When it comes to finding the right people for a job, especially on short-term contracts, we all know how hard it can be. According to research by Userguiding, 88% of companies don’t onboard efficiently. And yet onboarding these temporary employees is essential if you want them to hit the ground running and have an immediate impact on your business operations.
In this post, we'll dive into what makes successful onboarding when it comes to temporary staff, and offer up some actionable steps you as an employer can take to deliver a better onboarding experience. But that's not all! We'll also look at the financial value of doing onboarding right - investments which can lead to big savings down the road. So let's explore how you can maximize the potential of your temporary workforce!
Overview Of Temporary Employees
We all know temporary employees are essential to the success of a business - take construction for example, where you're constantly project managing an everchanging turnover of short-term subcontractors [Workyard]. But onboarding new employees in any business setting comes with its own set of challenges. Similar to permanent staff, temp workers need proper training and support to understand job expectations and hit the ground running. To make the most out of their limited employment tenure, tailor your onboarding process specifically for them, to help them feel part of your team and give them clear guidelines about their role and responsibilities...not just an overview of you as a company.
The Onboarding Process For Short-Term Staff
Onboarding a short-term employee requires an effective and efficient onboarding process that takes into account the individual's specific needs. An effective onboarding program should include:
Task delegation, so that employees know what is expected of them
Establishing communication channels between supervisors and temporary employees to ensure their work is properly managed
Introducing job training programs designed to help new hires gain knowledge quickly and become productive as soon as possible.
Creating an Appreciative and Motivational Environment for Your Short-Term Employees: The Key to Successful Onboarding
22% of employees say they’d look for another job if they didn’t receive a good introduction or onboarding, while 41% said they might look elsewhere before accepting the role [Zippia]. As such, creating an environment of appreciation and motivation for your short-term employees is key to successful onboarding.
You’ll want to show recognition for their accomplishments, provide helpful feedback on performance, and demonstrate that each member is part of something bigger than themselves by offering mentoring or career development initiatives, as well as keeping them informed of wider company news – all this will show them they are valued and appreciated. Not only does this increase morale, but it also makes setting performance goals far easier - thanks to the mutual understanding between employer and employee about expectations.
Setting Performance Goals For Temporary Workers
According to My Shortlister, 77% of employees who went through a formal onboarding process were able to meet their first performance goals. So it’s important to set performance objectives for the temporary workers you've onboarded. To ensure everyone is on the same page and working towards a common goal, provide clear expectations with achievable targets and concrete deadlines. When assigning projects, make sure to supply enough resources and guidance so they can successfully complete their tasks while building skills and personal development simultaneously.
Job-Specific Duties:
Assign job-specific duties;
Review progress periodically;
Offer feedback as needed;
Provide regular updates;
Intranets like Hub are invaluable tools for businesses to track and measure employee performance for new onboarders and temporary workers. These tools allow companies to empower new employees and drive their continued success, giving staff direct access to their own private group space that houses everything they need to track their performance, including details on their job roles and responsibilities, personal development plans, appraisals and company expectations. Systems like Hub offer managers a powerful way to set employee goals, measure progress, provide feedback, and recognize employees for their hard work and achievements.
With specific performance goals in place, your temporary employees will be productive members of your team - helping you meet organizational objectives quickly and effectively. Don't forget to orient them on workplace culture and expectations to help them settle in a new work environment.
Smoother Sailing: How Orientating Temps for Team Building Can Help Your Organization Reach Its Goals
Smooth onboarding is essential for kick-starting successful team building - that's why orientating temps properly should be a top priority. Make sure they understand the organization's mission statement and core values, as well as how they fit into broader plans. Intranet features like Team News, Events, Group Forums, and social interactions such as Likes & Comments, help to create up socialization opportunities so temporary employees can feel part of a wider team and connect with permanent staff members - removing the 'us and them' divide - creating an environment of trust which makes it easier to collaborate more effectively in the future.
Optimizing Onboarding for Seasonal & Temporary Staff: Time Management Strategies for Short-Term Success
When it comes to integrating temporary and seasonal staff into the team, tailoring the onboarding process is key for achieving short-term success. Time management plays a crucial role in this - contract workers usually have limited hours or need to work around other commitments, so equipping them with strategies for managing their time efficiently can have a major impact! For instance, giving employees clear goals and deadlines will help them stay on track while regular check-ins with supervisors provide support and assistance when needed.
Benefits of a Hub for Onboarding Temporary Employees:
Smart tools for easy setup. When a new employee joins your company, you can quickly spin-up a new personalised performance management group space in just 3 clicks. Hub's smart tools allow you to save template groups, complete with all the information folders and form workflows you need to build a performance management plan - saving you the time and effort of having to manually recreate for a new group for every new employee. This means your employees can hit the ground running and know their goals from Day 1.
Tailored to each employee. Hub's personalised group spaces allow you to deliver fully personalised performance management plans for each individual employee. These private group spaces house dedicated information folders covering their role, objectives, appraisals, development plans, 1-2-1s, etc. This means every employee knows exactly what they are doing and where to go to find their performance information, and track their development progress.
Easily accessible from anywhere. No more wasting time tracking down people who are away from their desks. With The Hub, managers can log into their accounts and give feedback right away. Plus, employees don't need to install any software - they just go online whenever it's convenient for them, from any device.
Time is of the Essence: Essential Tips for Contractors to Manage their Time Wisely
Time management is key for contractors to stay inspired, organized and get the job done. To ensure success in short-term projects, a tailored approach to onboarding temporary and seasonal employees is great - accounting for time management especially. With limited hours or other commitments that come with contract work, it's important to arm them with strategies that'll help make their time as effective as possible.
Here are some helpful tips:
Break down larger tasks into smaller steps.
Make use of any relevant resources available.
Set priorities based on availability and adjust as needed.
Have a plan B in case of unforeseen circumstances.
Create realistic goals with scheduled breaks throughout the day or week .
Keep lines of communication open between all involved parties.
These strategies help ensure that time management is achieved efficiently and deadlines are met seamlessly, providing a strong foundation for skill development programs.
Making the Most of Part-Time Staff: Train and Equip them for a Successful Career!
To make the most of part-time staff contributions, it's important to provide them with a platform for skill development and growth. Onboarding programs, tutorials, policy manuals - all these can help part-timers get up to speed with company processes quickly and confidently.
Creating learning opportunities like pop-quizzes, assessments or mentorship programs is also essential in helping your workforce develop new skills and reach their full potential. Plus, as they become more proficient in their roles they'll collaborate better with full-time colleagues– boosting productivity across the board!
And lastly, don't forget about team building exercises – simple steps like ice breakers can go a long way in fostering an engaged environment where everyone is set-up for success. Company Intranets like Hub provide an ideal platform on which to train, educate and inform your part-time workers, easily connecting them with learning resources. Tools like Hub Assessments are a great way to run pop-quizzes or tests, with scorable assessments which provide question feedback depending on how each employee answers - so even if they get the question wrong, they understand why. Allowing users to retake assessments, with the added benefit of randomised questions, means staff that initially fail can try again, and with repetition the correct answer will become engrained in them more effectively.
Mentorship And Team Building Tactics
As part of a successful onboarding program for temp employees, mentorship and team-building are essential. Get them off to a great start by assigning each new hire a mentor who can answer their questions and make sure morale stays high. Plus, incorporate team-building activities – think icebreakers or fun competitions – to help build relationships between co-workers and create an atmosphere of unity in the workplace. This'll set your new hires up for success!
When it comes to tailoring onboarding processes for temporary workers, there are several strategies you can use:
Provide access to workplace resources – Make sure that everyone has access to the same materials and information so that no one is left behind or at a disadvantage because of their status (temporary vs. permanent).
Establish feedback mechanisms – Establish systems whereby supervisors can provide regular feedback on performance so that both parties know what’s expected throughout the duration of the assignment. Hub Forms, Group Forums and Mentor Groups are a great way to achieve this.
Utilize retention strategies – Develop ways for temporary workers to stay connected with the organization even after their tenure ends, such as through newsletters or alumni networks.
Maximize impact – Take advantage of technology tools like video conferencing platforms and instant messaging apps to ensure productivity remains high while remote working takes place.
These strategies will not only allow companies to better manage short-term success when it comes to onboarding temporary staff, but will also set them up for long-term success when delegating tasks and quickly integrating new hires into existing teams.
Providing Access to Communication Channels
Employers should provide open spaces for employees (both temp and permanent) to be able to voice any misunderstandings or areas of concern or improvement so they can be actioned quickly. Having company news on your intranet is a great way to keep teams informed, but it doesn't necessarily allow an outlet for two-way communications for employees. Whether it's an open forum space for everyone to comment, or closed spaces where staff can directly communicate with their mentors / managers, it's essential that employees have a mechanism whereby they can communicate with the powers that be in your company. Whether you utilise Suggestion Boxes, Forms, Group Forums or 1-2-1 Chats, the Hub provides you with the comms tools to enable your employees to voice their opinions or concerns, and promote two-way communications that can be actioned.
Nurturing Resilience in Seasonal Employees for Optimal Performance
Now that we’ve established communication channels with our teams, it's time to develop adaptability in seasonal employees. When onboarding temp staff, it's important to customize the hiring process and company policies for each individual situation. This way they know expectations and requirements associated with their role, as well as break in service provisions. Additionally, performance reviews will give seasonal workers clarity on what needs improvement and how they can work towards achieving specific goals – maximizing their impact while employed at your organization.
To foster a sense of belonging and connection within an organization, introduce new hires to other members of staff or provide orientation sessions prior to commencement. Features like Hub's 'New Starter' homepage container help to announce the arrival of any newbies, linking directly to their profile so everyone knows who they are, what they look like, and what they do. And why not go a step further, by creating a news article on your intranet welcoming your new starters to your company, giving them a proper introduction to your wider team.
Providing Feedback Mechanisms To Maximize Impact
92% of employees want feedback more often than just once a year [Clearcompany]. A formal onboarding process and regular feedback are essential for motivating employees, helping them understand their roles and reach goals.
Sharing kudos on your company intranet is a great way to show peer recognition for a job well done. Hub's own Kudos feature, allows your teams to send a 'Shout Out' to another employee for a job well done, and any shout outs can be displayed on your intranet homepage for everyone to see - giving you a continuous display of peer recognition from colleagues and management. Sharing praise and providing feedback is a great morale booster, and helps to motivate your team. Additionally, providing outlets for staff to offer their own feedback on the company, is another great way to drive positive change. Why not introduce a Suggestions Box on your intranet, and watch the ideas flood in? Your temp workers especially might have some great insights into improving the employee experience for future temporary employees.
Assigning Projects To Retain Temporary Hires
Assigning projects to temporary hires can be a great way of boosting their engagement with your team! It's essential that they feel the same level of inclusion and responsibility as other members, particularly when it comes to taking on tasks that are integral for their role. Hub's Task Manager is a great tool for assigning and managing project tasks between employees and teams, and allows you to keep track of where everyone is at.
For full-time workers, it's all about providing stimulating and relevant assignments - ones that fit in with their expertise, preferences, and history. This will not only help keep current personnel onboard but also give fresh recruits an opportunity to show off their talents and potentially pave the way for future opportunities within the organization - whether short term or long term!
Strategies To Improve Retention Of Full-Time Employees
Having tailored onboarding to meet the needs of temporary employees, it's essential to focus on full-time worker retention. After all, having continuity and stability within an organization can really pay off! That's why prioritizing employee satisfaction when creating a retention policy is so important. From offering flexible working hours, plenty of paid time-off or even company perks such as free lunches - there are lots of creative ways employers can encourage their staff to stay on board for the long haul.
Provide job security - this helps to reduce turnover rates, and can be achieved by offering competitive salaries and benefits packages, and increasing opportunities for development.
Engage with employee regularly - this will improve trust and loyalty, and can be implemented through regular performance reviews, 1-2-1 meetings, and providing outlets for regular feedback from staff on their roles and company initiatives.
Enhance employee recognition - will help boost morale and motivation, through formal recognition of employee achievements, rewarding teams members for going above and beyond, and incorporating peer recognition into your workplace culture.
By ensuring job security, offering competitive salaries, amazing benefits packages, and development opportunities - you can drastically cut turnover rates. Additionally, regular engagement with employees helps them feel valued in the organization while enhancing recognition serves as a major mood-booster. Ultimately, if implemented effectively - these practices enable permanent staff to reach their fullest potentials within a supportive environment where they are truly appreciated.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Most Cost-Effective Way To Onboard Temporary Employees?
Creating an effective and cost-efficient onboarding program is key when it comes to temporary employees. So, how do you get started?
First off, decide what needs to be included in the process - think training materials, introductions to staff members and other necessary tools or paperwork. To save money, consider using online systems instead of paper forms.
Define clear procedures for each element of the onboarding experience so new hires know exactly what’s expected from them. Ensure everyone involved - from trainers to managers - understands their role too as this will avoid wasting time and money throughout the entire process.
Don't forget to periodically review your program; by doing this regularly you'll identify possible changes which will help make your onboarding even more efficient.
How Can I Ensure Short-Term Staff Are Properly Trained And Motivated?
How Can I Monitor The Performance Of Temporary Workers?
How Can I Offer Job Security To Part-Time Staff?
Wrapping up: Tailoring Onboarding to Short-Term Employees' Needs and Goals is Essential
At the end of the day, it pays to remember that onboarding temp employees should be tailored to their individual goals and expectations. Everything from communication, performance monitoring and job security can play a role in making them feel like part of the team.
Moreover, these short-term staff members bring with them invaluable skills and perspectives – so let’s make sure they feel included! An atmosphere of trust and respect ups the chances for long-term success - an outcome we all want right? By giving everyone fair treatment regardless of contract length, we create an environment where everyone feels respected and valued. Now that's something worth striving for!