This article originally appeared in the November 2022 issue of Security Business magazine. When sharing, don’t forget to mention Security Business magazine on LinkedIn and @SecBusinessMag on Twitter.
While many companies call on recruiters to bring on full time employees, far fewer utilize a contract workforce to its fullest potential. Contract employees, while generally hired to complete short-term projects or services, can provide a lot of value to organizations and fill gaps in skillsets when they arise.
In addition to long-term, full-time candidates, many recruiting companies will offer organizations contract employees in a multitude of fields – ranging from office administration to warehouse workers and even up to the CFO level.
Why People Work on Contract
While many people prefer the stability of full-time employment, some people prefer to learn different industries, companies, or skills and will take on contract positions to do so.
Contract employees have the opportunity to work on new projects in different industries for a relatively short period of time. With contract work, there is often more flexibility when it comes to scheduling and it is a great way for skilled laborers to find part-time work as well.
Lastly, many people find contract work to hold them over after a layoff while they are searching for a new full-time position.
When Contract Employees Make Sense
Supplementing your workforce with contracted employees is a great way to quickly scale your organization when needed. It is also an excellent way to find hidden gems in the workforce. Who knows you might gain some great new employees who are too impactful to just be part-timers.
There are multiple scenarios and methods to utilizing temporary employees in a way that will provide both short- and long-term success to a business. Here are four of the most popular:
1. Maternity or paternity leave: Using a contractor to fill a gap while a key employee is out on leave can prevent a lot of headaches; in fact, with enough planning, companies can avoid any pain due to this transition. If this is done correctly, the employee going on leave can actually train the contractor to make for a smooth transition. This will keep your departments functioning even with a change.
2. Test drive: Are there positions that would be opportunistic within your organization? Meaning, if the right candidate came along, would it take a lot of work off your (or someone else’s) plate? Do you feel held back by certain tasks that are preventing you from getting to the next level? Imagine what other tasks you could take on as a leader if some of these other tasks were taken off of your plate.
A contracted worker will help you try it out. Utilizing a contractor will allow you to test drive not only the level of necessity of the position, but also if the candidate is the right fit culturally and skillfully.
3. Easing growing pains: Sometimes companies are in a transition phase and need to scale but aren’t quite there yet. Sound familiar? For example, many companies may be fine using a bookkeeper or go without an HR person until they reach a certain size; however, once they reach that pain point, it is often too late.
Hiring a contracted consultant to come in can be a cheaper alternative to bringing in an expert. Doing this allows companies to have the skilled expertise of a veteran in that field without the big-ticket salary that comes with it.
4. Seasonal employment: Is there a “busy season?” Hiring seasonal employees – such as for the summer security selling season – can help combat burnout of full-time employees by sharing some of the heavy workload. This is particularly helpful for companies that are smaller in size or who have recently lost an employee that was critical to the team.
Ryan Joseph is an Executive Recruiter for Recruit Group (https://recruitgrp.com), with a focus on security industry operations, sales, and sales leadership. For help with your security recruiting efforts, contact her at [email protected] or call (954) 278-8286.
