the hiring process will give your company access to talented contract workers who are passionate about the work your organization does, and this will lead to more engaged contingent workers.
Are you looking for more information about outsourcing your contingent workforce management program to a highly-skilled managed services provider (MSP)? Contact HCMWorks today to find out how we can help.