How to Make Hourly Employees Feel as Valued as Full-Time Workers

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In some countries (the U.S., for example), there are more hourly employees than those who are paid as full-time workers. The reasons for this vary. Some individuals become hourly employees simply because they need a job quickly. Others choose hourly work for its benefits.

“While hourly jobs tend to pay less and offer fewer benefits than salaried positions, some of them, not surprisingly, are better than others in terms of issues that resonate with workers — from hiring speed to pay to career advancement opportunities,” stated CBS News.

Many companies have a mix of hourly workers and full-time employees. It’s important for the leaders of these businesses to make hourly folks feel as valued as full-timers.

3 Ways to Make Hourly Employees Feel as Important as Full-Timers

1. Invest in them with training — Consistently training hourly employees just as you would full-time workers shows these individuals that you are investing time and money in them. This could result in increased retention of hourly workers. At the very least, it will result in a higher-skilled, better-performing workforce.

Ongoing training is a financial investment, so it makes sense that company leaders would reserve it for employees more likely to stay longer at their organization in an effort to minimize L&D costs. However, this isn’t the best approach. “Regular training is well worth the investment because building up the skills within the business will effectively improve your company’s bottom line,” stated the Saxon Group.

Consistently training each and every employee will pay off in increased engagement as well as an improved bottom line, and will also help hourly employees feel as though they are truly part of the team and not just an afterthought.

 

2. Give them feedback weekly — Employee engagement is a battle for every company, and there is a sea of strategies for engaging employees. An infographic published by The Muse suggests that 43 percent of workers that are highly engaged in their jobs receive weekly feedback. Feedback is usually a given for full-time or salaried employees, but it should also be expected for hourly workers.

Feedback isn’t just helpful for increasing employee engagement, but also for boosting productivity, retention and team cohesion. It unifies workers whether they are full-time or hourly, so don’t leave hourly individuals out when it comes to giving feedback.

 

3. Build relationships with them — If hourly workers don’t feel as valued as full-timers, seeking employment elsewhere is just a matter of time. Perhaps the best way managers can prevent such turnover is to build relationships with hourly employees.

It’s not uncommon for supervisors to have stronger relationships with full-time workers as opposed to hourly employees. This can happen naturally as a result of working together more closely. Even though it will take extra effort, make it a point to get to know the names of hourly employees’ kids and spouses, and try to keep up with what is happening in their lives.  

Hourly Workers Vs. Full-Time Employees: They are Equally Valuable

Whether an employee is paid hourly or is salaried, he or she is a vital part of your team and brings unique talents and skills to the table. When you ensure that hourly workers are trained, given feedback and engaged relationally the same as full-time workers are, you create a collaborative workforce that can take your company into new realms of success.

 

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