The COVID situation has changed the way we perceive work. The advent of social distancing guidelines has meant that companies are now widely embracing working from home and more and more remote job offers are emerging as a result. In many ways, it has levelled the playing field but in the world of human resources, it’s meant that companies have had to adapt or die to the new normal.
According to a report by Macmillan Davis, while 66% of respondents feel like enough has been done to safeguard jobs, 67% feel that working from home is going to have a long-term negative impact on employee mental health. In such a climate, it might be advantageous to have a more flexible HR team that can be brought in to help the smaller team still working at the office and also help those working from their home offices.
Today more and more interim jobs available in HR, but what are exactly the benefits and drawbacks of hiring an HR contractor for your company?
Advantages of hiring an interim HR contractor
Special skills – As an interim agent that is also a skilled professional, they will have dozens of experiences to draw from that could be useful to your cause. These are the kind of experiences that a non-contractor simply wouldn’t have, as they would likely have been tied to a single role for many months or even years.
Flexibility – An interim worker can start right away and can work more hours, if needed, given that they generally work by the hour. These are highly skilled professional mercenaries that can bring some serious strategic acumen to the office. They are also only around for as long as they’re required, which means you won’t have to carry on finding things for them to do if not necessary.
Costs – Interim contractors cost significantly less than full-time employees as there are no taxes or healthcare benefits to worry about. Not only that, but you don’t have to worry about providing them with equipment or office space – at least not long term.
Disadvantages of hiring an interim HR contractor
Motivation – As they are working literally for a paycheque and nothing else, the motivation can be less than full-time staff to make the business successful. There’s also the fact that your other workers might feel threatened by these new faces.
Supervision – Contractors are more independent, which could be a benefit to some and a drawback to others.
Ultimately, independent HR contractors could be a godsend for the right company at the right time, particularly given the tumultuous employment landscape that COVID has wrought. It will depend on your business, your culture and your needs. But it’s always a worthy option to consider.