Leverage Temporary Workforce to get Through the Great Resignation

From the digital skills gap and remote working to the widely pandemic related talent shortages, there is currently a race to establish a more agile staffing approach.

The current state of temporary workers

77% of executives believe freelance and gig workers will substantially replace full-time employees within the next five years.
32% of organizations are replacing full-time employees with temporary workers as a cost-saving measure.
Less than half of executives believe their current workforce is adaptable to the new future of work.

The blended workforce

Combining full-time staff with a range of temporary workers enables businesses to be flexible and efficient, as well as sourcing more diverse talent and targeting specific skills. But how do businesses ensure they are implementing this talent strategy effectively? Looking at new research, Indeed Flex has put together your guide to unlocking the power of your temporary workforce.

5 ways Temporary Workers Create a Competitive Advantage

Accessing talent more quickly
Reducing staffing overheads
Increasing flexibility unlocks new strategic possibilities
Creating a greater diversity of talent
Plugging the skills gaps

How Businesses are struggling to make the most of their blended workforce

While a successful blended workforce can actively improve the workplace culture and employee experience of an organization, it’s important to note that there is also a lot of opportunity for friction. Managing the development and deployment of a truly blended workforce involves a number of key factors.

According to recent research, one in five employers are currently failing to properly train their temporary workers. This generally undoes many of the benefits temporary workers offer, and the onus to provide training puts a burden on organizations.

Using too many suppliers creates friction

It’s harder to keep track of costs across multiple partnerships. According to Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA), 68% of large companies cite ‘consolidation of staffing suppliers’ as a workforce management strategy currently in place in their organization – and a further 29% said it was a strategy they were likely to seriously explore within two years.

Misalignments between HR and procurement cause problems

Limits visibility of your staffing, creating problems across the entire organization. Roles may not be filled when they need to be; budgets may be wasted; and employees may end up unmotivated because they aren’t being communicated with effectively.

Managing costs requires careful attention

For many businesses, saving on staffing costs is the single most appealing benefit temporary workers offer. In order to control costs and ensure a blended workforce is economically efficient, a clear financial strategy is necessary.

Strategic vision is vital to make a blended workforce work

To realise the full benefits of a blended workforce, there needs to be an overarching vision for how an organization’s staffing will evolve. Just 35% of companies currently include temporary workforce as part of their strategic planning.