Workforce management is a complex task with many moving parts. This is especially true for managed service providers working with a contingent workforce made up of contractors who aren’t full-time employees. Let’s take a look at seven things you can do to improve your contingent workforce management strategy.
1. Know What Can Be Outsourced and What Can’t
While using a contingent workforce is a great way to take full advantage of your resources and potentially even save money, it’s important to know when you should and shouldn’t use it. Take some time to evaluate your business so you know which tasks are important to keep in-house. By stepping back and understanding where freelancers and contingent workers can shine, you make more informed hiring decisions.
2. Create a System for Approvals
Whether you’re looking to find new technicians or form relationships with other vendors, you should establish a process of bringing prospects into your talent pool. From verifying their job-site credentials to running background checks, having a system in place to screen potential hires will help you create a stronger contingent workforce.
Another good way to ensure you’re looking at the right candidates is to work with a third party that has experience in field service management. These companies can help you scout, vet, and interview techs and vendors, so you can focus on other areas of your workforce management strategy.
3. Find Techs & Vendors Who Match Your Company’s Values
If you’re looking to modify your workforce management strategy to improve customer relationships, one of the most important things you can do is strategically choose technicians and vendors whose values align with your company’s. When you and your contingent workforce are both invested in your customers’ success, it’s easy to build a trusting, long-term partnership that benefits everyone involved.
4. Set Up Proper Documentation
Bringing on contractors for a project often requires extensive paperwork. Make the process easier by preparing documents in advance, so that nothing is missed during the onboarding process. Create a file that contains the non-disclosure agreements, statements of work, service-level agreements, and anything else that needs to be signed and in place before work can begin — that way, you’re not scrambling to gather them later.
5. Know the Win-Win for Both Sides
When entering into a new vendor relationship or when signing on a new contractor, it’s important for both sides to benefit from the agreement. If you’re creating a proposal, ensure that you showcase how the relationship will be mutually beneficial to both of you, and always make yourself available to answer questions and address any concerns.
6. Be Transparent with Your Goals
A great way to ensure you’re bringing on qualified contractors who will want to continue working with you is to be upfront and transparent with them. Ask for what you need. If you’re only looking for someone to fill a short-term position, then say that. If you’re looking at a project that could take a few weeks or months, say that, too. The best way to attract the right kind of talent is to tell them exactly what you’re looking for at this time. Openly share the goals and scope of the project, and techs will be more likely to buy in and share in the vision.
7. Use a Field Service Management Platform
As we mentioned before, workforce management comprises a lot of moving parts that can be difficult to track on your own. By investing in and implementing a field service management (FSM) platform, you can use technology to help you monitor many of these factors and more effectively leverage your contingent workforce. A strong FSM platform can assist with training, document management, project management, vetting tests, and vendor negotiations, just to name a few.
When setting up your field service management platform, bring an expert on board to get things started on the right foot. Kinettix has helped global managed service providers and IT services companies operate their FSM platforms for years, ensuring that these professionals use the platforms to their full potential. Give us a call today to see how we can help you make the most of your technology investment.
