Here's how you can motivate temporary and contract workers in a team building setting.

Making temporary and contract employees feel appreciated and included is the first step towards inspiring them in a team-building environment. Recognize their efforts and make sure they realize how their efforts affect the project's success as a whole. Acknowledgment can take many different forms, such spoken compliments at meetings, handwritten thank-you notes, or showcasing their accomplishments in team communications. Giving them chances to improve their abilities and giving them constructive criticism can also make them feel more involved and invested in their jobs.

To effectively motivate temporary and contract workers, understand their priorities like flexibility and skill development, align tasks with their career goals, and clearly communicate project objectives and their valuable role.

In my experience, having a One Company mindset and treat them like a full time employee along with a little give and take if they reside in different time zones. Don’t force them into your internal model, but take genuine and authentic interest into them personally just as if they were a direct report. Be empathetic, be supportive, and mentor/coach.

To effectively motivate temporary and contract workers, foster inclusion by integrating them into meetings, discussions, and social events, recognizing their contributions publicly to build strong team relationships and enhance collaboration.

To put it simply: treat them like they are fully part of the team! Give them the same opportunities for growth and development, invite them to join social events and team building activities, allow them the same space to share their ideas and contribute to projects. They may have a different mindset/intention regarding work (ie choosing to be contract/temp worker for a reason), but allow that to be their choice rather than something that you end up pushing onto them as a result of feeling excluded.

To motivate temporary and contract workers, offer flexible work hours or remote options, respecting their time and commitments, which enhances job satisfaction, loyalty, and their drive to perform well.

Motivating temporary and contract workers in team-building involves recognition, inclusion, clear expectations, skill development, feedback, networking, and perks. Acknowledge their contributions, include them in activities, clarify roles, offer growth opportunities, provide regular feedback, facilitate networking, and offer scaled-down perks to show appreciation.

Remember also that contract/temp workers may have a different mindset or intention regarding work. They may have chosen that approach for a reason, and some people may just prefer not to get deeply involved in one team - for personal or professional reasons. Make sure though that you allow that to be their choice rather than something that you end up pushing onto them as a result of feeling excluded. Have an honest conversation with the individual to find out what their needs and desires are (just as you should with all employees). And check in again regularly to make adjustments as that changes.