You’ve likely heard the word “agile” been thrown around the business world in recent years to describe a company’s ability to adapt to changes in the industry seamlessly and without hesitation.
And, with technology at the forefront of most (if not all) modern industries, a company’s ability to remain agile can often be the difference between success and failure.
One of the most effective ways for a company to stay agile is to rethink how it utilizes its employees.
In fact, the way in which companies employ individuals is rapidly changing, too. A study conducted in 2016 by Randstad US found that nearly 70% of both employers and employees believe that contract, freelance, and temp work will become the norm by 2025.
Let’s take a look at how it can benefit your company to begin making that shift right away.
Find the Best Talent for Each Task
When hiring individuals for a long-term, salaried position, there’s bound to be moments in which they struggle with a certain task or project.
This isn’t to say they’re not talented individuals. It’s just not likely that a given employee will be an absolute master at everything they’re tasked with doing.
But if you hire personnel specifically to complete a certain task, you can focus on finding the exact right professional for the job.
(Also, you won’t be “stuck” with employees who don’t pull their weight simply because they’re under contract.)
Offer Flexible Hours
The 40-hour workweek is slowly but surely becoming a relic of the past.
When you think about it, it’s an arbitrary number to begin with. It doesn’t (or shouldn’t) matter how long it takes to accomplish a task – it should only matter how well it gets done.
g contract workers and freelancers, you’ll also inherently shift toward project-based hiring (rather than time-based hiring).
In other words, rather than paying someone for simply being at their desk for 40 hours (whether they were actually doing work or not), you’ll pay them for the results they produce when they are working.
Offer a Flexible Work Environment
Along with the last point, technology has made it possible for workers to complete many of their tasks from almost anywhere in the world.
Sure, there may be times that a freelancer would need to be on-site, but there might also be times in which they could just complete their work just as well at a coffee shop, or in the comfort of their own home.
Not only does this allow flexibility for them, but it also allows you to allocate unused workspaces to your other employees throughout the rest of the week. Sharing workspaces in this manner will allow you to save loads of time and money in the long run.
Increased Work Ethic
Think of some of the negative occurrences that sometimes arise in a “typical” workplace:
- Some workers adopt “that’s not my job” syndrome, where they rarely lend a helping hand if they’re not contractually obligated to do so
- Bureaucracy sometimes gets in the way of people doing their job (as in, they contractually aren’t allowed to lend a helping hand – even if they would be happy to do so)
- Long-time employees become complacent and rarely go above and beyond what’s expected of them
On the other hand, contracted or freelance employees know there’s no guarantee of them picking up another gig with the same company once they’ve completed their current task. Because of this, they’ll be more likely to put their best foot forward at all times – even if it means doing a bit more than they’re being paid for.
Note: This doesn’t mean you should take advantage of your contracted workers – it means you should reward their efforts by keeping them top of mind the next time you’re in need of their services.
Why Partner with the Panther Group?
Our hands-on approach and single point of contact ensure that each employer and job seeker is treated as our most important customer. This approach, combined with our specific industry knowledge, creates the right fit the first time. Contact us today to learn more.