When companies need extra help, many turn to contract, or temporary, employees. Whether you require additional people during the holidays, or you need to expand your staff for a special project, contract employees are a great solution. 

The problem? Some organizations find that temporary employees are not as engaged as their permanent staff. How can you, as a leader, ensure that your short-term staff is motivated to perform at their peak? Here are some ideas:

Hire the right people

You need people with skills to get the job done, but culture fit is just as (if not more) important. Skills can be taught, but fitting in with your team can’t. Focus on finding people who have the right soft skills, like communication and the ability to work with a team, rather than concentrating too much on hard skills. You don’t want to risk upsetting the balance on your team by introducing someone who is going to alter your team’s dynamic.

Have an onboarding process

Just like your full-time employees, your temporary workers need an onboarding process. Properly onboarding employees leads to better job performance and greater employee engagement. Be prepared with a training program before your contract employee starts. Ensure they have access to every resource they will need to do the job right. Teach them your company’s goals and values. With a proper plan in place, you will set your temporary employees up for success. 

Make them part of the team

Though they are only with you for a limited time, you need to do all you can to make your contract employees feel welcome. Some organizations tend to separate temporary employees from the rest of their staff. This is a huge mistake, leading to unengaged and unmotivated contract employees. Don’t exclude your temporary employees. Invite them to events and meetings. If you’re doing a team-building event, include them. You could even pair them with a full-time employee for the first few weeks to help integrate them into your team. A temporary employee will perform much better when they feel like part of the team.

Show appreciation

A simple thank you can go a long way. Make sure your contract employees know that you appreciate the work they are doing. If they feel like their job isn’t important, their performance will suffer.

Need Temporary or Full-Time Employees? Contact Burchard & Associates.

We help organizations in the St. Louis area and beyond find contract and full-time employees for their open positions. Contact us today to learn how we can help your organization.