Include these five simple steps in your employee engagement program to drive contractor loyalty.
Employee engagement is a key proven to improve employee performance, cultivate better customer relationships, and enhance shareholder value. Yet, according to a recent Gallup poll, 51% of U.S. employees are “not engaged” and 17% are “actively disengaged.”
As you might imagine, contingent workers’ engagement is even further fractured. Contractors are rarely included in company social events or offered access to company training resources. They are treated differently in many respects, yet the functions they serve are often integral to their organizations. Because so many of them crave engagement, the opportunity for improvement is urgent. Treating contractors commensurate with their contributions will pay off in greater loyalty and sustained peak performance.
We suggest implementing a contractor engagement program that includes these five steps:
- Develop an Orientation Process
Because contractors often work off-site, often schedule their own hours, and don’t always have the same access to information as staffers, we recommend immersing them in your company culture with a formal orientation. A two-day process is ideal for any contracts longer than two months. Use this time to familiarize the contractor with your company values, resources, and processes, and to encourage engagement with the team.
- Integrate Contractors Into the Team
Consider inviting contractors to staff meetings, hosted lunches, and company events to assimilate them into your established team. Include contractors and project workers on contact lists and in your organizational hierarchy. To further promote a feeling of belonging, appoint a leader from your team to make a welcome call. If possible, make some of the professional development opportunities your company offers available to contractors.
Belief in senior leadership is the strongest engagement driver.
Growth & development is the second. (Modern Survey)
- Communicate Expectations Clearly and Frequently
The less you actually see your contractors, the more important it is to calibrate your communications just perfectly. Maintain regular contact, but avoid micromanagement. Manage expectations and results rather than activities. Begin setting expectations through written materials including operations manuals, project briefs, and process guidelines. Hold a remote weekly group conference call for progress updates and accountability, and let contractors know when you are available for individual discussions.
- Offer Encouragement
Although contingent employees don’t typically receive formal reviews, they still talk with family at night and reflect on their day of work. If they feel unsupported or underappreciated, they won’t likely return for a second contract. Provide encouragement by talking with them about how their work supports the company objectives and offer feedback, praise, and even bonuses for exceptional work.
- Provide Contract Certainty
All workers are motivated by certainty, and will find it themselves if you don’t supply it. Don’t wait for the contract to near completion before discussing a new deal. Hold a “next steps” discussion at the midpoint of every contract and at regular intervals before the contracts expire. Use these conversations to discuss future opportunities, including possible promotion equivalents, when warranted.
The nature of contract employment may suggest a revolving door is inevitable, but employee engagement is a measure to retain top contractors is a vital business objective for all organizations in 2016. We’re here to not only find you the best contingent workforce, but to help maximize your talent investment.