There is little doubt that hiring new employees can be one of the most challenging and time-consuming, yet critical, processes for your business. The ability to find candidates who hold the necessary skills and experience, align with business goals and culture and have ample passion for growth is often a daunting task. 

As a result, contract work, or ‘gig economy’ as it is often known, has been on the rise in recent years as more and more employers come to understand the benefits of hiring contract workers to fill a short-term need or specialist role for their company. 

Below we explore some of the many benefits contract recruitment can hold for your business, and shed a light on why demand for flexible work arrangements and contract workers is likely to keep increasing moving forward.

Hiring Flexibility

Contract recruitment offers the flexibility in hiring that is essential in today’s ever-changing business landscape, as companies can adapt to changes in the market, address short-term project requirements and fill skill gaps without enduring permanent hiring costs. Contract workers allow businesses to scale workforces up or down depending on demand without the long-term commitment of hiring permanent staff.

Hiring Efficiency

Due to the nature of their work, contractors are generally available to begin at short notice and are usually experienced at completing onboarding and introductory tasks more quickly than permanent staff. This short turn-around between hiring contractors to utilising them as an active member of your workforce allows for faster completion of projects and can fill skill gaps or staff shortages highly efficiently.

Cost Effective

Hiring temporary staff such as contract workers allows you to protect your bottom line by saving on paying costs such as bonuses and payroll tax, while contractors also often have their own benefits package. This frees up important payroll expenses to invest in existing employees or other areas in the business, meaning that hiring contract workers can play a crucial role in easing the financial burden in your company.

Fill Specialised Skill-Sets

Contract recruitment can provide access to workers with a range of highly specialised skill-sets and expertise, which may be hard to find in permanent staff or come at a much higher pay-rate. Hiring contract staff can be a very effective method to ensure your team has the necessary skills when taking on a new project or job. 

Trial New Employees or Positions

Hiring new workers on a contract basis allows you to assess how an individual will fit into the company environment and culture without being committed to them on a long-term contract, and provides the opportunity to determine whether they may be a good fit for the role if it is to be made permanent. The short-term contract period also provides important insight into the value of filling different positions in the business, and how necessary they will be moving forward.

Is your business in need of experienced and highly-qualified contract workers? Simply get in touch with your local Workforce Extensions office today to discuss how WE can fill your hiring needs.