Acculturation Onboarding for Independent Contractors

When a company hires an outside contractor, it can be tempting to skip the onboarding process altogether. After all, the independent contractor is covered under a separate agreement covering expectations such as non-compete and non-disclosure clauses.

It can be tempting to assume that, as a professional, the contractor has little need for any orientation or socialization that would typically take place as part of the acculturation process. After all, any hours spent on onboarding tasks are billable - and that can really add up. However, the very nature of contract work makes it essential that some level of acculturation take place.

Why Is This So?

Bringing in an independent contractor is intrinsically disruptive to the normal operations of the department in which the individual is assigned to work. For example, a high-level IT consultant might be sourced to work on a specific project involving the implementation of new software.

The existing IT staff members are already stressed with a tight deadline and the need to adapt to a modified system. Learning to work with a new team member poses an added emotional and psychological challenge during an already difficult period.

They may also resent the contractor if they feel the project was within their ability to carry out on their own. Or, they may feel that since the contractor will soon be leaving, they will be left to take any flack over later issues that may arise due to any errors made during implementation.

This means it is imperative for the consultant to not only understand the parameters of the job, but the corporate and departmental culture within which the project objectives will be carried out. Otherwise, the likelihood of miscommunication, non-cooperation, and lowered productivity may further increase the costs of the project in question. This may defeat the purpose of bringing in an outside contractor to ensure an optimal outcome.

Nip Problems in the Bud

Ensuring collaboration between the contractor and full-time staff members is critical. An acculturation module geared toward bringing contractors quickly up to speed with how things really work at your organization can be a sound investment of time and resources. With the web-based orientation available via Emerald Software's Acculturation Portal, contractors can begin familiarizing themselves with your company prior to meeting your team for the first time.

International Merger Acculturation - When Workforces Collide

Sometimes, employee onboarding happens with workers who have been on the job for a long time. That's the case when a merger brings together two separate workforces under the same employer "umbrella". A smooth transition is especially challenging when a merger involves companies in different countries (here's a great article on that topic). Due diligence may cover the financial and organizational aspects of the transition, but the human side of things is often given too little attention.

Everyone Has To Work Together....To Work Together

When two disparate groups of employees are expected to start collaborating, it's not just one side or the other that has to adapt. That's one reason to make acculturation onboarding a part of the merger process for both sets of workers. When everyone goes through a similar orientation to the newly blended company, employees are more likely to start seeing their international coworkers as part of the team.

Creating Connections

Since mergers often result in redundancies, employees are likely to have lost friends due to layoffs. This can make it difficult for them to open up to their new coworkers. That's where an acculturation portal that includes extensive networking features can be a valuable asset. Making it easy for workers to create new connections can pay off big in terms of restoring employee engagement to previous levels.

Get creative - use employee profiles and blogs to give workers a chance to talk about the hopes and challenges the merger is creating for them. This kind of brainstorming may yield surprising results as workers from completely different cultures reach out to help each other through this transition.

Expand SIGs to include topics and hobbies with international appeal to encourage participation that crosses boundaries. Remember that visuals are especially powerful. Employee-led production of workplace videos or slideshows that help each group get to know the other can be a fun and informal way to create feelings of camaraderie.

Don't Make It Complicated

Bear in mind that creating an acculturation portal from scratch may not be necessary. If you use Microsoft SharePoint or a similar intranet platform, you can build with what you have. That's especially helpful if both parties to the merger are already using this software. Then, employees don't have to learn a new system to engage in the acculturation onboarding process.

Acculturation Onboarding- Get Ideas From The Greats

Are you interested in setting up an acculturation program that will introduce your new hires to your corporate culture? It's time to start putting together a vision of what you hope to accomplish and how to create an impressive presentation.

To get an idea of how the corporate giants set themselves apart in this area, visit their employment information sites. These are designed to begin socializing people while they are still in the job seeker/applicant phase. However, they still offer lots of great examples you can incorporate into your onboarding program.

Coca-Cola "Our Workplace"

This portal presents several aspects of the company to catch a potential employee's interest. It focuses not just on the individual worker, but how the corporation is positioned within the community on a local and global scale. One particularly nice touch is the use of employee testimonials.

You can accomplish the same effect with an AllegroHR Acculturation platform. Consider adding video or audio testimonials from current employees to your introduction module. This will really engage your new hires on an emotional level.

Life At Google

Google is considered hands down one of the coolest places to work. They have plenty of YouTube videos to browse (of course). They've also got a top ten list of reasons to work at their company. Putting together your own top 10 would be very easy. Just be sure to get opinions from the average employee on what they really enjoy. This adds authenticity that new hires will recognize.

Whole Foods "Why Work Here"

Whole Foods takes the approach of making employees feel good about being part of a larger movement to change the world for the better. The company also emphasizes teamwork with their Declaration of Interdependence.

Your acculturation portal should always be used to inculcate the values of your organization. This doesn't have to be "in your face". It can be subtly woven throughout the entire module using quotes and insights to accent the content on each page.

Cisco Inclusion and Diversity

Cisco harnesses the power of the press to demonstrate their commitment to creating an employee-friendly workplace. Check out the list of articles they link to about how great their company is. If your business has gotten some positive "ink", remember to link or upload copies of newspaper clippings into your acculturation onboarding program. This adds credibility to any claims your organization makes about being a superior employer.