How to Write Constructive Contractor Feedback
Published: 23/07/2021
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With this article, we aim to connect with managing directors and consultancy owners who depend on an outsourced workforce. When it comes to contractors, we tend to focus heavily on project management, invoicing, and client billing. However, one crucial element is often overlooked: providing contractor feedback.
Your regular employees receive performance reviews, and you should not deprive your contractors of feedback either. Now, why does it matter? The answer is quite simple: it will help them secure future work opportunities. According to Fundera, 46% of full-time freelancers find work thanks to word-of-mouth. Your feedback might be the deciding factor in whether they get their next gig.
But what is in it for you? Providing honest and detailed feedback during and after the collaboration can lead to a quicker fulfilment of your requirements. Furthermore, it can help establish an effective, long-term partnership with the contractor. So, how do you structure and communicate your feedback to the outsourced staff?
Constructive feedback is the golden middle ground between praise and criticism. It is an objective evaluation that considers both strengths and weaknesses, using the conclusion to help the receiver improve.
That is the ultimate goal to keep in mind when providing feedback to your contractors: to highlight what they’ve done well, to accentuate what didn’t go as planned, and to suggest potential avenues for improvement.
You may have less direct responsibility for contractors, but that doesn’t mean you can’t help them feel secure and respected. For example, contractors may feel anxious about whether they are up to scratch. They know that they can be removed from a job at any time, which is stressful. Providing feedback helps contractors gauge their performance and offers valuable reassurance.
Feedback is part of a strategy to foster a warmer, trust-driven relationship with contractors. A strong relationship facilitates effective communication and collaboration. It also increases the likelihood that the contractor will return to work with you in the future. This outcome results in enhanced performance, better alignment, and lower recruitment costs.
As a manager, you establish the atmosphere for how a contractor is welcomed into your team. Be sure to introduce the contractor warmly and communicate clearly that you expect team members to treat the contractor like their other colleagues.
Remember to include the contractor in social events, important meetings, email threads, and discussions. Freelancing can be a lonely lifestyle; contractors may appreciate someone making the effort to treat them as more than just a work robot.
Why does the contractor want this job? What are their career goals or motivations? They might be seeking new skills or steering their career in a different direction. Or perhaps they simply need the money.
Either way, by understanding their motivations and needs, you will be able to tailor your approach and communication. Through empathy, you will know what a contractor wants from an assignment. It will also indicate how you can support them and make the work more rewarding. This increases the likelihood that they will return for future contracts and put effort into your current project.
If you’re not familiar with Kim Scott’s best-seller, Radical Candor, get a copy. Without making this article sound like a sponsored piece (it’s not!), we’ll try to summarise the main idea regarding feedback.
For feedback to be genuinely constructive and radically candid, you must do two things: care personally and challenge directly. Giving either one too much or too little attention will result in negative consequences. Scott refers to them as ‘Ruinous Empathy’, ‘Manipulative Insincerity’, and ‘Obnoxious Aggression.’ To learn more about each and how to avoid them, we highly recommend reading the book.
You do not need a formal review process for your contractor, but that doesn’t mean you can’t address performance. Set aside some time for a one-on-one catch-up and discussion. This will allow you to explain where you believe the contractor is succeeding and where they could improve. You might consider referring back to the contractual documents during these discussions to help guide your conversation.
Many contractors will appreciate your effort in doing this. They may even provide valuable insights about your team and operations. Trust them; they have likely observed many different teams and can offer informed opinions on yours.
Remember: care personally and challenge directly. During your catch-up sessions, genuinely praise what you appreciate. However, also communicate clearly the areas where you would like them to improve.
If a contractor is not meeting your expectations, you might be tempted to either terminate the contract or stop working with them in the future. This is understandable. However, sometimes, with well-timed and radically candid feedback, you can turn things around. The issue might be something you can resolve, such as a challenging dynamic with another team member.
Feedback should always be timely. If you provide feedback promptly, the contractor can absorb it and use it to inform their next actions on a project. Letting it wait diminishes the chances that both you and the contractor will stay focused, making it feel less relevant.
Contractors are often remote workers, making it impossible to deliver in-person feedback. For larger agencies, navigating large volumes of contractors can be challenging, leading to difficulties in tracking who has yet to receive feedback.
For this reason, at Timesheet Portal, we’ve integrated a mailing tool into our recruitment software. It offers an inbox that separates clients from contractors, allowing you to narrow down the contractor contact list by their placement status.
To achieve the best results, you should give contractors regular, constructive feedback. This approach not only improves performance and satisfaction but also fosters strong, long-term relationships.
Fostering a trust-driven relationship with the contractor benefits both parties. By being honest and empathetic, you provide them with an opportunity to improve. In return, they make an effort to reciprocate by exceeding expectations. Collaborating over an extended period nurtures better rapport and leads to greater alignment.
Would you like to learn more about enhancing your contract management processes? Book a demo, and we’ll introduce you to numerous options you didn’t know you had.