Business again discovers the bottom-line benefits of a flexible workforce.
Over the past 18 months we have placed innumerable professionals in part-time and full-time contract positions at all kinds of companies large and small. These companies didn’t come to us because they were looking to create a more flexible workplace. They were in total deadline mode, trying to cope with heavy workloads that were hitting their pared-down workplace.
They had cut staff and now were wondering how to get the work done. So they latched onto what was supposed to be a temporary fix, in bringing in top professionals who could hit the ground running.
But in a surprising turn, many of these ‘temporary’ workers are being extended well past their original contracts, turning them into a de facto permanent workforce.
In the past businesses would swing from full employment to layoffs as the economy would drift in and out of recessions.
But this new trend of retaining part-timers and contract professionals is turning into what we call ‘recovery staffing’ creating what appears to be a new trend in the American workforce - permanent part-timers as a significant part of a company’s workforce.
This new middle ground can create a healthier bottom line by retaining many workers on a part-time schedule, instead of ramping up to full employment.
The net result is that this recession may turn out to be a good thing for those who want flexible work arrangements. Professionals, particularly moms, who want to work a less-than-fulltime schedule, may find a place in companies that once would only consider full-time.
Flexible work arrangements are not and never have been about working moms. They are a bottom line benefit that allows companies to attract and retain top talent within budget. Businesses need to realize that there’s something besides full employment and letting people go. A flexible workforce is highly productive, motivated, and loyal, offering a higher skill level at lower cost.
What we are seeing now is that many flexible workers brought on board as a quick fix are turning into long-term employees because companies can see first-hand how productive and cost-effective they are.
Tags: Add new tag, Recovery Staffing
