Recruitment today is more difficult than our generation has had to experience. In order to stay on track with production, it’s not always possible to rely solely on your in-house team. More and more employers are looking at contingent staff to fill the gaps and keep the workflow running smoothly.
Some are choosing to hire complete outsourced teams to complete a project. Others will take on additional staff to work alongside their current team. But how do we ensure that the combination of contingent staff and in-house staff are working well together to bring about the best results? After all, the results of your team reflect your leadership and your reputation.
In 2019, Deloitte’s Global Human Capital Trends stated that over 40% of the workforce in the US were contingent based, that is to say, they were freelancers, independent contractors, consultants or other types of non-permanent staff who were hired for specific projects. In the IT industry, the figures are much higher. 71% of IT companies said they used outsourcing to some extent. 33% said that they used it to a great extent.
The IT industry is a perfect example of the successful use of outsourced staff. IT projects require specialized skills and more often than not, these skills are needed quickly, yet only for the length of the project. Let’s take a closer look at the potentially good and bad aspects of contingent staffing, as well as how to ensure you get it right.
The Pros and Cons of IT Contingent Staff
Within the world of IT, you will find that contractors are the most popular type of content worker. You will also find those employed by tech partners, college interns, business-side employees with tech knowledge, and outsourced workers.
The advantage of using a mixture of contingent and employee workers is that you can increase the number of skilled team members but there is no need to fire people when the project is complete. You also don’t have to worry about salaries for long-term staff when the project has been completed.
On the downside, continent workers are much less likely to fit in with the company’s culture. Although not true of all cases, contingent workers often don’t have the same enthusiasm for a project compared with employed team members. Other potential issues include less dedication, it is easier for them to leave if things aren’t going their way. Contingent workers do not always have the same access to educational programs or other incentives.
The Best Implementation of Strategic Staffing
The main aim of your strategy will be to increase the benefits of having a mixed team while finding solutions to reduce the possible dangers. In the first place, project managers must be onto the projects that are coming up. They need to know the skills that will be required and compare those to the skills that are already in-house. Once the skills have been determined, you can decide whether your employees can be trained, or whether you will need contingent workers. This must be done with plenty of time, as the time for training and creating the team must be accounted for.
To combine contingent workers with a current team, it is not only about the skills they possess. More and more employers and employees are placing an emphasis on cultural fit. For the team to blend well, it is worth working with the HR department to develop methods that will find the continent workers with the right values and ethics.
To select contingent workers who will fit culturally, it is necessary for employers and managers to be fully aware of the culture in the working environment. A good idea is to pair contingent staff with employees. This way, the contingent worker is able to get up to speed with not only the project, but also the office culture.
How To Ensure Positive Outcomes
There are simple solutions that will help to onboard contingent workers. Systems should be in place for contingent works to be able to have access to any equipment, hardware, and software they may require to carry out their job. At the same time, it is crucial that they cannot access information that they don’t need, particularly sensitive data.
Your reputation, or employer brand image, is extremely important. You need to make sure that contingent workers are included to feel like they are part of the time, they are treated well and with respect. Contingent workers should complete the job and leave with a positive view of the company.
Rather than treating contingent staff as temporary workers that won’t be around for long, they should be rewarded for their commitment, passion, and talent. Both your employees and your continent workers should have equal opportunities to advance their careers.
In Conclusion
When developing your strategy for a flexible IT team, the first thing is to be 100% organized. Know your team, the culture, their skills, and the skills that are required by the project. Have a system in place that will seemingly integrate contingent workers into the team and make sure there are equal opportunities for employees and contingent workers.