As we approach the end of 2021, your organisation may be thinking about how to tackle skills gaps in the coming year. You might have a major project in the pipeline, but you’ve been short of the right people to take it on. Or perhaps you simply need extra staff to cover the festive period.
Whichever is the case, there’s a flexible, convenient solution available – fixed term contracts. Let’s run through just a few of the many benefits of taking on staff for fixed term assignments.
Tap into a whole new candidate pool
Staff shortages are affecting many industries at the moment, thanks to the twin shocks of Covid-19 and Brexit. In healthcare, around 84% of organisations surveyed by recruitment agency Search said they were experiencing a skills shortage. Worryingly, 26% were understaffed due to the Covid-19 crisis.
When the talented staff you need are hard to find – or hard to lure away from your competitors – it’s time to take a different approach to recruitment.
Rather than put resources into hiring permanent staff, why not consider fixed term contracts instead? This could give you access to a whole new candidate pool, made even wider by the fact that many people are working remotely at the moment.
It could open up the field to candidates country-wide, or perhaps even globally depending on the nature of the role.
Remote workers on fixed term contracts aren’t suitable for every organisation in every sector. But if you’re struggling to find the right skills, it could be an avenue well worth exploring.
A flexible resource to boost capacity temporarily
Many organisations take on seasonal workers at certain times of the year, the most obvious example being Christmas. If you don’t want to increase your permanent head count but you do need extra help, fixed term contract workers engaged on a temporary basis could be the solution.
When used strategically, this can be a wonderfully flexible and convenient way to boost capacity just when you need it – and for as long as you need it.
Launch or complete difficult projects
If there’s a project you’ve been aiming to complete (such as digital transformation, for example), 2020 was hardly the ideal time to do it. The pandemic has caused delays across nearly all UK sectors, and organisations are now focusing all their energy on recovery.
But with the help of a skilled contractor, you could complete that critical project in 2022. You can skip all the cost and time associated with permanent recruitment, and have someone in post quickly.
They’ll be ready to hit the ground running on your project, the completion of which could make all the difference to the recovery, growth and resilience of your business in the years to come.
Need help recruiting the right contractors, or perhaps you’re looking for your next fixed term assignment as a skilled professional? Whether you’re job hunting or hiring, we can help. Get in touch with our specialist team here at Castlefield Recruitment.
