Gone are the days when contract staffing meant a placeholder to take care of the busywork until a full-time replacement was hired. Today, it means so much more. Not only is the length of contract employment positions increasing, but the movement towards career freedom is causing freelance and gig work to become ever more popular.
Oftentimes this means contract employees are just as qualified as full-time staff and have the potential to be a real asset to your team. It starts with how you immerse them in your company’s culture. Let’s take a look at how you and your team can make sure you are making the most out of your contract positions.
Make Sure Supervisors and Full-time Employees Interact With Contract Employees
Sticking contract employees in the corner to do busy work isn’t really going to benefit your business. Make sure your permanent team is interacting with all employees. A few ways to accomplish this include:
- Put contract employees on one of your project teams.
- Pair contract employees with seasoned employees for training purposes.
- Make sure the contract employees offices, desks or stations are comparable to the rest of the staff and not isolated.
Invite Contract Employees to Company Events
Make your contract employees feel like a part of the team by including them in company events including:
- Celebratory dinners
- Conferences
- Banquets
- Conventions
- Holiday parties
Events outside of work are a great way for your employees to connect and build a sense of camaraderie without the stresses of the office. Including contract employees in these events will help unify your team.
Allow Contract Employees to Become Immersed in the Company Culture
Invite contract employees to meetings. Fill them in on the company’s goals, strategies and plans. It may seem like it doesn’t matter since they will only be there temporarily, but the truth is, an employee who is there only three months still has the potential to make a huge impact on your company. Make sure it is a positive one.
Provide Contract Employees With the Same Means of Communications as Full-time Employees
For example, give contract employees keys and passcodes to be able to navigate the physical premises.
The same is true for online software. Constantly requiring a fellow employee login can feel diminishing. It’s also important to make sure contract employees have their own email address and phone in order to communicate with other team members and supervisors in an efficient and professional manner.
Find the Right Contract Employee
As one of the leading staffing firms in Texas, RESOURCE Staffing understands finding the perfect contract employee is important to the success of your business. Our experienced specialists are dedicated to finding qualified matches to meet your company’s needs. Visit Resource Staffing today to find your next employee.