3 Tips for Teamwork in the Gig Economy
This article was updated on Sept. 12, 2018.
In today's rising gig economy, business owners need to rely on teamwork to succeed. This type of community typically consists of seasonal, temporary, freelance or part-time employees that all work together to support a company. Although these workers are often a necessary part of your operations, they may sometimes feel isolated due to their temporary or remote statuses. By implementing the following three tips, you can help turn this attitude around and help your gig workers feel like they are truly a part of your team.
Make Them Feel Welcome
You can solidify teamwork in the gig economy simply by making your gig workers feel welcome. Once you have a new gig worker on board, you can make an effort to send an email to all of your employees to identify this new staff member's role and how he or she will benefit the business as a whole. It's also a good practice to show your on-site gig workers around your office so they have an opportunity to meet permanent staff members. It may seem simple, but proper introductions and handshakes can go a long way. If you have the necessary funds and resources, you might also want to invite remote workers to your office or workplace so you can introduce them to your on-site employees.
Another easy way to make your gig workers feel welcome is to simply include them in meetings, lunches, office activities and training sessions whenever possible. These types of inclusive actions give temporary employees an opportunity to get more involved with your regular staffers, which can serve to increase their overall engagement.
Explain the Importance of Their Roles
Make sure that your gig workers know how their roles or positions affect the company as a whole. It's crucial for these employees to have clear guidelines as to what their responsibilities are and how they can make a difference in organizational outcomes. You want to ensure that your gig workers are on the same page with your permanent staff, which can help create the synergy necessary to run your operations in the most efficient manner.
Recognize Achievements
Your gig or temporary workers may be putting their best foot forward; however, your permanent, internal staff may be left in the dark. As such, you should make an effort to communicate major team achievements, perhaps with an online newsletter. By doing so, you can relay the importance of gig positions to your permanent staff, which can encourage the two groups to reach out to each other when necessary. This is especially important for remote workers that are completely dependent on Wi-Fi and unlikely to make an appearance inside the walls of your business. In this case, a shout out can help those workers feel like a part of the team even though they are not physically present.
By exercising these three tips, you can encourage teamwork in the gig economy, which stand to benefit your business as a whole.
