Risky Business? Hiring Contingent Workers Risk-Free
The benefits of a contingent workforce are unique, but undeniable. Employees who choose to be temporary or temp-to-hire are in the business of finding a niche that works best for them and the employer has the opportunity to introduce diversity and innovation to their team on a regular basis. Some benefits are a little more hidden, but the risk of contingent talent is almost always top of mind for business owners. Don’t miss out on the opportunity for innovation and budgetary control that comes with temporary or freelance employees. Manage the risk of contingent workers with these steps.
Develop Consistent Contracts and Policies
Contingent employees are under far different contracts than employees, so the regulations and terms of employment will reflect this. Some contingent workers have their own wishes and additions to be tacked on to the agreement before they will sign the contract. There are times when the talent is worth the risk, depending on the conditions they are creating, but all in all, it’s preferable to keep terms consistent among this particular employee within your organization. That way, you run less risk of confusing the management team and avert any avoidable breaches of contract.
To Do: If you work with a staffing agency skilled in supplementing your workforce with contingent workers, have them audit your permanent contracts for contracts moving forward.
Create a Background Screening Policy
A new hire can shift the culture of an organization greatly, so every person brought aboard your team could make large waves for the good or bad. There’s no reason to leave such an influence up to chance for any employee, contingent or not. A background check is good practice to avoid risk in all employment types, particularly one with contractual exceptions. A thorough and consistent screening process can decrease chances of theft and reduce liability but can also help reduce subjective opinions and discrimination.
To Do: If you haven’t already, find a background screening company that works with both direct-hire and contingent workers to minimize risk or allegations of discrimination.
Always be Training and Preparing Staff
Thoroughly researched contracts, fully fledged statements of work and a standard screening process doesn’t equal a fool proof contingent worker management plan. In fact, only half the work is complete when the agreement is signed. The staff and team who will work with the temporary or freelance employee pose a threat to avoiding risk too. Prevent unnecessary or avoidable risk by training management on the most up-to-date policies on temporary workers. Continue building on that training regularly and discuss changes immediately. When a new contingent worker joins the force, discuss the terms of their contract and provide options for further information should they have questions after employment starts.
To Do: Many companies don’t have a policy that dictates how to work with contingent workers. If that’s you, or your hiring managers simply don’t have access to this document, create one and share it with any managers using contingent workers as part of their team.
Don’t Skip Onboarding or a Probationary Period
Like any employee, the more preparation that’s frontloaded in the contingent worker’s employment, the more prepared they are to excel throughout the remainder of the contract. A standard onboarding process can increase new hire productivity by 54%. An onboarding program with a probationary period gives contingent employees the chance to make a few mistakes and learn your company and culture. That might feel like a loss of time, but it actually can help the worker reach proficiency faster and ensure a longer period of productivity. Not to mention, onboarding has been known to feel more satisfaction with their work which means a more committed employee, temporary or not.
Tweet This: Raise your #newhire productivity by 54% with this game-changing process:
To Do: Basic onboarding templates and ideas are simple to find. Once you’ve built your screening process and informed your managers HOW to work with contingent workers, amend your current onboarding process to the shorter time span of contingent workers. Keep in mind that this process will focus less on skills and admin (especially if you’re using a strategic staffing agency like Vector) and more on making the contingent hire feel like part of the team from the get-go!
Research Your Supplier’s Skill
There’s a great deal of research and technicalities that go into sourcing, recruiting and hiring contingent workers. Choosing the right staffing agency is an important part in mitigating risk. Be sure the firm you decide to work with understands employment regulations and local employment laws. Everything from compensation and work classification can vary based solely on your company’s location. Take this part of your process seriously. With the right consideration, you might find a temporary staffing firm that both understands all these rules but also grasps your industry and the unique candidate you’re searching for.
Tweet This: Even location changes the way you look at compensation. Take research seriously and do this:
To Do: Call us at 702-639-2160 right now!
At Vector Talent, we’re not only experts in contingent and long-term recruiting strategies, we want our clients to build pipelines for the future. We screen and vet candidates to meet the needs of our client and strive for the top talent in the market. Think a temporary staffing agency is right for you? Take the quiz to find out!
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