A strong company culture is crucial for every business, but companies that have hourly workers often overlook their needs. In most cases, hourly workers think less of their company’s practices and work environment, and for a good reason. The companies themselves don’t include them in their culture.

If you have a team of hourly workers alone or combined with full-time employees, making them a part of the culture can help you maximize their performance. However, there are different challenges here compared to salaried employees. There are employment resources available to help you further understand your staff management.

Here’s what strategies you can use to achieve this.

Involve Hourly Workers in Culture Development

As we mentioned, managers and business leaders make the terrible mistake of leaving out hourly workers outside of their company culture. They ignore them in their efforts, and this further antagonizes hourly workers.

In some situations, companies simply have that kind of work organization that makes it difficult to include hourly employees. Look for those hours where your part-time and full-time employees work together and engage them together.

Difficulties of Engaging Hourly Workers

Managers find it difficult to create and maintain relationships with hourly workers because of their inconsistent work hours, flexible work locations, and different schedules. It’s especially true if you have a large team of hourly workers.

All of this creates a chaotic organization where culture is inconsistent. Companies first need to assess this chaotic system and track all the important metrics to know where they can spark change.

As the founder of Kilmann Diagnostics, Ralph H. Killmann, says: “To move from awareness to real behavioral change, therefore, requires some special effort: some special exercises and practices. One such method that I have developed and found very effective is the monthly, group-based, community presented “Progress Report.”

How This Can Benefit Your Business

Despite these challenges, it’s worth investing the time and money in engaging this group of people. Having a team that’s on the same page can benefit your business in so many different ways. Hourly workers will invest themselves in their work at a higher level.

They will be more productive, proactive, and responsible. Hourly workers who are satisfied with the organization they work at won’t come late to work or look to “trick the system” whenever possible. A healthy culture is the basis of a successful business, even if it consists of hourly workers.

Approaches to Building a Company Culture Around Hourly Employees

Hourly workers have their own traits, and this makes the approach different. Their profiles are different and look at your organization from a whole different perspective than full-time employees. You need to take a look at things from their perspective. Perhaps some insightful Business Leadership Coaching for the executives could be beneficial in helping them form a better understanding of wholesome company culture. Building an organization means having to consider every person who contributes to it, even hourly workers.

See what their backgrounds are, obligations outside of work, and their goals. You might also have hourly workers who have a full-time job as well – you have to give them meaning within your organization so that they can take pride in what they do for you.

Value Their Opinions

The voice of hourly workers needs to be heard as well. All of your HR managers and other higher-ups need to ask for their opinions as well. After all, they are a part of your business and help you move closer to your goals. Include hourly employees in surveys, ask them questions, and see what they think could be better.

Offer Career Development

Hourly workers are rarely satisfied with the position they are in. In most cases, they need some extra money to pay their bills. You can use this to your advantage by helping them improve and learn something new.

Not only will this make them more engaged and help you retain them, but you can also use their new skills for your company. At the same time, they might switch to some full-time position in your company in the future.

Let Them Know What They Can Expect

Unpredictability goes with the hourly worker job. People have wages that constantly change along with unreliable shifts. In some cases, the hours they put in will be paid differently as some days weren’t as productive.

You need to consider all the factors and try to create an environment with some predictability. That way, your workers can know their obligations, how much they will get paid, and organize their time better.

Communicate With Them

Hourly employees need to be flexible, versatile, and adapt to quick changes, which is a challenge on its own that goes with the job. However, as a leader, you need to regularly communicate with them and update them on day-to-day developments. This can help them prepare in advance.

Bottom Line

With these strategies, you can slowly start bringing your hourly employees closer to your business. It will create stability in your business, increased productivity, and employee retention. In the end, even if someone leaves your business, they will gladly recommend your company to someone else.