“Workforce Planning” has become a hot catchphrase in the past few years, and as the economy continues its slow recovery, it is perhaps more important than ever that companies assess how they will move forward and who they will need to help them do so. The question is, what part will you play in your clients’ workforce planning?
Workforce planning is nothing more than a company’s efforts to analyze their current workforce and determine if it will meet their current and future goals. It helps them determine if there are enough employees on staff; if they possess the necessary skills, knowledge, and abilities; if they are in the correct positions; and if staffing is in line with the company’s budget.
There are many reasons that workforce planning has suddenly taken on greater importance. Technology advances have created a greater need for workers with specialized skills, especially as companies ease up on their spending freezes on both hardware and on hiring. Meanwhile, members of the Baby Boomer generation are reaching retirement age. Many Baby Boomers who aren’t bailing out of the workforce entirely are at least reducing their hours and looking for more work/life balance. And their younger counterparts are not spending their entire careers with the same employer as was common in the past. It is increasingly common for them to work for at least five to 10 different companies in their lifetime.
Many companies are finding that, with all of these changes, direct-hire alone will not meet their needs, and contract staffing can fill the void. They like contractors because they can be brought on quickly to meet short-term deadlines. They also enjoy the fresh perspective contractors bring to issues that the clients may be facing.
If your clients are considering contracting but you only provide direct-hire, you may find yourself on the outside looking in on their workforce planning. Luckily, contracting doesn’t have to be difficult if you employ the services of a back-office service provider like FoxHire. When you have a provider handling the employment end of things, the only skills you need are the ones you already have – finding and presenting the best candidates to your clients. To see how easy it really is to get started in contracting, visit our website.
