Onboarding contract talent pays off

7 tips for paving the way for a smooth onboarding

From the SeasonedPros.ca Content Lab

You’ve found the perfect fit for your organization. Your contract hire will work in a fractional role to help you do more with less and keep projects rolling to grow your business.

Now it’s time for the onboarding.

Integrating contract talent into an organization isn’t that different from onboarding full-time employees.

But there are special considerations when integrating a contractor into an organization and a team. Attention to this can make a contract hire smoother and more productive for everyone on the team.

7 tips for onboarding contract talent

1. Draft and sign a contract – Clearly outline the role, responsibilities, milestones and deliverables. The contract covers the compensation package, invoicing and payment. It will also set out the length of the contract and the number of hours per week the contractor is expected to work. Have a legal expert review the contract. 
2. Introduce the company to the contractor – Help the contractor understand the brand, goals and mission of the organization. Explain the niche the company fills in the market and contextualize the contract position within the larger goals of the organization.
3. Do security and reference checks – This is critical, particularly if the job is sensitive. Make sure the contractor signs a non-disclosure agreement if one is deemed necessary. Consulting references will build trust.
4. Make the contractor part of the team – Ideally, this would be an in-person meeting, but if the contractor is in another geographic location, this can be done via a video meeting. Team members should communicate their roles and specify which communication channels they like to use. Make sure the new contractor has access to all IT platforms, training and computer equipment.
5. Educate full-time employees about the contract role – Creating a hybrid workforce that blends full-time and contract workers requires buy-in from the teams. Help them understand that the contractor is a subject matter expert who should be respected and valued for their knowledge and contribution to the organization.
6. Give and take feedback – Provide regular feedback on performance and project milestones. If there are shortcomings or obstacles, let the contractor know how they can improve. Ask if they need any support or if they have any ideas for innovation. Exit interviews can improve future experiences for future contractors.
7. Pay your contractor on time – Some businesses stretch payment to suppliers over 60 or 90 days to manage cash flows. This is not a best practice for a contract worker who will need payment in a timely manner. Failure to pay on time could result in losing the contract worker.

Onboarding contract talent will make the fractional hiring experience easier and smoother for everyone. In a competitive talent market, a strong onboarding program will improve the likelihood of success.

SeasonedPros.ca is an on-demand business talent source. Clients with an immediate need for experienced talent trust us to source professionals for fractional, interim and part-time roles. Each professional in our national database has 20 + years of business experience. We provide our clients 2-4 four vetted professionals in 10 business days or less.