When hiring contractors, we all strive for healthy working relationships. Invariably however, unforeseen problems, delays or conflicts can arise, and it’s how we communicate to find solutions that can make the difference between staying on track, or finding ourselves on totally different pages.
Here at Contractor Compliance, we’ve compiled our top 6 ways to ensure that miscommunications between hiring organizations and their temporary staff are a thing of the past.
1. Manage Expectations
The simplest way to avoid difficulties is to be clear with your contractors upon engagement, and throughout every step of their employment, what is expected of them, and when. This can be done with the use of timelines, checklists and progress reports. When contractors are informed exactly what they are working towards, what is needed from them and how they can meet deadlines and targets, it is less likely that instructions will be misinterpreted, that roles will be ambiguous, or that motivations will lapse.
2. Help Them to Do Things Right
Make sure that contractors have all the information, equipment, training, coaching or documentation they require from your company in order to fulfil the task to their full capability and potential. Impart all necessary health and safety knowledge, and meet special requirements, such as those with a different first language or physical needs. Helping temporary workers to facilitate their assignments correctly will reduce the risk of human error, misunderstandings, or even serious accident or injury.
3. Stay in Touch
Keeping in regular contact is the best way to avoid unwelcome surprises. By checking in frequently, you’ll have a clear idea of how work is progressing, how contractors are finding their new role, and any challenges they or a project may be facing. Talking digitally via email, or through software such as Contractor Compliance, is a convenient and proactive way to stay connected throughout the process.
4. Make Time to Talk
As well as interacting via devices, you’ll also want to schedule more formal appointments to discuss how things are going. Whether this is a weekly site meeting, or a regular performance assessment, speaking to contractors face to face is the most conducive way to encourage open discussion.
5. Be Available
We all know that proper communication can resolve many issues, but with heavy workloads and busy schedules to contend with, it can often be difficult to simply find the time to talk. If contractors are unable to reach you when they need to report issues or ask questions about a project, frustrations can develop. Be clear on the best ways and means of reaching you in both standard circumstances and emergencies, when you are available, and prioritise getting back to contractors promptly.
6. A Point of Call
If it’s not practical to be at the beck and call of your contractors, it may be worth hiring someone who is. Having a dedicated employee to supervise larger groups of contractors and act as the representative for your company means that there is always a point of call to keep lines of communication open and check work is being carried out to the correct standards.
Communicating is clear with Contractor Compliance
Contractor Compliance helps hiring organizations source new contractors, and to connect and communicate with them once work is underway. If your company could benefit from networking with new contractors, and managing compliance for multiple third parties, book your free demo today and be sure to subscribe to the blog for all of our latest news and advice.
