Hiring a Contractor to Join Your Full-time Team? How to Make the Transition Easy for Everyone

-Future Technology Staffing

Contract workers are fantastic for helping companies get through times that are unusually busy or finishing projects that are uncommonly large. But they do present a management problem: how do you bring a contractor onto your team while making them feel welcome and making sure your full-time workers are welcoming as well? Here are some strategies to make one big happy team:

Invite them into your workplace. Make sure that your contract worker has a workspace where they can do their job comfortably, whether that’s a well-stocked desk or a clean cubicle. Introduce them to the rest of your team on their first day so that they don’t feel snubbed or lost. Make yourself available for questions, and expect your new contractor to have them, as they are working in a completely new environment.

Have an onboarding process. What does this mean? Once we help you find a great candidate, we spend time keeping in touch with both the contractors and your company to make sure that your new employees are making successful transitions in your workplace.

Treat all of your employees equally. While a contract worker may not have the same health benefits or stock plans as your full-time employees, make sure you treat them equally in the workplace whenever possible. They may not be a permanent addition to your workplace, but they are on your team as long as you employ them. Invite them to the same company events, include them in any lunch outings, and make them eligible for any informal programs such as employee of the month. This will discourage your full-time employees from getting cliquish, and make your contractors feel welcome, which will increase their job satisfaction.