The Value of a Personalized Contractor Onboarding Process
How a High-Touch Personal Onboarding Process Creates Successful Relationships
I recently had a conversation with a contractor who worked for one of our client companies. She told me how much she appreciated the onboarding process and the ongoing support she received throughout her contract. She valued how thorough the process was and said she felt like she was treated like a human being instead of a number or just “talent” with a set of skills. She expressed how different the process was compared to her other experiences as a contractor.
I realized that what we at Experience AI consider second nature, what is built into the DNA of our culture–doing the right thing, treating our contractors as more than a number–isn’t always the case with other recruitment firms.
Recruiters often vanish as soon as a candidate is placed and they have received their commission. Contractors are then left to navigate their contract and the onboarding process without having much (or any) contact with a human being. It can feel overwhelming, confusing and totally impersonal. Contractors are often left wondering who they should go to if they have questions or need to deal with an issue.
This can be challenging for anyone. It is especially so for newcomers to Canada who are not yet familiar with our laws and processes or new graduates who don’t have extensive experience in the workforce yet or for anyone who’s new to contract work.
The recruitment process was something Lara and Martin, Experience AI’s founders, knew they wanted to do differently when they started their company. Ensuring a caring, thorough contract signing process that centers on the contractor’s experience is incredibly important for us.
At Experience AI, the recruiting process is just the beginning of a relationship that, if fostered with care, can be an ongoing one that benefits the contractor, Experience AI and our clients.
It is difficult to find talented candidates in today’s market. So when we do, we want to make those individuals feel good about working with us. Ultimately, the more positive a contractor’s experience is with Experience AI, the more ready and able they are to do a quality job for our clients.
Inside the Experience AI Contractor Process
Several years before the pandemic, I focused on streamlining our contractor onboarding process to make it as efficient and paperless as possible, while still providing a human-centred approach. I was so grateful we had taken the time to improve our processes and develop multiple virtual enhancements–when the pandemic hit, we were able to continue working smoothly in a totally virtual environment.
In addition to these virtual enhancements, the process is:
- Authentic and energetic: When I wake up in the morning, I am genuinely happy to be at my desk and working. I am truly having fun! And when I speak to our contractors, I think that feeling comes through in the conversation.
They can feel that I love what I do and that I am excited to get to know them and have them join us. They bring this positive energy with them as they start their contracts. - Thorough and efficient: We have a meeting with every contractor to present their contract to them. The goal of these meetings is to ensure that each contractor completely understands the contract they’re signing, what the payment process is and who to go to if they need assistance. They also have the opportunity to ask questions live. This process alleviates the need for multiple back and forth emails and helps avoid any surprises later on. It provides contractors with assurance and clarity.
- Personal and human-centered: Most importantly, our process was built to value the contractor as a human being with personal needs and experiences. This personal approach builds trust and establishes an open line of communication from the beginning. Especially in remote work environments, it is so important for me to let our contractors know there is a human behind their computer screen!
What does this process mean for our clients?
When we complete the onboarding process, I feel like I’ve done my job when the contractor says, “I understand all of this. This is clear. I’m ready to start work.” That confidence is what I want us both to walk away with because it sets the tone for a positive working experience.
For our clients, a personalized high-touch onboarding experience means that our contractors feel cared for and supported. They arrive to work on day one, confident and ready to give it their all. We ensure they know that we’re always here to act as an intermediary to answer any questions and help find resolutions to any issues that might arise.
This is what I love about my job–the ability to help make real change for both our contractors and our clients. Our clients are doing incredible things and have big goals. When I see the relationships we cultivate with our contractors translating into dedication, productivity and quality work helping our clients achieve those lofty goals, that’s a win for me professionally.
And really, it’s a win-win-win situation. Our contractors feel great, they work hard and our clients are satisfied and then many contractors come back to us after their contract is over. I take that as a sign that we’re doing something right here–which is the best motivation to continue to improve.
Aidy Oni is Director, Human Resources & Accounting at Experience AI Solutions