Sooner Is Better than Later

Sooner Is Better than Later

Why small, early, and scalable beats reactive implementation strategies in CW management

Company priorities can sometimes change in unanticipated ways, and those managing a contract workforce may find the program growing in size and complexity over a short period of time. This can complicate the process of evaluating and onboarding an effective solution for contract workforce program management, and it only gets harder as time goes on.

Finding a highly scalable solution early on that can support growth is much easier than reacting to complex program requirements later, and here’s why.

What Happens When You Wait

Over the course of many conversations we’ve had with various industries, we are able to observe a common theme: the longer the delay in fully addressing contract workforce management operations, the more complex and challenging the project becomes. For instance:

  • At a media aggregation company, the sales cycle spanned 11 months, and the implementation wasn’t expected to complete months after that, making it a nearly two-year project.
  • One large software company we spoke with implemented a managed service provider (MSP) and vendor management system (VMS) earlier that year, yet only about 30% of their spend was accounted for at the time of our conversation.
  • A finance company had been working on their implementation for 15 months but had only managed to solve one aspect of their program needs (the employer of record).

These examples illustrate the significant time and effort required for large-scale implementations, which often result in prolonged disruptions and partial solutions. By and large, most of the companies we speak with are disheartened at the prospect of spending a year or more on implementation, which is why we at HireArt advise starting the search for an effective and scalable solution early in the program’s maturity.

Why Start Early?

Some organizations with small contract workforce programs might get by reasonably well on internal tools and manual processes to manage their workforce, even without a formal CW program in place. The value of a dedicated platform for CW management isn’t always obvious at the early stages of program maturity, but as the program expands, things quickly grow out of control.

Implementing a scalable solution from the outset can save a lot of time, manage growing program complexity, and ensure processes remain timely and efficient even as the program expands. There are a couple main reasons why scalability is essential.

Future-proofing your program - What will your contract workforce program look like in five years? A scalable solution ensures you have the tools and flexibility to adapt to growth and changes as time goes on.

Reduced implementation time - Implementing a scalable solution early on is much faster than responding to the more complex requirements and nuances of a larger, more developed program.

Value in Scalability

Our clients who proactively implemented a scalable solution have found that they have a straightforward, flexible option that grows with their needs. A scalable solution for contract workforce management provides several benefits, including the following.

Vertical integration - A single, unified platform for managing your contract workforce simplifies operations and improves efficiency.

Adaptability - Scalable solutions can easily accommodate changes in program size, scope, and complexity.

Cost management - By avoiding the high costs associated with large-scale MSPs and complex vendor ecosystems, organizations can manage their contract workforce more cost-effectively.

Implementing a scalable solution for your contract workforce management from the beginning is preferable to responding to the needs of a larger, more complex program. The challenges of delayed implementation highlight the importance of a flexible, adaptable platform. By choosing a scalable solution, you ensure that your contract workforce program can grow and evolve with your organization, providing the tools and flexibility needed to meet future demands.

For organizations considering their contract workforce strategy, the message is clear: act now, plan for scalability, and avoid the pitfalls of delayed implementation. With the right solution in place, you'll be well-equipped to manage your contract workforce effectively, no matter what the future holds.

HireArt is the only complete platform that gives companies all of the tools they need to manage their own contract workforces. We embed global employer of record (EOR), on-demand sourcing, vendor management, and freelancer compliance into a single, unified contract workforce platform.

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