Workforce Management 101: 5 Ways to Drive Up the Efficiency of Your Contingent Workforce

WinMax Blog Team

07 June 2020
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Did you know? According to a report released by BLS in 2017, nearly 16.5 million people in the United States have contingent jobs. That’s 10.3 percent of the total labor force of the country that works on a temporary or contractual basis. The report also pointed out that despite the increasing preference for a contingent workforce, the percentage of temporary workers has declined since 2005.

This is likely due to poor talent management by companies who rely on temporary staffing solutions. For instance, most temporary workers are paid less than permanent employees. In this article, we are going to discuss how you can manage your contingent workforce more efficiently and the resulting benefits.

1. Introducing Better Onboarding Practices

Since they are hired on a temporary basis, most employers do not have great onboarding practices for their contingent workforce. After all, they are only going to be here for a short while, so why bother? While it appears practical, this approach can reduce the performance of your temporary staff. Every person likes to feel welcomed and valued in an organization even if they are joining for an interim period. You can do this by providing your temporary staff with a well-organized workspace that has all the tools they need. You can also ask them if they need help in using a particular tool or software. Offering personal guidance can go a long way in making a temporary worker feel valued. As a bonus, you can also provide them with promotional gifts such as stationery and T-shirts having a company logo.

2. Fostering Connections With the Team
Teamwork

In order to manage your contingent workforce more efficiently, make sure you help them feel like they are a part of the team. Most employers will quickly introduce a temporary worker to the rest of the team, and that will be the end of it. Think about it. If your temporary staff is left to fend for themselves, then their productivity is likely to be affected. It also reduces their motivation to deliver good work.

Helping these individuals connect with the rest of the team can improve their understanding of your products and services. It can also help them understand the values and objectives of your organization. This can help them deliver high-quality work. Some simple ways to engage temporary workers and help them connect with the rest of the team include:

 

Involving them in official meetings

 

Inviting them to office events and lunches

3. Challenging Your Temporary Staff

Whether you are hiring someone on a temporary or permanent basis, providing them with challenging work is very important. No one likes to perform monotonous tasks that fail to stimulate them intellectually. This is another way to improve the efficiency of your contingent workforce, as well. You can establish work goals and set some performance benchmarks for them to follow. This will motivate them to work harder. They will also appreciate the thought of having a hand in the company’s success.

You can provide them with a set of quantifiable goals during the onboarding process. Make sure you check in on their progress time to time and discuss their performance.

4. Asking for Feedback

Creating a feedback loop is another essential part of contingent workforce management. This makes their work experience with your organization more productive and fun. You can ask for their input regarding ongoing projects as well as company practices. There is plenty of strategic value in both cases. For instance, asking for a contingent worker's input during meetings can improve the inflow of creative ideas for an ongoing project.

Asking for feedback regarding company practices is equally beneficial. You can identify areas that require further attention. This can help optimize the workflow process and improve the efficiency of your entire work staff. It is also important to note that most of your temporary hires would have worked with multiple organizations. Given their experience, they can draw useful comparisons between the workplace practices of your company with other organizations. This can be incredibly resourceful for you as it helps you identify new avenues of improvement.

5. Providing Better Compensation

Given the usefulness of the gig economy, organizations need to understand the importance of providing temporary workers with better wages. If you end up cutting corners, you can hardly expect your contingent workforce to deliver more than what you paid them. At the end of the day, nothing boosts an employee’s efficiency like a great compensation package. It helps them feel valued and motivates them to do their best. They are also much more likely to work with your organization again. This can help you develop a strong, ongoing, and mutually beneficial relationship with them.

Let’s Sum It Up
An employee working

Unlike traditional workforce management, the infrastructure for managing contingent workers is still evolving. Lack of clear policies for these workers can have a significant impact on their contribution to the company. It also reduces the possibility of rehiring. On the other hand, making an effort to introduce good onboarding practices and keeping these workers engaged can help you reap significant benefits. It can improve the overall performance of your business and get you a higher return on your investment as well.

Here’s a quick recap on how you can manage your contingent workforce more efficiently:

 Providing them with a well-organized workspace along with the tools they need for their job

 Keeping them engaged by inviting them to be a part of team activities

 Asking for their input to identify areas of improvement

 Outlining work goals and providing them with challenging tasks

 Negotiating better terms and building a mutually beneficial relationship

 

Need Some Help?

If you are struggling to find talented and efficient individuals that can add value to your business, then drop us an email at contactus@winmaxcorp.com. We have been providing temporary staffing solutions to companies for more than a decade now and can help you find the right match sooner than you’d think!

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WinMax Blog Team

Founded in 2005, WinMax is an IT recruiting firm that specializes in connecting the best talents from the tech world to the right organization. As technology recruiters, we can help you find the right IT personnel possessing the skills, expertise, and values that reflect your organizational needs and goals.

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