5 Ways to Keep your Contractors Happy

One of the biggest strengths of any recruitment agency is its ability to fill roles for its clients as smoothly as possible with contractors capable of doing the job.

To do that requires a pool of contractors and the ability to bring new contractors in easily, and the most important part of both of those is a reputation for people who work with you being happy.

Today we take a look at ways to make sure your contractors stay happy.

  • Pay on time, every time

If there’s one thing that can really screw up a contractor’s plans, it’s not getting their paycheque on time. Arranging invoice finance makes sure that you can pay your contractors the amount they expect on the day they expect even as you wait for your client’s fees. This one is the top of the list because there’s no easier path to an irate contractor than overlooking this, which is why we introduced TBOS Freedom so our clients can be sure this side of their business is covered.

  • Attention to detail

Nothing makes a contractor feel like just another name on a contact list than being put up for roles they don’t fit. (And, let’s face it, not many of your clients will be too keen on the idea, either.) Pay attention to the details of what they can and can’t do and if you’re going to put them up for something on the edge of their talents, let them know ahead of time so they can brush up on what they need to know.

  • The personal touch

When you communicate with your contractor, wherever possible glance at their file beforehand and pick up one or two things to ask them about – their family, hobbies, a comment on how their favourite sports team is doing – so that they know you see them as an individual, not just a sheet of numbers. If you make them feel valued, they’re going to want to stick with you – and they may well pass your name to any friends looking for an agency to connect with too.

  • Keep in contact

There’s more to it than just making sure contact is personalised, of course – regular contact can be important. It shows the contractor they haven’t been forgotten and can be used to encourage them if it’s been a while between roles. Making sure you appear engaged is one of the best ways available of maintaining engagement.

  • Build a relationship

With this kind of personal rapport, a savvy recruiter can even use their contractors as a source of information. Asking about their work while they’re in a role can tell you about upcoming projects, changes in management, shifts in priority – and all of that gives you new things to approach the client about. While they’re not in roles, you might hear about leads other recruiters have offered, giving you a better picture of what’s going on.

For most recruiters, being friendly and even charming is no difficulty at all, but it’s easy when you’re busy to let your contractors slip your mind as less important than clients – but without contractors, where are you?

To keep you from being busy with back office matters, talk to us. You can contact us via our site, by calling 0845 881 1112, or emailing us at enquiries@tbos.co.uk.


Stewart Roberts

Written by Stewart Roberts

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