Various studies have highlighted recent growth in the number of people working on a temporary or contract basis and the proportion of firms leveraging this portion of the labour force.
The 2019 Global Business & Spending Outlook survey by American Express showed that three of four companies (75%) said using contractors, freelancers and temps will be important to their employment practices two years from now. This was up from 43% in 2018.
a flexible workforce can help you achieve benefits like:
- Access to contingent workers when you need them most - during one-off projects or limited periods of high demand, for example
- Opportunities to access specialist contractors offering niche skills
- Avoiding the time and cost commitments of permanent hiring
- Easing the burden of a heavy workload on your permanent staff
- Covering absences caused by illness, maternity leave, unpaid leave or sabbaticals
2. use tech to reduce costs
There have been some exciting developments in the HR technology space in recent years, many of which have created opportunities for businesses to manage costs by making their human capital processes quicker and more efficient.
Recent innovations can streamline traditionally time-consuming tasks like sourcing, pre-screening, assessing and interviewing candidates, for instance.
Allyo is one example of a tool that can reduce the admin burden of hiring through automation and machine learning, while services like Checkster can speed up and optimize reference checking.
It's also worth considering the benefits of methods like video interviewing, which can boost your ability to target passive candidates and make the entire interviewing process easier and less costly for all parties.
Getting onboard with changes in HR technology demonstrates that you're moving with the times. It also shows that you're willing to embrace new methods and systems that make the application process easier for candidates, which is good for your employer brand.
3. look to the long term
The enormous impact of COVID-19 on organisations and workers all over the world means many businesses are understandably preoccupied with immediate concerns.
However, even in an extreme situation like this, many HR managers will be thinking about long-term goals as well as their short-term priorities.
One of the most effective ways to prepare for the future is by creating a talent acquisition strategy. This is a good way to ensure that your key HR processes, such as identifying, recruiting and onboarding candidates, are properly aligned with the wider goals and priorities of the business.