How to Make Contract Employees Feel Like They Are a Part of Your Team

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While contract employees sometimes only work for a company for a short time, such as for the duration of a project they are still a part of the team. Hired for a specific skill set, or to assist the permanent staff during a busy season, these individuals contribute a great deal to the company’s success. Unfortunately, the roles often lack a sense of comradery and do not receive the respect they deserve.

Sometimes, this is due to an unspoken divide between full-time employees and contractors. As the boss, it is important to establish a culture of inclusion, to keep a watch for rifts of this nature (or otherwise) and to lead by example. If you treat temporary hires the same as every employee, your team is far more likely to follow suit.

Four Tips to Make Temp Workers Feel Like They Are a Part of the Team

Follow these four tips to let your contractors know they are a valued member of the team:

1. Offer a Warm Welcome

On-board your temporary employees, instead of simply having them fill out the necessary paperwork and telling them to get to work. Introduce them to other individuals in their work space and to those they will interact with throughout the company. Take the time to set up a workstation prior to their arrival and make sure they have access to applications needed to get started. Ensure they receive any necessary instruction as well, such as HR policies, day-to-day procedures and technical / systems training. Receiving a warm welcome and practical guidance will make them feel valued from day one.

2. Invite Them to Staff Meetings

While their time at your company is limited, contract employees are still part of the team. Strangely, many employers opt to leave them out of staff meetings, which is both thoughtless and nonsensical from a business standpoint. Every time your team has a meeting that pertains to work the contractor is doing, they should be invited to attend.

3. Ask For Their Input

Contractors are intelligent professionals with the ability to offer a unique prospective. As they have a multitude of work experiences with a variety of companies, they might have picked up knowledge and differing ways of approaching problems along the way. Use this to your advantage! Make them feel needed by picking their brain for ideas and critiques. They will be honored to contribute and you can learn a lot from them.

4. Include Them in Team Outings

No matter how old you are, being excluded from a group always feels bad. When your team gets together for lunch or happy hour, make sure the contractor receives an invitation as well. It gives everyone the chance to get to know them better, and allows the contractor the opportunity to interact with and become more comfortable with the individuals they will be working with during their time at the company.

Make Great Hiring Decisions Every Time

Finding the right temporary, lease-to-hire or direct hire candidates to join your architecture, engineering or construction team can be a challenge. Partner with RealStreet to ensure you have the right talent at the right time! Built and run by industry experts, we are an employee leasing company you can trust. Contact us today to learn more!

RealStreet has been a valued business partner on our federal contracts for a period of 12 years. At every instance they have provided the highest quality staff with a sense of urgency and with great professionalism. They have invested their capital to understand our clients and industry needs.By prequalifying their staff with all necessary training Read More…

Guy Frearson, PMP, Associate Vice President

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