Supporting the contingent workforce in the new normal
Our previous blog series, the 7 Pillars of HR Leadership, described the seven most pressing HR challenges, trends, and opportunities in front of organizations as they adjust to the ‘new normal.’ In this series, we describe how the right enterprise software can help you make the most of these opportunities. It’s clear that the new normal brought about by COVID-19 and its aftermath will change workforce norms even more — in this blog we discuss how to best support your contingent workforce so they can help your company achieve its goals.
Why a contingent workforce?
Staffing agencies, consulting companies, freelancers, and others have long been part of the modern talent pool. According to the 2018 External Workforce Insights Report, created in part by Oxford Economics:
- 42 percent of workforce spend is used to hire and support contingent workers and service providers.
- Almost 60 percent of executives said the external workforce helped them compete in a digital world.
- 74 percent of executives reported that the external workforce was critical to operating at full capacity.
How has the new normal changed how the contingent workforce is managed?
COVID-19 caused disruptions in staffing supply and demand just about everywhere, at all levels of the company hierarchy. The following are the main shifts HR teams need to plan for.
Network support
With the requirement that workers conduct their activities from home, there is increased demand for network connectivity, more IT, and supporting equipment — and, in addition, set-up help and ongoing support are required.
Reacting to new limitations in movement
For some industries, mobility of workers is an additional challenge for organizations trying to maintain staffing levels. Travel restrictions, for example, require HR departments to consider hiring from local populations rather than recruiting globally. Beyond travel restrictions, companies must also consider worker health and wellbeing, regardless of whether they hire an employee or a contingent worker.
Working from home presents unique challenges for employees and employers alike, but regardless of the reality, communication is key if a company is to remain successful and its team committed. Effective communication includes the ability to collaborate — sharing documents, sending messages, and accessing information. With more visibility into the external workforce, employers must be able to remain connected with all their workers as health and safety concerns rise.
How can SAP Fieldglass External Talent Management help?
SAP Fieldglass External Talent Marketplace is a solution designed to help you find, recruit, and hire the workers you need to keep your business running. You can post jobs for which candidates can apply, and you can search the pool of available workers to find a match best suited for your company’s needs.
Workforce management in a post-pandemic world
While it is too early to predict exactly what will happen as COVID-19 recedes, more organizations will likely realize the strategic value of external workers. As SAP Fieldglass general manager Arun Srinivasan has put it, a solid external-workforce strategy that complements your broader workforce approach is what helps companies thrive in the best of cases and survive in challenging ones. In this fast-evolving market, companies are finding strategic ways to differentiate, and eventually organizations will look at their entire talent pool to find the best people for the job. One thing is certain: the way work gets done has forever changed.