My last blog article referenced the advantages of the flexible workforce (for talking purposes, this is all of the non-full-time workers including part-time, temporary, interim, project/consultant, outsourced, etc). A few questions prompted me to write this follow-up article.

What are some of the benefits from embracing the flexible workforce?

• Expertise: Brings in targeted expertise, helps to build and maintain the “core competencies” of the organization
• Execution: Enables the management team to focus on execution of strategic initiatives, accelerates time to market, extends their “reach”
• Cost Control: Buy the expertise you need, as you need it, where you need it. In non-FTE increments
• Flexibility: Manage the peaks and valleys of your business while also satisfying the workforce need
• Agility: Proactively or reactively take quick action to capitalize on threats/opportunities
• Knowledge: Build in retention and training so that knowledge remains. (Knowledge retention*)
• Perspective: Cross-company/industry pollination - You benefit from an objective perspective, outside experience, best practices, and learnings
• Recruiting: Broadens your reach, try before you buy, focus on talent, enabling management team to get more done
• Retention: Demonstrates your commitment to talent and fosters a high quality, stable, and satisfied workforce
• Passion: Add energy and leadership to stalled projects, leveraging the “reach” of existing management

What are some of the common business situations where you could use the flexible workforce?

• Your company is going through a merger, IPO, or some other transition and special skills are required immediately
• A reorganization is in process and you still need to get the work done; hiring full-time is not an option
• You need expertise you don’t have in house
• Senior talent could provide wisdom and stability in an uncertain or new arena
• A top employee needs a mentor to grow to the next level
• You want to build a new competency
• A key manager abruptly departs, or takes a leave of absence, and you must insure continuity of their job function
• An extra set of hands is needed for a special project
• You want to hire a full-time candidate but critical projects need to move forward in the interim
• A key initiative requires specialized resources to accelerate progress
• Fresh outside perspective is needed

This entry was posted by Kimball Norup on Wednesday, May 6th, 2009 at 9:18 am in Flexible Workforce. Feel free to leave me a message about this post below.