8 Ways to Effectively Engage Independent Contractors

1. Bring an Expert on Board

Partnering with a company that has an established track record for independent contractor engagement can help give you peace of mind when it comes to managing risk. Firms like MBO have years of experience and proven methodologies for evaluating and engaging independent talent for clients.  

A streamlined process simplifies program implementation both for enterprises and contractors. What was once complicated and messy, is now automated and speedy.  

Discover MBO’s leading independent workforce platform

2. Keep the Engagement Process Simple and Consistent

When independent professionals are accustomed to the process you have in place, they will be happier working with you. By maintaining repetition and consistency in your program, contractors will know what to expect when they work with you. This makes it easier for them to come prepared and ready to start work.  

Learn more about how to create a aontingent workforce management program 

3. Get Familiar With Laws and Regulations

Laws and regulations in the field of independent contractor engagement are changing and evolving. Understanding how to navigate and follow rules and regulations is very important to remain compliant.   

Federal, state, and local laws can lack uniformity and often contradict one another, so it is important to know what applies specifically to your business. If you’re unsure of how to handle the compliance piece, a firm that specializes in contractor engagement can help to properly assess your independent talent.  

Here’s how you can avoid a worker misclassification audit 

4. Keep Track of Your Talent

Keeping track of your current independent talent will allow you to more easily use those same contractors in the future. Through re-engagement, you’ll be able to quickly negotiate services and see a more productive turnaround time.  

Online marketplaces, for example, allow you to develop private talent pools to easily find, engage, and re-engage top independent talent. These programs help reduce costs related to recruitment, training, and the time it takes to fill positions.

Access independent talent on-demand with MBO’s marketplace

5. Build a Program You Can Scale

Take the time to properly establish a scalable independent contractor engagement program. Create a well-articulated policy that is communicated to all business units, and set clear rules for identifying, engaging, and managing independent professionals. By establishing a solid program framework, you will be able to quickly grow your program in the future.  

Here’s how you can improve your contingent workforce program adoption now 

6. Don’t Discount Independent Contractor Happiness

Creating an engagement program that is independent-contractor-focused will help to keep your contractors happy and ensure loyalty and commitment. Independents are empowered by doing the work they love, and when you make it easy for them to safely and compliantly provide their expertise, both parties win.  

Learn more about what independent talent want in our latest Client of Choice research

7. Remember to Be Flexible

Providing your independent professionals with a variety of engagement options designed to meet their different needs can make your program highly attractive. At MBO, our variety of engagement options help to meet individual contractor needs and create a more positive experience by placing independents in a program that is best suited to them.  

Read this article for more tips on how to find and keep top independent professional talent 

8. Minimize Complexity

When it comes to creating a program for your company, keep it simple. Independent contractor engagement providers should be able to set up a complete program relatively quickly without extensive change management. Be wary of working with companies that attempt to over-complicate the implementation process.  

Remember, independent contractor engagement is a dynamic process. Balance your company’s business goals with the needs of contractors to successfully engage and retain top independent talent.  

Here’s how you can scale your independent workforce program