Core elements of contractor engagement include caring, recognition, resources, communication, development and education, said Tony Amador, contractor safety coordinator of Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. and co-manager of Chevron's Voluntary Protection Program (VPP).
"We can't move forward, unless we understand exactly what we are working with," Amador said. "Having an engaged workforce, we want to ensure that we reach those goals. As a company employee, our expectations for engagement are always aligned with what a contractor's expectations of engagement are."
He suggests a structured program that promotes engagement among contracted employees. A supervisor showing care on a personal level - gathering feedback and making a connection - impact overall employee development, he said.
"We're addressing each other's needs and making sure that our expectations for this relationship are being met. From a book definition standpoint, our purpose defines a point of engagement as a strength of mental and emotional condition employees feel toward their places of work, and Gallup defines it as engagement."
He added that increasing engagement starts by meeting employees' 12 basic individual, teamwork and growth goals:
- I know what is expected of me at work.
- I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work.
- At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day.
- In the past seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good work.
- My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person.
- There is someone at work who encourages my development.
- At work, my opinions seem to count.
- The mission or purpose of my organization makes me feel my job is important.
- My association or fellow employees are committed to doing quality work.
- I have a best friend at work.
- In the past six months, someone at work has talked to me about progress.
Amador said that expecting an independent contractor to perform or have the same "set of cards" as full-time employees creates unrealistic expectations. He said employees have to be realistic about what they're trying to promote most within the contractor workforce. Companies have big long-term goals, whereas the contractor may have less extensive goals but want a "good state performance." "They have to put themselves in someone else's shoes and empathize. This, he said, is applicable not only to contractors, but for all employees.
"You always have to put yourself in someone else's shoes and understand what drives our environments. Employees are empowered by doing the work they love," Amador said.
"Repetition plays a role in ensuring contractors understand company culture," he said. "If they don't feel empowered, part of the team or are worried about implications of speaking out or raising a concern within the company, the plan is not effective." Amador said these are the raw effects of having an actively engaged population. More importantly, he said, an engagement program that is contractor-focused will help keep employees happy and ensure loyalty, commitment and improve retention.
"How likely am I to leave if I feel like I belong in this facility, this company or this group; that they care about me? "I belong here, I'm cared for here. People are looking out for me. Why do I need to go anywhere [else]?"
In the end, what do you do in your facility, what are you doing regarding engagement, and how do you promote it?
Contractor engagement and its importance was up for discussion at the recent 2022 EHS Seminar & Tradeshow held in Galveston, Texas. The session explored the connection between contractor engagement and its path to heighten safety and culture performance.
