Tag Archive for: Team-Building

How to Successfully Onboard Contingent Workers

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In today’s dynamic workforce, more businesses are turning to contract workers for their staffing needs. These highly skilled individuals offer flexibility, cost savings, and unique expertise that can benefit any organization. Successfully onboarding these contingent workers is crucial, not only for their productivity but also for fostering a positive culture within the organization. This blog aims to provide practical and informative guidelines on effectively integrating contract workers into your existing teams. Let’s dive in and explore how you can make the most of this flexible employment model.

Here are 6 crucial steps to onboard contingent workers:

1. Show That Work Matters

A good way to incorporate contingent workers in company culture is to show them how their work contributes to the organization. This may seem obvious, but it’s easy for contingent workers to feel disconnected from the company’s goals and values if they don’t have a clear understanding of how their work fits into the bigger picture. It’s important to communicate why the work they do matters and how it aligns with the organization’s values.

Employees who grasp the positive impact of their work on the organization often experience higher levels of job satisfaction and motivation. They feel valued, knowing that their tasks are not merely routine but integral to the organization’s success. This sense of purpose tends to foster a happy work environment, as employees can see the fruits of their labor contributing directly to the company’s objectives. Moreover, this understanding fuels their creativity and productivity, as they are more invested in outcomes.

2. Prepare Them for Success

To onboard contingent workers it is crucial to provide them with the essential tools and resources needed for their success. This means providing them with access to the technology and equipment they need to perform their job duties. It also involves providing access to training and educational resources that will enable them to develop new skills and enhance their knowledge. Additionally, it’s important to establish clear expectations for their work performance from the outset and to establish regular check-ins to ensure that they are meeting these expectations. To ensure optimal performance, it is crucial to provide employees with the necessary resources to excel in their roles. Before their start date, ensure that they have access to the required programs and tools. By doing so, you can minimize stress and prevent any unnecessary delays in their work.

3. Shadow a Mentor

Another way to integrate contingent workers is by having them follow a mentor. This can be someone who is currently working in a similar role or someone who has experience in the organization. A mentor can help the new worker navigate the company culture, provide advice on best practices and processes, and offer guidance on how to handle any challenges that may arise. This person can also serve as an advocate for the new worker, helping to create a sense of belonging within the organization. Additionally, having a mentor can also improve job satisfaction and retention rates for contingent workers, as they have someone to turn to for support and guidance. Overall, providing mentorship is an essential part of setting up contingent workers for success within your organization.

4. Establish Trust

Trust is a fundamental pillar in any professional relationship, particularly between hiring managers and contract workers. Due to the temporary or project-based nature of their employment, contract workers may often feel isolated or disconnected from the organization. When trust is established, it bridges this gap, fostering an environment of open communication, mutual respect, and reliability. Trust can reassure contract workers of their value within the organization, thus promoting engagement, productivity, and commitment to the job. It also encourages transparency, allowing them to voice their ideas or concerns freely, contributing to better problem-solving and innovation. Ultimately, trust is a critical factor in enhancing the overall work relationship, leading to successful project outcomes and a positive work culture.

5. Merge with Existing Team

Encourage your full-time staff to treat contingent workers as part of the team. Organize team-building activities and include contingent workers in meetings and company events. This helps contingent workers build relationships with full-time staff, making them feel more comfortable and engaged with their role and the company. This also bolsters the overall positivity and productivity of your workplace. A unified team fosters a culture of mutual respect, understanding, and collaboration. By welcoming contingent workers, you enable a diversity of ideas and skills, stimulating creativity and innovation. Moreover, this integration signals to all employees that their contributions are equally valued, enhancing morale and job satisfaction. So, take that leap, blend your workforce, and witness the transformative impact it has on your work environment.

Partner with a Staffing Agency

Onboarding contingent workers can be a challenge, but it’s an investment that can pay off in the long run. By following these steps you can ensure that your contingent workers have a successful onboarding experience, one that makes a positive and lasting impact on your organization.

Partner with Award Staffing to access skilled candidates who are a great fit for your open roles. We’ll work with you to understand your needs and find the right contingent workers for your team. Our extensive network of talented individuals combined with our expertise in onboarding and managing contract workers can help you streamline your hiring process and create a more effective and efficient workforce. Check out our services to get started.

The Ultimate Guide to Building a Resilient Workforce

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As HR managers, the health and productivity of our businesses rely heavily on building a resilient workforce. And while resilience is often praised as an invaluable characteristic for weathering disruptions, cultivating such strength within a team isn’t always easy. From market fluctuations to shifting consumer behavior, various factors can impact business operations, and it’s essential to have a resilient workforce that can adapt and thrive during these times. Building a resilient team that can balance short-term agility with long-term strategic vision can be the key to success.

From identifying employee obstacles to developing a supportive culture, we’ll explore what it takes to create an adaptive team that can better withstand turbulent environments with ease. With our expert advice, your team will become more organized, productive, and collaborative while also remaining strong through tumultuous times – allowing your business to succeed in any environment.

1. Prepare for the Future

Preparing your workforce for the future can sound like a daunting task. However, building resilience through strategic planning can be greatly beneficial. Analyzing current trends and implementing forward-thinking approaches ensures that your business remains competitive in the long run. It can also help you anticipate potential challenges and prepare your team to tackle them effectively. Emphasizing adaptability and resiliency has the potential to create a culture of continuous learning and growth. With the right strategies, your workforce can be ready for whatever the future holds.

2. Foster a Supportive Workplace Culture

A supportive workplace culture is crucial for building a resilient workforce. To nurture this type of environment, it’s important to prioritize team collaboration and communication. When employees feel connected and part of a team, they’re more likely to enjoy their work and face challenges with a resilient attitude. With the support of their team, they are more likely to face challenges head on, rather than feeling alone or overwhelmed. A supportive culture empowers them to share their thoughts and ideas, embrace diversity and inclusion, and fosters an environment of trust. When employees work together towards a common goal, they can achieve more and create stronger relationships with each other. This not only promotes a positive work environment but also helps employees develop the necessary skills and qualities to be resilient in the face of challenges.

As a leader it’s important to lend a listening ear when needed, show empathy, and demonstrate that you genuinely care about your employees. By doing so, you’ll not only create a culture that fosters resiliency but also a workforce that’s equipped to face any challenge with a positive mindset.

3. Address Workplace Stress

In today’s fast-paced work environment, stress can creep up on anyone. While a certain level of stress can motivate us to achieve our goals, when left unchecked, it can lead to serious health issues and a decrease in work productivity. That’s why building resilience in the workplace is so important. By addressing employee stress, businesses can create a culture that promotes mental well-being and allows employees to bounce back from challenges.

Common employee stressors often stem from a heavy workload, long hours, lack of control, and poor relationships with colleagues or supervisors. These factors can exacerbate feelings of helplessness and anxiety, significantly impacting the overall well-being of employees. Businesses can address these concerns by cultivating a culture of teamwork and collaboration. Encourage employees to work together, share the load, and communicate openly about their challenges. This can help reduce the feeling of being alone in struggles and provide a support system for coping with stress.

Offering mental health resources is another way to help employees deal with stress. This can include providing access to counseling services, promoting self-care practices, and encouraging employees to take breaks when needed. A workforce that’s equipped with the necessary tools and resources to manage stress is better prepared for any challenge that comes their way.

4. Invest in Training

Developing employee training to build resilience is a crucial endeavor for any organization. With the ever-changing landscape of the workplace, it has become essential to equip employees with the necessary skill-building tools to handle any situation that may arise. By focusing on resilience, employees can develop the ability to adapt, bounce back, and thrive in the face of adversity. This is why it’s important to include training sessions that cater to skill-building programs that can help employees develop resilience. From effective communication to time management, these programs can provide the necessary tools that allow employees to not only grow in their professional lives but also in their personal ones. The benefits of resilient employees are endless, from increased productivity to happier employees, translating to better customer service and higher profits for the company. So don’t hesitate to invest in training programs that build resilience in your employees, it’s undoubtedly a vital element to success in today’s competitive business world.

5. Welcome Feedback

A strong workforce culture is essential for any organization to thrive. One way to build resiliency in your company is by welcoming and facilitating employee feedback. This means creating a safe space where employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns. It’s important to actively listen to what your employees have to say and to take their suggestions into account. By valuing their feedback, you not only make them feel heard but also have the opportunity to identify potential areas of improvement. Encouraging employee feedback can help to create a more collaborative and positive work environment, which ultimately leads to a more resilient team. So, don’t be afraid to start the conversation and create a culture of open communication.

6. Meaningful Work

Meaningful work is a significant component in building a resilient workforce. When employees perceive their work as purposeful, they are more likely to exhibit higher levels of motivation and commitment. This sense of purpose often comes from having autonomy in their roles, enabling them to make decisions independently, thus fostering a feeling of control and competence. This sense of autonomy, intertwined with meaningful work, not only enhances job satisfaction but also bolsters resilience in the face of challenges. In such an environment, employees are more likely to view obstacles as opportunities for growth rather than setbacks, thereby enhancing the overall resilience of the workforce.

In summary, cultivating a supportive culture is instrumental in fostering a resilient workforce. A culture that emphasizes teamwork and collaboration, listens to employee feedback, and offers meaningful work can equip employees with the necessary tools to handle work-related stress and enhance their overall job satisfaction. By addressing workplace stress, investing in training, and providing autonomy, organizations can create an environment where employees view challenges as opportunities for growth. This resilience within the workforce not only leads to increased productivity and happier employees, but also to a company that thrives in the competitive business landscape.

Interested in fostering a resilient workforce within your organization? Make sure to view our services and begin your journey towards a more resilient and productive workforce today

8 Astounding Ways to Spark Friendly Accountability in Your Workplace Culture

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Yes, company performance is a strong indicator of their success, but company culture is what makes a company great.

Creating a strong team culture is essential for the success of any organization. It’s not just about performance and productivity, but rather creating an environment where team members can collaborate, support each other, and take pride in their work. A team culture built on accountability is key to reaching team goals and staying motivated throughout the process.

Our Southeast Account Manager, Brandon Fernandez advises, “Friendly accountability is when employees take responsibility for both their performance and business outcomes instead of playing the “blame game” when something goes wrong. Companies that hold employees accountable are outcome-focused. They meet their goals, experience higher employee engagement, and continually grow.”

While team leadership is certainly important for setting team goals, fostering team accountability involves everyone in the organization. Every team member has a responsibility to their team and each other to stay on track and make sure that the team stays focused on their objectives. It’s important to understand that team success is also individual success — when one team member succeeds, the team succeeds.

Here are 8 ways to create a culture of friendly accountability in your workplace.

1. Establish Clear Team Goals

The foundation of team accountability is rooted in the team’s agreed-upon goals. Establishing clear team goals allows team members to have a common understanding of the team’s purpose and objectives. This understanding helps define roles and responsibilities within the team, as well as establishes a sense of ownership for each team member. Team goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (SMART) and should also include short-term milestones to keep team members motivated and on track.

Establishing clear team goals provides an essential layer of transparency in any organization. It helps to develop a team mindset and encourages team members to work together towards a common purpose. This also communicates a clear future plan, which informs employees of the direction the company is headed. Developing team goals provides steps on how to achieve those future plans. This ensures that long-term goals are successfully accomplished.

The team leader should then involve all team members in creating the plan, ensuring that their interests are considered too. Team cohesion is achieved when every team member is involved in setting tasks and developing strategies to complete them. This can also create an environment where collaboration between different departments is encouraged — leading to increased success.

2. Set Reasonable Team Expectations

Setting reasonable expectations encourages friendly accountability within your team. Rather than expecting perfection from yourself or your team members, it’s important to take a step back and evaluate if your team’s goals are in line with what is both achievable and fair. This mindset also helps encourage open dialogue, allowing feedback to be given safely and effectively without fear of judgment or retribution. This also encourages interdepartmental communication and collaboration when assistance is needed. Establishing clear boundaries and expectations upfront allows everyone involved in the process to better understand their roles within the task at hand, creating an atmosphere of accountability that fosters trust and collaboration.

On the other hand, unattainable goals and expectations can create unnecessary pressure, leading to a decline in work quality. Pushing team members too hard to reach these lofty objectives can be counter-productive and lead to burnout. This can ultimately affect the quality of the work produced; when working excessively long hours with unrealistic goals, mistakes are more likely to occur. Being realistic about what they can achieve will help reduce stress levels, allowing for a healthier and more productive environment where goals are attainable yet still challenging enough to push everyone forward.

3. Lead by Example

Leading by example and taking responsibility for actions are the most effective ways to encourage accountability in the workforce. Leaders have the power to set a strong example of excellence, which can motivate their team and encourage accountability. By demonstrating a commitment to personal and team success, leaders can show their teams that everyone’s individual work matters. Additionally, by giving constructive feedback and promoting open communication, leaders can further foster a culture of friendly accountability where employees feel empowered to take initiative and make decisions with confidence. When teams understand that their successes are interconnected, they become more motivated to be accountable for their commitments as well as those of other team members. With this in place, your team’s objectives will be consistently achieved, leading to a perpetual growth of success for your business.

4. Be Trustworthy and Trusting

Trustworthiness is a vital ingredient in fostering team accountability and workplace success. It means not just following through with your commitments, but also being willing to relinquish control and delegate certain tasks. Building trust encourages team members to be more open to taking ownership of their projects and successes. When team leaders are trustworthy, employees feel more secure in their roles, and they can rely on the team to be supportive. It encourages them to take initiative and hold themselves accountable for their actions which improves employee engagement. For team leaders, trustworthiness also serves as a reminder of the importance of respecting team members’ autonomy while staying engaged with team dynamics.

5. Assign Clear Ownership of Tasks and Projects

Assigning clear ownership of tasks and projects is essential to create a successful atmosphere of accountability in the workplace. This drives the success of any team or organization. Leaders must clearly define team expectations and goals, as well as assign team members or specific departments to respective tasks with specific responsibilities and deadlines. This will give them a sense of ownership over their responsibilities and help them to develop a sense of confidence and initiative. Additionally, team members should be encouraged to solve problems on their own and collaborate to better understand the team’s overall mission. By implementing these practices, teams can create an environment of accountability, resulting in improved team success.

6. Promote Collaboration Between Departments

Promoting collaboration between departments is key to encouraging friendly accountability between employees. By working together, everyone can become more invested in the success of the team as a whole, in addition to individual successes. This is especially important for larger organizations and projects, where it’s necessary to have multiple departments working together. It also ensures that everyone feels valued and appreciated, which will help to create an environment where feedback is given constructively and freely. Each individual’s efforts should be rewarded and recognized. This reinforces that one person’s success is reflective of the success of the team.

Collaboration between departments, when done properly, can be incredibly beneficial for team success. Not only does it create a sense of accountability and team-wide commitment, but it also allows for unique skills and experiences to be brought together to reach team goals. Different departments offer varying perspectives that can help to identify potential problems or areas of improvement. For team-wide goals to be met, team members must come together and work collaboratively.

By recognizing the power of team collaboration, organizations can reap rewards for both individual team successes as well as team-wide achievements. Moreover, team accountability helps to ensure that everyone is held responsible for their performance and contributions. This helps to foster a culture of cooperation between different departments within your organization to ensure projects are completed on time and to specification.

7. Encourage Feedback & Open Dialogue

Encouraging feedback and open dialogue between departments is essential for team accountability and reliability. It’s important to create a welcoming environment where team members feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and opinions, as well as giving constructive criticism in order to improve team performance. Having a space where team members can discuss problems and offer solutions helps to foster a collaborative and open environment.

A well functioning team should be able to lean on each other for support and guidance. This will ensure employees feel valued and appreciated, which in turn creates an atmosphere of trust and cooperation. Finally, team members should hold each other accountable for their commitments. This reinforces the idea that personal triumph leads to team victory. With team accountability and reliable communication in place, organizations can better ensure their projects are organized, quality, and on schedule.

8. Reward Employees Who Demonstrate Accountability

When team members go above and beyond to show accountability, it’s important to recognize their efforts. Rewarding team members for their exemplary performance increases team motivation and shows that you value their contributions. This can include verbal recognition, added benefits, or tangible rewards. Whatever you choose, keep in mind the reward should be tailored to what your employees value most. Without proper execution, your effort will fall flat and be undervalued. To make an impact that lasts it should be meaningful to each individual, demonstrating that you value those who take responsibility for their actions. This not only encourages team members to strive for team success but will also create a cohesive team culture.

 

Therefore, the success of any team or organization depends largely on team accountability. It involves team members ( in different roles or departments) working collaboratively, not only to achieve team goals but also to foster an environment of trust and cooperation. Leaders must create clear expectations and boundaries while allowing employees to take ownership of their work and make decisions on their own. Additionally, individuals should be encouraged to give feedback and hold each other accountable for their commitments. By creating a collaborative team atmosphere and culture of team accountability, organizations can ensure success in the workplace.

Check out our services to see how we can help improve your workforce.

How to be a Team Leader at Work in 305 Words

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One of the most frustrating things in the world is to hear that your co-workers are not getting along or working well together. It’s to your benefit to have total team cohesion so you can avoid costly mistakes or missteps. Here’s how you can foster teamwork in your workplace:

Hold Team Meetings-

One of the best ways to encourage collaboration is to start holding regular team meetings in which you and your team members check in with one another and provide feedback and suggestions. Doing this will allow you to physically connect with your team as opposed to leaving notes for each other on the message board or sending each other e-mails.

Encourage Co-workers to Help Each Other-

As a manager, it’s your job to oversee the day-to-day operations and make sure that your co-workers are getting along. One easy way to do this is to encourage co-workers to help each other instead of you or another manager helping them. Once they start helping each other, they will become that much more accustomed to each other’s needs and be able to anticipate them on the fly.

Do Team-Building Activities-

Team-building activities are a fun way to foster teamwork in the workplace because they let you break out of the regular team environment to get to know one another. You’ll soon find that when you’re not huddled in the same office or halls every day, you will get to see different aspects of your colleagues’ personalities shine, which will help you like them and get along with them that much more.

If you want a job where everyone contributes to your workplace’s overall teamwork cohesion, contact Award Staffing. We have work with Minnesota based companies that focus on cultivating a positive company culture. Start the job search today by perusing our current job opportunities! Want to learn more career tips and tricks – check our When Work Works blog.