Can Contingent Workers Culturally Fit In?

A common deterrent for organizations using contingent labor is the perceived lack of cultural fit or ability to wholly integrate within the work environment, potentially creating lower productivity. With the anticipated hiring growth across industries, the reliance on integrating the contingent workforce is increasing and requiring these types of professionals to encompass a wider range of roles and diverse skill sets.  There are best practices that can be implemented to help effectively integrate contingent workers as a valuable and productive part of your organization’s cultural fabric. Listed below are three significant areas that help fuel a productive culture for contingent workers.

INTERVIEWING

The single most important aspect the initial steps in this process is a thorough and up-to-date job description. It starts before candidates are even considered. A clear and concise description of the responsibilities of the position is detrimental to a smooth process and candidate experience. The job description should not only provide organization’s ‘wants’ but it should also offer information for the candidate. Consider including descriptions of the work environment and time requirements. Transparency and awareness will save time. Moving forward, creating a two way communication between organizations and candidates in this early stage can be very helpful in creating a good candidate experience transcending into a healthy contingent workforce culture.

ONBOARDING

Continuing with the theme of effective communication and transparency, keeping candidates informed of what the onboarding process entails is important. Time frames of different processes from drug testing to acquiring identification allows for organizations and candidates to coordinate in advance. Communicating the detailed information on what needs to take place early when orienting new contingent professionals allows them to get started on time and more quickly focus on their assigned work.

EXITING & OFF-BOARDING

What better way to acquire a constant source of feedback than to request talented professionals that spend a condensed, short period of time in an organization? Establish an exit interview and/or survey process as contingent workers exit the organization.  Not only will they help executives close the gaps that hinder productivity it also provides insight into overall company culture that could also be impacting permeant workforce productivity and engagement. Confidentiality and unbiased data gathering is vital to hearing unfiltered feedback.  Third-party partnerships (e.g. Managed Service Provider), can be one way to help create an objectivity and reporting analysis or exit interviewing and survey outcomes.