FoxHire® Contracting recently had the opportunity to sponsor and exhibit at the National Association of Personnel Services (NAPS) Conference in San Antonio, Texas. The one overwhelming theme of the conference is that the work environment is changing and that contract staffing is becoming a critical part of it.
In fact, that was the subject of a session by Amy Bingham, Managing Partner of Bingham Consulting Services, which helps the staffing industry optimize sales effectiveness. In the session, titled “The World of Work is Changing. Is Your Firm Adapting?” she discussed two trends impacting recruiters:
- Contingent labor has evolved from a necessary evil to a benefit.
- Preferences for how people work have changed.
Bingham, who has over 19 years of staffing industry sales leadership expertise, addressed the fact that the world of work is changing and challenged conference attendees to position their recruiting firms to take advantage of contract and interim executive opportunities, in addition to the traditional search and direct-hire placements.
From an employer perspective, the economic uncertainty, coupled with the demands placed on U.S. businesses to operate with greater efficiency, is forcing employers to adopt a variety of contract staffing alternatives, includingproject-related staffing models, in lieu of making full-time hires, she said. Many believe there has been a shift in buyer thinking and this is the “new normal.”
As labor costs increase, Bingham said that employers are striving for cost savings that can be gained by hiring contractors and outsourcing the legal employer responsibilities for things like unemployment, workers’ compensation, and benefits.
From a candidate perspective, preferences for how to work are changing. Today’s worker sees a career as an opportunity for multiple experiences and strives to achieve a balance of work and “life” experiences, with flexibility as a key component.
Recruiters who are adapting to these changes are finding themselves in the role of career agents and consultants, with the ultimate goal of helping clients to succeed within the restraints of the economy, skill shortages, and budget constraints.
“Today’s staffing firms face unprecedented competition, and differentiation is more difficult in the commoditized world of staffing today than ever,” Bingham said. “To the extent a staffing professional can step into the role of ‘labor consultant,’ he or she will be viewed by both buyers of staffing services and candidates as more valued.”
FH is experiencing the trend that Bingham referenced. More and more recruiters are turning to FH for help with their first contract assignment. FH is a full-service back-office provider that has been helping direct hire recruiters add contract staffing to their business models for over 20 years. By utilizing FH’s back-office, the recruiter can outsource all the time-consuming details (contracts, payroll, funding, benefits, background checks, etc.) of a contract placement. This frees the recruiter up to do what they do best… recruit! And candidates who are looking for the flexibility provided by contract work also appreciate the fact that they are paid for every hour worked and still have access to benefits like medical, dental, and vision coverage, as well as a 401(k) through FH.
