In this crazy, uncertain time, we hope this finds you and your loved ones well! We know there is a great deal of confusion and challenges brought about by shifting to a remote workforce, and then complicated by including remote interim workers. As we field questions from clients and consultants, we thought we’d share this with you. Rest assured, all consultants have been provided with the Flex Execs policies and procedures as well as briefed on any COVID-19 related actions they should take.
Our goal is to provide useful information that will make your project(s) a success and we hope the following information is helpful as far as onboarding and managing remote contractors/consultants. Please call us with any questions or challenges or if you have any other insights we can share with others. We are all in this together and can make the best of a difficult situation!
Onboarding a new remote consultant:
- What equipment will they need as well as passwords and who to contact for technical assistance?
- Number of hours they should work each week?
- If they have to work overtime, who do they need to contact beforehand to get approval? We recommend this be in writing, email, etc.
- Are there any reports you want the consultant to complete on a daily/weekly basis?
- Who do they need to contact when they have a question?
- Make sure their supervisor lets the consultant/contractor know when they will be available during the day should they have questions.
- Determine and communicate clear, measurable metrics for acceptable performance. Make sure those are communicated in writing to the consultant and your Flex Execs contact. This will help your managers monitor goals and guide any performance related conversations.
Once a contractor/consultant is set up – here are some tips for a successful project.
Communication
- How would you like the remote consultant to communicate with others? Phone, email, text, etc.
- At what point should someone just pick up the phone and call vs. sending multiple emails?
- How often, and by what method do you want them to communicate with you as far as staying in touch? Is that call, email or video?
Download Our PDF on Getting the most from Remote Consultants