The workforce is no longer homogeneous. Companies are now relying on a diverse blend of full-time employees, part-time staff, freelancers, and consultants. Due to this shift, companies must also ensure they are ensuring inclusivity for all worker classifications, specifically consultants. Reevaluating the company culture for consultants will not only enhance their engagement and productivity but also strengthen the overall organizational fabric. To be able to successfully execute company culture for consultants, our experts share insight into how you can create this inclusivity.
Recognize the Value of Consultants
If you are choosing to bring consultants to your team, then this means you already know they bring specialized skills, fresh perspectives, and valuable expertise to the table. The next step is to let them know how much you appreciate these contributions. Actively acknowledging consultant value levels up your talent.
Here are some ways to do that:
Foster Open Communication
Open and transparent communication is crucial in creating a strong company culture for consultants. Ensuring that consultants have access to the same communication channels as full-time employees makes your team feel balanced and equal. This includes company-wide meetings, newsletters, and collaborative platforms. Taking the further step to engage consultants in regular updates and feedback sessions helps them stay informed but most importantly feel connected to the company’s goals and achievements. Once this connection is established and fed, in return it provides higher productivity and drives greater results for the company.
At Prosum, consultant talent rates their experience high because of the thorough onboarding and relationship management protocols we have established. We support consultants throughout the entire lifecycle of their engagement with continued communication, which speeds up their acclimation time and helps to increase productivity on their assignments. In fact, our consultant tenure is an industry-high at 19 months on average—it’s evidence that Prosum consultants enjoy their roles and clients are happy with talent deliverables.
Provide Equal Opportunities for Professional Development
Offering professional development opportunities to consultants demonstrates the company’s commitment to its growth and integration. This can include access to training programs, workshops, and networking events. By investing in the development of consultants, companies not only enhance their skills but also foster loyalty and long-term relationships. LinkedIn states another great way to provide development is through addressing any barriers or biases that might be hindering anyone’s learning potential. This can include removing obstacles in the way such as lack of resources, time, or support.
Ensure Fair Treatment and Inclusion in Team Activities
Consultants should be treated with the same respect and fairness as full-time employees. This includes equitable pay, access to resources, and inclusion in team-building activities. A study highlighted by HRDive suggests that contingent workers who feel included and respected are more likely to stay engaged and perform at their best. After the pandemic, the overlooked truth of organizations’ lack of fairness among their employees continuously surfaced. From this experience, Gartner found that employees who see their experience as fair show up to 26% higher levels of performance and up to 27% higher levels of retention. When consultants are part of your workforce, garnering high-performance levels will make a big impact. For instance, at Prosum, our generous benefits package extends to our consultant talent pool as well.
Consultants have noted that this practice brings a sense of security, and removes the barriers between team members.
“Been working with Prosum for almost 3 years now; they always seem to care about what’s going on with the workers that they have placed and want to know how they can better our experiences as contract workers. The hope is to be placed in a permanent position with the company that they are recruiting for, but in the meantime, the Benefits that you receive as a temporary employee with Prosum makes you feel like you have found a home until you are placed in one…”
Cultivate a Sense of Belonging To Reflect an Attractive Company Culture for Consultants
Creating a sense of belonging is essential for any worker, regardless of their employment status. This can be achieved by celebrating consultants’ achievements, acknowledging their contributions in meetings, and involving them in decision-making processes. According to HRO Today, a strong sense of belonging can significantly enhance the overall workplace culture and boost productivity across the board. No one likes to feel excluded, so you should be ensuring the people that make your company running should feel absolutely included.
Leverage Technology To Bridge Gaps
Technology can play a pivotal role in integrating consultants into the company culture. Utilize digital tools to facilitate seamless communication, collaboration, and project management. Platforms like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Trello can help bridge the gap between in-house employees and remote consultants, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and working towards common objectives.
Creating an inclusive company culture that extends to consultants is not just a nice-to-have but a necessity in the modern workplace. Embracing these strategies will not only attract top talent but also drive organizational success in the long run. Here at Prosum, we value consultants’ skills and highlight them to provide unique opportunities that will help them achieve their goals and bring value to our clients’ digital initiatives. Contact us today to begin building a strong workforce foundation and let us find the best consultants for you.