Make Your Temporary Staff Feel More Comfortable with These Onboarding Techniques
Posted January 14th, 2016
You know the benefits of onboarding your full- and part-time employees – productivity happens faster, retention is improved, mistakes are minimized, etc. So why ignore the opportunity to onboard all your employees, including temporary employees? The benefits are the same and the cost is minimal. Use the strategies outlined below to help get the most out of the process:
Start on Day One
The onboarding process should start the minute the temporary employee walks though the door. Give them a copy of the full employee handbook and some time to read it over. Take the employee on a tour of the whole facility, not just their dedicated workspace. Introduce the person to co-workers, superiors, and key personnel. Throughout, talk about the company policies and culture, and invite the employee to ask lots of questions.
Communicate Goals and Expectations
It’s impossible to feel comfortable in a job if you don’t know what to do or how to do it right. As early as possible, lay out the goals you expect the temporary employee to accomplish, and tie them to clear metrics as much as possible. Be sure to emphasize that you know mistakes/setbacks are inevitable, but that support will be made available to help demonstrate the right way to do things.
Assign a Mentor
Temporary employees often feel lost when they start a new assignment because they exist on the edges of the organization. You can help employees overcome this feeling by pairing them up with a mentor from the start. This person is available to answer questions, offer support and guidance, and serve as a sounding board. Make sure the mentor is available for at least the first few weeks of employment.
Mandate Respect
Sometimes there is a level of disregard or even hostility shown by permanent staff to temporary staff. Stress to your permanent employees that everyone in your organization, temporary staff included, is to be treated with respect and camaraderie. This way, you help short-term workers enter the fold of your organization and feel like their contribution is valuable.
Keep the Door Open
Onboarding happens on a schedule, but it never fully ends. Make sure your temporary workers know that if they have questions/concerns/feedback moving forward, there is always someone they can turn to. It helps no one to leave these employees out to dry after a few months has passed.
In order to onboard temporary workers, you first have to find some that you’re eager to work with. Tap into a diverse and highly qualified pool of talent by working with Bayside Solutions.
