Building Accountability Into Contract Workforces: Roles, KPIs and Reporting Structures

The key to success lies in holding contractors accountable through well-defined roles, achievable KPIs, and a reporting structure. 

Why Accountability Matters for Contractors

In terms of hiring and general supervision, most companies address the needs of their permanent staff. However, businesses often struggle when it comes to the requirements for people who work on a contract basis. Such disregard often leads to issues with productivity, collaboration, and general performance.

Setting specific and tangible KPIs to drive success and eliminate ambiguity is never a one-size-fits-all approach. 

Having said that, accountability plays a crucial role in establishing a stable and satisfactory performance level.

Step 1: Define Clear Roles and Responsibilities

Any process of personnel management starts with a well-drafted job description. Before hiring a contractor, one has to define a list of particular elements of the work the person will perform. Avoid vagueness when outlining the details of the position, as it would only lead to poor performance down the line. Instead of simply stating ‘help with marketing’, be as specific as possible: social media management (name the relevant platforms); blog content creation (frequency, word count), etc. Another important detail includes the reporting structure that one will establish. 

Step 2: Set Simple and Realistic KPIs

Next, you need to set simple and realistic KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). These simply measure how well the job is getting done. However, one has to keep in mind that the KPIs dictate how one will measure the achievement of success and tangible results. A company will most likely rely on a different system of assessment for independent contractors. When a firm hires a designer on a contract basis, they are unlikely to be interested in the hours worked per month.

• Achieve the targeted completion date (and deadline) for each specific design.

• Keep quality assessment (based on revisions) at or above 90%.

• Ensure bi-weekly meetings take place in order to assess progress.

With that said, the contractor has to be capable of tracking their own progress on a regular basis.

Step 3: Establish Easy Reporting Structures

Communication is one of the most vital aspects of any contract. If a person works closely with their team, there has to be a stable mechanism of communication in order to follow up on one’s progress. The easiest way to ensure regular reports is to define the time allocated to communication and report submission. It would depend on the time frame of the project itself: daily briefings or summaries sent to one’s email at the beginning or the end of the week, for example. Contractors should list what they finished during the week, what they plan to do next, and any roadblocks slowing them down. 

Additionally, one has to develop and streamline a series of methods and policies regarding general communication with a contractor. There is no need for complicated systems and unique access codes: an easy-to-use spreadsheet or Trello board that will help keep one’s expectations and the worker’s progress in sync will get the job done faster.

Step 4: Partner with a Reliable Contract Staffing Agency

Contract staffing agencies are the ones that bring employers and independent contractors together. Working with people from such organizations, one receives the benefit of extensive candidate evaluation before they even get hired. An experienced staffing agency partner will provide the required professional expertise and make performance management easy. 

In addition to that, agencies also take care of the logistics: payroll services and legal documentation, among others. This way, one finds exactly the right person with a well-defined skill set that is guaranteed to meet one’s standard requirements. By cooperating with a professional organization, one can take on more ambitious goals and achieve more in less time.

Start Building Your Team Today

Are you considering building a quality and reliable contract workforce in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia? Let TASC KSA help you reach that goal quickly and easily, while you enjoy all the benefits of working with a professional staffing agency. 

Whatever the nature of the work, short-term or long-term, TASC KSA will help you identify candidates as per your needs and deliver a stable work experience to both employers and employees alike. For more information, contact us today.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How do you manage contract workers who work outside of one’s office?

First and foremost, establish clear and specific hours when the worker has to provide reports or answers to urgent questions. Besides utilizing verbal communication methods, encourage the use of written and digital tools to ensure seamless cooperation when one is not available.

2. Can I sack a contractor if they do not meet the standards of work one has set?

Depending on the terms set within the agreement one signs with the worker, they may be released from the position in the event of a consistent failure to provide reasonable results in accordance with one’s expectations. It is best to go over such conditions with the staffing agency one cooperates with in order to receive support if such a situation occurs.

3. How many KPIs should one set for a worker on a contract?

It is best to limit the number of specific criteria to 2 or 3. Having more than that will only overwhelm and confuse the worker. 

4. Should one track the time a worker has spent on the job?

Once again, it will depend on the terms of the contract and the type of work one has to get done. If one measures the results according to the hour, one can certainly resort to time-tracking instruments to determine productivity. If not, such regulation is best left out of an agreement.

5. How does one build trust with remote contract workers?

Contract workers are often hired to work remotely. In such cases, it is important to make clear one’s expectations and be on time with payments. It will help build an atmosphere of trust and respect that will positively resonate with future results.