Why hiring a contractor might be good for your business

It may be an understatement to say that the workplace has changed beyond recognition recently. We were already facing challenges such as the emergence of new jobs that didn't exist 5 years ago, a new generation of workers with new expectations coming on board, and increased competition for the best candidates, to name but a few.

The pandemic was a catalyst for change. Not only have we had to adapt like never before, with many of us now working remotely - but never before have we seen such levels of instability and uncertainty across all avenues of our lives. But professionally, the beat goes on and we all still have our objectives to meet, with many facing unprecedented demands with limited resources.

Sometimes, the answers are in the basics - and it's time to do a 360 review. It might be the right time to consider if hiring resources on a contract basis might be appropriate for you and your business.

Read on to find out more....

Contractors might be right for you because:

1/ They are flexible

Uncertainty is paramount at the moment, it is likely to be with us for some time and you might be finding it difficult to plan long term. You still need to get the job done with more pressure on you and your workforce than ever before. Contractors are usually hired on a short to mid-term basis and could be the perfect solution to get you over your short-term objectives. This will give you a breathing space until things are more settled later when you may have a clearer view of what is required long term.

2/ They hit the ground running

Contractors are a resilient bunch and usually can come in, understand what is required of them quickly, get started right away, and make a swift contribution to the business. There is no need for comprehensive onboarding programs, numerous introduction meetings, and hiring contractors often requires a much-reduced involvement from the HR department in your company.

3/ They work autonomously

By nature, contractors will have worked on their own in many different roles, in many different companies. They do not seek the longer-term social aspects of work and are quite independent. With this, they are happy to get on with the tasks at hand and don't need excessive management as they tend to be quite 'low maintenance'. With the recent shift to remote working and the increased level of support many FTE's (full-time employees) require, this can be a real benefit in itself.

4/ They are budget efficient

As you will not be hiring a full headcount or FTE, usually the monthly cost of the contractor will not come out of or affect your headcount budget but usually from an expense or miscellaneous budget. Not sacrificing your employee budget, whilst allowing you to keep delivering against your KPIs is seen by many to be a significant win.

5/ They are good for planned peaks

If you have a need for an increase in resources on a planned basis, for example, a push to roll out further modules of your ERP or CRM system across new countries, contractors can be the perfect solution. Retained for the peak of the project, they can be brought in at the start of the project and then be let go without any issues once the project has been completed. This makes for a good blend of very efficient use of man/woman power and successful project outcomes.

6/ They are good for unplanned peaks

New projects and responsibilities, illness, resignations, and sudden departures of staff, are examples of where you need support immediately but don't want to rush into recruiting the wrong people or skills. Often, contractors can 'keep the lights on' (and indeed usually do a whole lot more than that!) which gives you breathing space to review the situation and make the right calls.

7/ They have a deep level of skills

Whether it is Agile Methodology or Prince 2 project management, SAP implementation, Open Source coding, or Full Stack engineering, contractors come with the deepest skill sets available. In many cases, being specialists may well mean they have deeper skills than many of your existing employees, who may have a wider, but more limited knowledge of the subject matter in question. 

8/ They often bring a new perspective

By nature, contractors will have worked across many different projects, working with different styles of people, in different business models, encountering many applications, tech environments, and processes.  Quite often, they will be able to add new perspectives and insights to the business problems that are facing the teams they join - which is often an unexpected (yet positive) consequence of hiring a contractor!