Best Practices for Managing a Contingent Workforce

The modern business climate is constantly changing, and we need to be aware of all the trends around us as we speak. These are the things that are going to define our professional future and knowing all about them can make or break our companies. This is why learning a bit more about contingent workforces is something all business owners should be doing as soon as possible. Whether you are looking for ways to introduce a new dose of flexibility into your company or trying to boost your productivity, looking for contingent workers might be a great way to go. However, you cannot approach this issue that easily, and it will be necessary for you to invest some time and energy into learning a bit more about contingent workforces and how to find practices that will make this idea perfect. If that is precisely what you are hoping to do, here are a few ideas and suggestions to check out right now.

Define Clear Objectives and Roles

No matter what you do and where your company is located, the first thing you need to do when it comes to hiring contingent workers is to figure out what you are hoping to do and what your short- and long-term goals are. This is why it is crucial to spend some time thinking about your objectives, plans, and scopes for each role you might be taking into consideration. This is important if you want everything to be done easily and effortlessly, and being absolutely sure who is going to be doing what will ultimately help you make this transition simpler and more effective.

Unless you have concrete problems and issues you want to resolve using a contingent workforce, you will not be able to make the most of these ideas, so look into your business results and perspectives before you make any moves. Also, talk to the people you are about to hire and try to tell them all they need to know about your company and how it functions, as well as about the things that are expected from them. Each role in your company needs to be defined precisely and every single person should have specific responsibilities and expected outcomes, and those are the things you should all be aware of – or this setup will not work at all!

Develop a Comprehensive Onboarding Program

A proper onboarding program is something every company needs, regardless of the industry it is in and its position in the market. This is something that covers different aspects of the hiring process and what makes newcomers feel more welcomed and ready to start giving their all from day one. Therefore, having a great onboarding process needs to teach them everything they need to know about your company and their position in it, as well as different things about the roles they will cover and the expectations their superiors have. This is the only way for your new workers to start doing the best job possible straight away, so insisting on a proper onboarding program for a skillful contingent workforce is a must.

In addition to that, this program is going to help new people learn how to work with all the tools and software solutions you are already using, and that should help them quite a lot as well. Spending time on training is essential if you want your new staff to do their job professionally and successfully. This is generally something business owners and managers do not like doing, but if you do not carry out your onboarding program adequately, your contingent workforce will end up being rather useless in the long run.

Ensure Compliance with Legal and Tax Regulations

Just because your contingent workers are not here to stay forever does not mean that they are less important than your other workers. On the contrary, if you want everything to be alright, you have to pay attention to legal and tax regulations and make sure you cover them properly. This will keep everyone happy and satisfied, from your workers to the Government, and that is what all business owners are hoping to do.

What you need to do first is to think about labor laws in your area and learn as much as you can about them. Every country in the world has its laws and regulations, and those sometimes differ from one place to the other. That is why you should focus on your immediate area and discover what the law says about managing a contingent workforce, or you can, alternatively, hire outside experts and consultants who will do that for you. Ensuring everything is legal and up to code will protect you and your contingent staff, and that is precisely the outcome you are all hoping for.

Set Transparent Communication Channels

Even though most people do not enjoy talking about workplace matters to anyone around them, from their immediate superiors to their friends at the office, this is another area you have to pay close attention to. Keeping everyone’s communication open and honest is a must in any office, especially if you want your new contingent staff and your existing employees to get along. The same goes for your relationship with newcomers, so make this a priority from day one.

Setting transparent communication channels sounds like a lot of hard work, but it does not have to be that difficult at all. Start by establishing a proper plan and setting aside some time for regular check-ins every single day. This should not take too much of your time and energy, but it will make everyone feel appreciated and heard. You might also think about ways to give every single employee a chance to talk to their supervisors and superiors, whether in person or over the phone. This will make communication in your office easier, quicker, and more effective, which is precisely what your new contingent workforce is going to appreciate the most.

Create a Culture of Inclusion

Making your new staff feel welcome at your office might not seem like a huge deal at first, but it is certainly a priority. Creating an atmosphere that is welcoming, open, and inclusive is going to help everyone feel welcomed and appreciated. And since this should be the standard in all office spaces across the world, you need to do the same too. From introducing your new contingent workers to your team and encouraging them to learn a bit more about each other to inviting the new people to take part in your social events and making them a part of your project meetings – there are lots of ideas you can explore, so figure out a few ways that might work for you all.

One of the reasons why this is a must – in addition to helping everyone feel better at work, of course – is to minimize the chances of your contingent workers leaving your offices and starting work somewhere else after just a day or two. Even though they will be here temporarily, they need to do their job in the best way possible, and it is your job to motivate them to do so. Moreover, once they realize how appreciated and good they feel in your office, your new workers might think about joining you on a more permanent basis, and that is one of the best ways to attract talent and find amazing employees.

Implement Performance Metrics Specific to Contingent Roles

Evaluating your staff’s performance is just as important as making proper choices when hiring them, and this is why you should find a way to start measuring their performance right after they start working for you. The same goes for contingent workers as well, but you cannot use traditional metrics in this case, but come up with something innovative and unique instead. Since these people are usually dedicated to special projects and unusual tasks, finding a way to evaluate them will require some critical thinking and innovative solutions, so look for these ideas straight away.

Instead of focusing on deadlines and deliverables, you should look into quality and base your opinion strictly on whether your new staff is doing a good job or not. You also need to look into project specifications and whether their results are aligned with the overall specifications you are all interested in. Finally, you need to come up with a system that will help you review contingent workers’ performance and report their results to them, on the one hand, and your superiors, on the other. This way, you will all be on the same page and the results you get are going to be better than before.

In addition to all these things, do not forget that there are a few other ways to manage your contingent workforce. Things like providing opportunities for developing their skills, establishing adequate compensations, offering regular benefits and bonuses, starting a structured offboarding process, and giving them a chance to work for you full-time are just some of the things you can do if you want to be a great leader. Investing time and energy into these things might sound too hard right now, but it is all going to pay off once you realize that your contingent workers are making your business grow rapidly!