Should I Take the Contract? Key Things to Consider Before Accepting a New IT Contract Position

wpengine — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 14:34:05 +0000

A contract job could be a step towards a fulltime job, a boost for your resume, or a flexible career opportunity all on its own. While contract work has a lot of benefits, candidates should still think through all the difference between being a contractor and an employee before making a decision.

Benefits: Many contract positions don’t offer full benefits, while some offer none. If your situation is one that requires the security of employer-paid health insurance or you want to make sure that you have a 401k and PTO in place, a contract position may not be the best fit for you.
Taxes: Many contractors are listed as freelance or temporary employees and are required to fill out a 1099 and pay their own taxes. This presents a challenge to some people and may be a factor in accepting an offer of employment.
Length of contract: Make sure to ask how long you’ll be on contract for. This is key for knowing when you will need to plan to look for other work and shape your timeline in terms of when you’ll need to start looking for another contract.
Contract to hire: If you’re looking for a fulltime gig, you want to know if this contract position has the potential to turn into one. Knowing if you could end up as a member of the staff may affect your decision to take on the role. If you’re looking to stay flexible or just need work for an interim period of time, a temporary contract might be a great opportunity.
Rate of pay: Will you be eligible for overtime? What is the schedule you can expect? Is the contract rate of pay compared to what you’d make in a similar position as a full-time employee? Asking these questions can help you get a handle on the financial aspects of the position that could impact your decision.

Are you looking for contract work?

From engineers to IT team members, we can help you find the right role for your experience, get in touch with us today.

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How to Prepare Your Staff for Temp Employees

Kate Belders — Tue, 22 May 2018 10:39:11 +0000

There are many times in the life of a business where temporary staff need to be introduced into an organization. While the addition of temporary employees can be a business advantage, it can also disrupt the existing work environment for permanent staff. However, with a few preparation strategies in place, you can efficiently add temp employees to your organization without stress.

Strategies to Prepare Your Staff for Temp Employees

Notify Your Staff Ahead of Time

When adding temporary employees to the roster, it is critical to notify permanent staff ahead of time. Notification can be in the form of a memo, an all-hands meeting, or an email. Make sure to lay out the reasoning behind the addition of temporary employees and provide your staff with a timeline for their arrival and departure. Also, explain what business areas temp employees will be supporting within your organization.

Talk to Your Project Teams to Get Their Input

Once you have notified your staff about the addition of temp employees, it is now time to build these employees into your organization. Assign temp employees to your project teams. Speak with the receiving project teams directly to provide them with information on how the temp employees will support them. Also, ask for input from your project teams on their thoughts regarding the role of temp employees on current tasks. Furthermore, share with your project teams the backgrounds of assigned temp employees and show them where the skills of the temp employees can be helpful.

Designate Supervisors for Temp Employees

Once temp employees are placed, designate some of your staff to serve as supervisors. Share with your supervisors what the expectations are for your temp employees. Items such as working hours and specific deliverables must be clearly outlined. Also, let your supervisors know who to reach out to should there be an issue with the work product or behavior of your temp employees.

Reassure Staff that Their Jobs Are Safe

When temp employees come on board, it can make staff feel threatened. With this in mind, it’s best to assure your staff that the arrival of temp employees is not a threat. Assure your staff that their jobs or positions within your organization are safe. This helps eliminate unnecessary fear and worry allowing your staff to be more welcoming to temp employees.

Moving Forward

Temporary staffing can be a great support to any business. However, the potential exists for disruption to existing staff if they are not prepared for the arrival of temp employees. It is best to plan for the arrival of temp employees by notifying your staff ahead of time. Specifically, define the roles and functions of temp employees in your organization. Also, make sure to let your staff know that these new temp employees are just that, temporary, and not a threat to their jobs.

At Open Systems, we are experts in temporary staffing. Want to learn more about the possibilities of temp staffing for your organization? Contact Open Systems today!

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Contract Employment Archives - Open Systems Inc.