During the 2008 recession, the percentage of temporary and contracting workers went up to a whopping 55%. In a normal market, the average is about 25%.  Hopefully, this situation will not last as long and most businesses will be able to bounce back pretty quickly post Covid.  Are you worried about hiring the wrong person in an uncertain economy? Hiring someone with the wrong skill set or maybe not the right culture fit, could cost your business thousands, and you don’t want to be making mistakes like that right now.  Have you and your team thought about hiring contractors or temporary staff? Maybe you haven't had much experience dealing with temporary, contracting or interims in the past or maybe you've had an unpleasant experience? Whatever your views, as UK businesses start to put their hiring plans together post pandemic - many will be turning to contigent staff as an option.  6 Reasons why hiring temporary, contracting or interim staff will help your business recover after Covid.  1. The jobs market is very different to what is was even 3 months ago. Have there been redundancies in your market or maybe with your competitors? There maybe skilled candidates on the market that didn't expect to find themselves there a few months ago.  Have you seen the Easy Jet pilots who are now Tesco delivery drivers for the short term?  This means there will be excellent candidates on the market, who have unfortunately been made redundant, that you previously had no access to because they were happy in their jobs. Why not take advantage of the market situation and hire these skilled people on a contracting basis to try them out?  When you hire a contractor you are in effect ‘trying before you buy’. This means if they don’t have the right skills or you discover they aren’t the right culture fit, you can simply and quickly let them go with zero risk to you.   2. You can hire someone quickly to hit the ground running - no lengthy interviews or on boarding and paperwork with HR. Many contractors and interims bring in a wealth of experience and knowledge from moving from business to business - it could be just what your company needs right now, bring in some expertise!  3. Maybe your business only needs someone for a short period of time, maybe to cover sickness, maternity or perhaps a project needs completing. Hiring a contractor or temporary person covers that position for as long as you need them. Helping to secure your clients as you complete deadlines.  4. Your cash flow is protected - we take care of NI, statutory sick pay,  reducing your short-term costs. Hiring temporary or contracting staff means no HR responsibility, no fees to pay, no need to payroll, spreading the cost of hiring and reducing risk.  5. You only pay for the hours they work, which again reduces your costs. 6. Precision operates a 15 week ‘temporary to permanent’ programme where by the cost of hiring a candidate is spread out over 15 weeks - again reducing your costs. If you’re company requires more senior- management, but you are reluctant in this present climate to hire someone permanently, then an interim is exactly what you need to help navigate during a crisis or during times where there is lack of management, we can also help with this.  Orgainsing your business post-pandemic  If you would like to chat further about how Precision can help your business coming out of Covid - call today on 0116 254 5411 or email phil@precision-people.uk.  Connect with Phil on Linkedin Hiring doesn't need to stop! How to move your interviewing, hiring and onboarding process online.   

Have you got your growth strategy in place for 2020? Or are you waiting to see how Brexit develops, as a number of our clients have said they are. Whatever your decision, one way to keep your business fulfilling orders and keeping yrou customers happy is the use of independent technical contractors, can provide many benefits and it’s not just that they bring the talent you need for a project without becoming a permanent employee. Many employers have different expectations of an independent contractor’s role and what they bring to a business. Technical contractors are a useful solution for employers, looking to successfully navigate periods of change, especially in these uncertain times faced by businesses. You may have a big project coming up for which you’ll require an extra pair of hands, but not be able to commit hiring a permanent employee. Understanding this, and then revising your job specifications around your requirements and expectations is key. Here are five benefits to bringing an independent professional on-board: Considerable Financial Benefits  Independent contractors are a temporary solution and do not require an annual salary, as well as the other associated costs of taking on a permanent employee. You will also not need to invest in paid learning and development for them, as they will only benefit your business for a limited period. Shorter Onboarding Process Traditionally, the onboarding process for contract employees is a lot quicker than for permanent employees. When hiring long-term employees, you have to consider personality and cultural fit whereas for independent contractors, you only need to hire for technical skills.  Flexibility One of the most widely acknowledged benefits of hiring independent contractors is that they are flexible. Independent contractors allow you to respond to business and market needs, as they arise. They are also often used to working for different personalities, in different locations, for varied of periods of time.  Immediate Impact As they are only joining for a limited period of time, they should know that they need to make an immediate impact. You will also not have to spend time familiarizing them with the work environment, introducing them to every staff member and training them! Highly Skilled, Niche Experience Independent contractors have a highly specialised skillset and are accustomed to working on niche projects. Utilising these skills on your team can really help to drive your business forward. If you want to know more about hiring contractors, talk to one of our contracting experts today on 0116 254 5411 or click here.