Recruitment expert’s top tips for hiring the right talent for your organisation

Consulting firm PwC released their glimpse into what the working world might be like in the coming years with a telling statistic: 46% of HR professionals believe that at least 20% of their workforce will be made up of temporary workers by 2022.  

In the US, as many as 40% of workers are already classed as either part-time or contingent, which reflects changes not only in the type of jobs offered but the workers themselves.  

The desire for flexibility and varied work has given rise to the 'portfolio career': where professionals position themselves as freelancers with their own 'brand' and sell their skills on a short-term project basis.  From bookkeepers to IT programmers and marketers, people with 'in-demand' skills are actively avoiding a traditional 9-to-5 commitment in favour of working the hours they want for firms they choose. 

So what does this mean for you as a business owner?  Will you be able to capitalise on the benefits of a flexible workforce, or will you find it increasingly difficult to secure the talent your business needs?

Here, Temp Market managing director Sharon Davies shares her top tips:

"If you haven't already, you'll probably need a shift in mindset towards temporary workers," says Davies.

Rather than viewing your workforce as an office full of career temps, you would do better to think of yourself as a project manager, recruiting teams of highly-specialised individuals, allowing you opportunities to react to industry changes and diversify as per your needs.

Employers will need to expect that every hire is temporary, whether explicitly stated or not.

SMEs that understand the changing dynamics of the talent market will be more nimble and proactive.

If recruitment isn't your day job, you won't have time for endless advertising, screening and interviewing.

And if you're an SME, you may not have the funds for expensive recruitment agencies either.

"Sure, you could place an ad for a temp or contractor on a traditional job board, but that means waiting for resumes to come in, reviewing them, running interviews…. All up, weeks of delay" says Davies.

"A smarter way is to embrace technology solutions that match employers instantly with available temps. View their skills, experience, testimonials and availability then make an offer online to your shortlist. 

Choose a provider that also takes care of contracts and payroll and you have a hassle-free path to the skills you need - fast.

With this creeping invasion of work into private life, comes the consequent value shift towards work-life balance.

Money is precious, but so is time – and that's a key driver in the rise of the portfolio career.

As a business owner, you should also be thinking outside the 9-to-5 when it comes to where and how key tasks in your business need to be performed.

An increasingly global workforce means that with good planning and communication, staff in different time zones can exponentially increase your productivity.

With candidates in the talent pool losing the mantle of 'job seeker' and replacing it with 'contractor,' the power balance shifts.

To attract key talent to fill a gap in your team, you will need to position it as more of a mutually-beneficial partnership than an employee/employer relationship.  

In other words, a 'business to business' approach.

For more insights, download Temp Market's free ebook 'Just in Time Staffing'.

Temp Market is an NZ-based online platform, matching employers directly with available contract and temporary staff.  Up-to-date skills tests, testimonials from previous employers, video introductions and a filter by hourly rate make it easy to shortlist and hire. Payroll and screening are part of the service. Temp Market attracts administration, accounts and customer service temps, but also has aspecialty division for IT Programmers and Developers.