Join industry experts from AMS and SAP Fieldglass at a roundtable on Tuesday 14th May in our own offices at London Wall as we dive into challenges and opportunities facing the Transport, Engineering and Construction industries in accessing the skills and talent they need for the short and longer term.
Whether you’re just starting out on your journey , or looking to take your established contingent labour program to the next level, we’ll share the latest insights and industry specific innovation designed to help you optimise your supply chain to:
Access critical skills at speed
Diversify talent pipelines
Achieve workforce compliance, visibility and spend control.
Spaces are limited, so register here to secure your seat!
Our recent roundtable discussion covered how technology can be leveraged to help optimise your non-permanent workforce.
From AI to the evolving role of MSPs, and the importance of presenting a unified business case for tech change within your organisation, here are our 6 key takeaways:
1. AI: A Game-Changer Across the Talent Lifecycle
AI is actively streamlining sourcing and delivery processes, offering opportunities to enhance efficiency and precision. Its adoption, however, has proven much easier within Contingent Workforce Solutions (CWS) compared to permanent hiring scenarios.
AI should and is being deployed in contracting, writing Statements of Work (SoW), defining milestones, and managing supplier performance.
Possible resistance, stemming from job insecurity and uncertainty about AI’s role, was acknowledged. Participants agreed that addressing this resistance through change management and clear communication is essential.
2. Future of MSP and Workforce Ownership
The ownership of non-permanent workforces remains blurred, with Procurement traditionally owning Services Procurement/SoW while HR increasingly seeks visibility and influence in this domain.
Unified governance, combining input from HR, Procurement, and Finance, was seen as the solution to enforcing meaningful change.
3. Vendor Management Systems (VMS): Opportunities and Challenges
Smaller businesses often face difficulties with VMS implementation due to the complexities of vendor relationships and lack of accountability for results. While larger solutions offer robust governance, start-ups can be a cost-effective first step away from basic spreadsheets.
The importance of identifying a strong tech owner and fostering real accountability emerged as critical to successful VMS management.
It was agreed that despite impressive demos, many VMS platform implementations and adoption falter in real-world scenarios without the right partner to ensure success.
4. Technology Maturity and Incremental Change
Discussions on the technology maturity model revealed variations among businesses. Most participants identified themselves at levels 1 and 2.
Over-reliance on incremental change was flagged as a potential risk, leading to inconsistencies and complexity, a strategic partner is vital to help businesses navigate this.
5. Building a Robust Business Case
CFO alignment and early Finance involvement are critical when it comes to obtaining buy-in for technology change and implementation. Market insights and ROI analysis can further strengthen the case for investment.
Being clear on the key business drivers for the change, the benefits it will enable and the roadmap to implementation are all crucial factors to consider. Improvement in the time-to-hire metric may be a component along with an emphasis on achieving “more for less”, enhancing efficiency Linking strategic objectives to measurable outcomes will also foster stakeholder support.
6. AI-Powered Tools and the Road Ahead
Generative AI was recognised as a powerful ally in reducing the time-intensive burden of administrative tasks. Many VMS providers are releasing tools, supplementing their platforms such as SAP Fieldglass Joule which assist in:
Automating the creation of business cases, significantly minimizing the manual effort required from managers.
Generating standardised documents such as Job Descriptions (JDs) with precision and speed, allowing HR teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than repetitive tasks.
This ability to simplify routine processes is not only streamlining operations but also creating opportunities to redirect human talent towards more value-adding activities. In addition, tools that support with the visibility of the total work force are increasingly popular for key hiring approaches such as skills-based hiring and determining the best route to market, empowering organisations to align talent strategies with business goals effectively.
The next roundtable in our series will be held in May 2025. You can also read our last article in this series, 6 smart strategies for reducing costs through your non-permanent workforce here.
The Tech & Digital Contractor market is an ever evolving one, much like the skills required to work within it.
Recently it has been a challenging environment with all the ups and downs of the fairground, culminating in the last 12 months with a scarcity of opportunity and stagnant day rates. KPMG’s CEO said hirers face a “fiscally restrained” Spring Statement 2025, but there are some aptly timed ‘green shoots’ appearing.
ContractorUk.com states “For the first time since August 2024, the numbers on the REC’s index for temporary tech roles last month pointed upwards… The IT contractor jobs market carved out a potential foothold for growth in February 2025.”
Changes to the National Living Wage, Employer’s National Insurance and subsequently, The Employment Rights Bill are contributing to a cautious outlook, but technical advancements aren’t waiting around for anybody.
Organisations are increasingly under pressure to adopt AI functionality to remain competitive and the UK Government has clearly set out their ambition under the AI Opportunities Action Plan. This aims to harness the power of AI to transform various sectors and improve the quality of life for citizens.
Many employers do not currently have the internal talent to scope, lead and deliver in this space and they are likely to look to the contractor population.
Talent in Demand
Unsurprisingly AI skills top the list of those most in demand in the contingent market, closely followed by (and likely in conjunction with) cyber security, all-things data, cloud computing and python development.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning: These skills are crucial for developing intelligent algorithms and models that drive automation and predictive analytics. The technology is moving so quickly that there are few true experts in the field; all and any commercial exposure to AI will be in demand.
Data Science and Analytics: With the increasing amount of data being generated, professionals who can analyse and derive insights from data are in high demand.
Cybersecurity: As cyber threats continue to evolve, skills in intrusion detection, risk assessment, and data protection are essential for safeguarding digital assets.
Cloud Computing: Expertise in cloud platforms and services is vital as more companies migrate to cloud-based systems.
DevOps and Automation: These skills help bridge the gap between development and operations, improving efficiency and collaboration.
Blockchain: Beyond cryptocurrencies, blockchain technology is being used in various industries for secure and transparent transactions.
In the last year many organisations have evolved to hybrid working models. This has been mandated to permanent employees and therefore frequently includes contractor populations. There will still be some fully remote opportunities, or potential exceptions based on skills v needs – but realistically, most contract opportunities moving forward will require some onsite presence.
Soft Skills Revolution
One of the most interesting aspects of the GenAI ‘revolution’ is the recognised requirement for a range of soft skills in employees within the field. These skills include critical thinking, problem-solving and collaboration alongside the ability to communicate the strengths and weaknesses of using artificial intelligence, as well as when not to use it.
Qualities like creativity, persistence and decision-making will grow more and more important as AI and the very nature of the professional world continues to evolve. While technical skills will always prove important, intangibles like these can often make the difference between two equally skilled candidates.
Non-Traditional Role Parameters
In the last 12-18 months within the UK Tech & Digital market, there has been an increased demand for candidates with blended skill sets—roles that now often combine expertise in multiple disciplines.
For example, there is an upward trend in full stack development as opposed to front or back-end disciplines; DevOps processes (such as CI/CD, Kubernetes) added to support or development roles; Data aligned roles requiring significant Python or R coding; and most needs requiring diverse levels of cloud storage or security capabilities – stand-alone Cloud Engineers are now a rarity.
Advancements in using AI to streamline hiring processes have also driven a ‘skills-first hiring” trend, led by the Tech Sector and including companies such as Google and Apple. Approximately 50% of technology job postings no longer require degrees and 80% of employers prioritise demonstrated abilities over academic credentials.
Forbes writes the “These organizations recognize that conventional degree requirements often exclude qualified candidates who’ve developed valuable skills—particularly in high-demand areas like machine learning, data science, and automation—through alternative means.”
Legacy Alive & Well
The headlines will always focus on the shiny new toys (not taking away from the leaps forward GenAI has brought to the world) but organisations can’t just wipe their tech estate slate clean and start again.
Financial Services and Public Sector bodies offer contracting opportunities for those underpinning and therefore critical legacy tech stacks, on which new functionality is built. New arrivals into the contracting market will not have these skills, and expertise will become a commodity in demand.
IT Contracting as an Opportunity
Robert Half stipulates that “Contract work will become a significant employment model in 2025, encompassing freelancing, right-to-hire positions, and on-call work. Companies increasingly use contractors to fill critical skill gaps, especially in AI, technology, and marketing, with about 40% of managers planning to use contract professionals for key projects.”
Contingent Tech & Digital offers scope to broaden expertise – no client has the same tech stack – and gain valuable knowledge and differing industry experience. Contractors have always needed to stay relevant and therefore employable: with the speed of technical advancement this is now more common in permanent roles and therefore even more critical. An appetite to evolve, a curiosity to learn, and a willingness to step outside traditional role parameters to gain new skills, will make you stand out from the crowd.
And on that final note (with a nod to the volume of AI generated CVs and applications), to maximise your success, ensure your online persona and/ or CV are representative of skills and clear on capability; if they are technical, include the hobbies and online hangouts evidencing your interests; and build credibility with TA, Recruiters and Hiring Managers and leverage your professional network.
So, the roller coaster may be stomach churning at times, but it is fast, and it is thrilling, and few really want it to end!
We recently hosted a breakfast roundtable in partnership with Staffing Industry Analysts on, ‘Smart strategies for reducing costs through your non-permanent workforce’.
In today’s dynamic business landscape, the utilisation of non-permanent workers is becoming increasingly prevalent as more organisations seek flexible, agile, and cost-effective workforce management strategies.
We discussed smart strategies for cost reduction, how to effectively triage hiring requirements, how to unlock real value from your total workforce and the most effective direct sourcing strategies for cost reduction.
Below are six key takeaways that businesses can utilise to reduce costs through their temporary workforce.
1 – Analyse Cost Savings Opportunities
To effectively reduce costs, it’s crucial to identify key cost drivers in non-permanent workforce management. These may include recruitment fees, onboarding expenses, internal overhead to manage supply chains, and the differences in rates and charging mechanisms for the different engagement routes.
By analysing cost-saving opportunities such as optimising recruitment channels, negotiating better vendor contracts, and implementing payments based on deliverables, organisations can reduce expenses associated with their non-permanent workers.
2 – Leverage Technology for Efficient Workforce Management
Employing effective technology for tracking, reporting, onboarding and approvals enables organisations to enhance their resource allocation, track productivity, monitor output and maintain compliance with labour regulations. Working with an experienced partner to truly optimise the technology and drive the greatest benefits and value can be the key to achieving the most effective outcomes.
Automation of routine workforce processes like timesheet approvals, payroll calculations, finance processes, requirement creations and reporting can enhance efficiency and accuracy while reducing administrative burdens and improving the user experience. Integrating automation tools can improve operational effectiveness.
3 – Create Agile Solutions
When it comes to reducing costs through your non-permanent workforce, implementing flexible work arrangements can be a game-changer. By creating agile solutions, you can optimise resources based on demand, ensuring that you’re not overspending when it’s not needed.
4 – Establish Key Performance Metrics
To ensure cost-effectiveness with your non-permanent workforce, it’s crucial to establish key performance metrics to track their contributions. By monitoring the process performance closely, you can identify areas for improvement and address inefficiencies.
5 – Implement Smooth Onboarding and Offboarding Processes
Offboarding non-permanent workers smoothly is just as important as onboarding them effectively. By having clear exit procedures in place, you can minimise disruptions, protect company assets, and maintain positive relationships for future collaborations.
6 – Plan for Succession and Talent Pipeline Development
Strategic succession planning ensures that your organisation is always prepared for changes in staffing. By developing a talent pipeline for non-permanent roles, you can seamlessly transition between workers, reduce recruitment costs, and maintain operational continuity.
Embracing the evolving landscape of workforce management and prioritising efficient and integrated utilisation of non-permanent solutions can position businesses for long-term success in today’s competitive and ever-changing market environment.
The next roundtable in our series will be held in February 2025. You can also read ‘Smart strategies for reducing costs through your non-permanent workforce’ on the SIA’s Staffing Stream here.
In this episode of the ‘Ask the Expert’ podcast with Jeff Nugent, Co-Founder of the Contingent Workforce Institute, we delve deep into different approaches to contingent workforce strategies.
During our conversation, I shared insights on how harnessing an organization’s brand can revolutionize the recruitment process for contingent labor. We also examine the parallels between RPO and Direct Sourcing discussing our collective view that Direct Sourcing should be viewed as Contingent Recruitment Process Outsourcing (CRPO), as well as the key factors that contribute to the successful implementation of such programs.
Additionally, we reflected on the lessons learned from decades of experience in this field.
Our discussion sheds light on the importance of strategic workforce planning and the significant impact it can have on an organization’s ability to succeed in today’s dynamic business environment.
To learn more about Integrating contingent labor into strategic talent planning, click here.
To explore Contingent Process Outsourcing, click here.
Last week I had the absolute pleasure of facilitating my first roundtable at this year’s SIA CWS Summit on the topic of ‘Transitioning your MSP’.
With roundtable delegates representing a number of large blue chip organisations, we discussed the most important factors and key considerations in a transition from one Managed Service Provider to another.
It was fascinating to hear the different experiences as some of the delegates shared their own successes and challenges on already having transitioned from one MSP to another, whilst others were about to embark on a selection/procurement process for a new MSP and we heard from others who were just about to commence on this journey.
Some of the key takeaways from the session:
We agreed that the starting point of considering any transition is to ask yourself “what are we trying to achieve” from this change of provider? Is it about innovation, cost savings or even improved technology? Once you are clear on this objective there are a number of other key steps that businesses can be taking to prepare, such as:
Data – ensuring you have up to date and correct data with details such as source mix, worker pay rates, tenure etc. This information will be crucial to a smooth transition to a new provider and overall experience for the hiring manager and contractor whilst ensuring that there is no disruption to the payment or extension cycle.
Agree a date for a data freeze – when does the cut off take place between existing and new provider? This will ensure that there is a clean transfer of data but also support the work in progress, agreeing owners and stages of cut off and transfer.
Technology – whilst there are lots of considerations when it comes to technology, future technology and ownership of the tech etc, some key areas to focus on should include; highlighting any integrations that are currently in place as these will need to be identified for the change of tech. Any impact on wider teams to support the facilitation of the finance or HR process and ensuring that the full tech stack including integrations is taken into consideration.
Change and Comms – it is important to have a strong communication plan that includes identifying all service users who will need to be informed of the changes and progress updates. This should include hiring managers, contractors and suppliers but don’t forget other areas that touch the process including Finance, Tax and HR teams. Overall, a robust comms plan will support the change management programme and experience for all users.
Some further learnings I took from the session, firstly all delegates said their number one priority was business continuity. Having minimal to no disruption to their hiring managers and in turn to any critical projects or programmes is incredibly important, particularly ones heavily supported by contingent workers.
Innovation was another key call out, customers wanted to ensure that innovation was being brought by the new provider, particular when it came to technology which supported the solution, with a real mix of organisations who had procured their own VMS or planned on using the MSP’s technology.
I thoroughly enjoyed chairing this incredibly insightful roundtable and hearing from this diverse group of delegates from all different sectors, calling out the benefits of change and sharing their successes and challenges.
All delegates said their number one priority was business continuity. Having minimal to no disruption to their hiring managers and in turn to any critical projects or programmes is incredibly important, particularly ones heavily supported by contingent workers.
It is generally acknowledged amongst contingent workforce professionals, that Time and Materials (T&M), resources procured under a Statement of Work, is considered sub optimum buying. Perhaps even worse, “rogue” buying. But few organisations have the appetite, knowledge, or experience to understand how to address and change buying behaviour within their business operations. The consequence of this is that organisations with a critical mass of “non-permanent workers”, are overspending to the tune of millions, for what are essentially commodity-based skills.
It’s not only T&M SoWs where costs can be highly inflated. Having many multiple T&M resources on one SoW means there are no defined outcomes or deliverables or consequences of non-delivery which should be a key feature of any Statement of Work service. Moving these multiple T&M arrangements to fixed price should be a key consideration.
On 16th November, AMS hosted a roundtable session bringing together procurement leaders who are on the journey to change the dial on their organisation’s improper usage of T&M resource under Statement of Work. The discussion and insights provided enabled them to work through several challenges and the options available to enable them to drive the change through their business. Amongst other things we discussed how to:
simplify contingent worker classifications
identify optimum fulfilment channels
utilise fixed price SoWs
put in place processes to support the change including decision trees, resource desks, process automation as well as, comms and education programs within their business.
In our support of these clients, here at AMS, we have a tried and tested methodology that can be applied across any organisation. With our extensive contingent workforce experience, we can confidently support any organisation with a business case to change and incorporate services procurement into their overall non-employee talent strategy.
I love a myth buster – who doesn’t? I came across one recently on Field of Talent Your perfect candidate doesn’t exist claiming “only in your dreams” do you find your perfect candidate. They countered this with the suggestion that instead of the perfect candidate, hiring managers should be aiming to secure the “right” candidate.
This got me thinking that whilst this was written almost a year ago, this idealism of the perfect candidate is still something we see in public sector recruitment today. The hiring managers we are working with are sometimes searching for the pink unicorn with purple horn covered in glitter – OK, not really but you get the picture.
The perfect candidate would be amazing if they existed for every role, but what our expert Recruiters and Sourcers on the Public Sector Resourcing framework are aiming to do, is support hiring managers by encouraging them to consider transferrable skills vs their perfect “wish list”, and to stop looking for a needle in a haystack.
The point made in the Field of Talent article is incredibly relevant in today’s candidate market and I really like the suggestion to be more open minded during the hiring process, not getting caught up in qualifications which can lead to the exclusion of potentially great candidates.
HBR’s article when to take a chance on an imperfect job candidate also cover this topic well. It states “When evaluating candidates for a position, start by understanding that you’ll never find the perfect candidate for the job — that person doesn’t exist. Hiring the wrong person can do a lot of damage, so start by using data to understand the basic requirements of the role.”
Ultimately, my recommendation – when it comes to hiring the “right” candidate, don’t ignore the counsel of your recruitment/talent acquisition teams. They are close to the market and can provide you with insight into candidate availability, they can help you down select your extensive wish list to a top 3 essential skills requirements, and they will draw your attention to the transferable skills of a candidate that you might otherwise overlook.
As recruiters and people leaders, let’s commit to leaving the idea of a “perfect candidate” in the past.
As recruiters and people leaders, let’s commit to leaving the idea of a “perfect candidate” in the past.
Earlier this summer AMS continued their “Exploding Digital Myths” series with a final article on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology, highlighting that successfully operationalising it within your recruitment function will need some careful thought to avoid some common pitfalls. The article is linked below and includes some expert insights, from a number of thought leaders, on what to consider as we enter “the foothills” of the AI revolution in talent tech.
On the Public Sector Resourcing (PSR) Framework, managed by AMS we are leveraging AI and automation tools across our recruitment processes as well as cautiously piloting how we can increase its use in new recruitment functions.
A few examples include:
Chatbots for candidate and hiring manager interactions. Predictive analysis for forecasting future talent needs, identify potential bottlenecks in the recruitment process, and proactively addressing challenges. Programmatic job advertising to ensure available candidates with the right skills are targeted and applying. AI-powered tools that can quickly sift through large candidate pools to identify the best-fit candidates, streamlining the initial stages of the recruitment process.
Utilising AI as part of PSR’s continuous improvement strategy has allowed us to enhance our efficiency allowing us to focus on building relationships with potential candidates and clients. However, as the article below points out a well-thought-out strategy that addresses potential risks is essential. Here are a few of the risks that we have considered at PSR:
Bias and Fairness:
It’s important to be aware that AI algorithms can inadvertently perpetuate biases present in historical data and so can create discriminatory recruitment practices. As such it is essential to incorporate human oversight and decision-making in the recruitment process and whilst AI can assist, final decisions should always involve human judgment to avoid relying on potentially biased algorithms.
Loss of Human Touch:
Overreliance on AI is likely to lead to a loss of human touch which is essential in building relationships. At PSR, we try to maintain balance by using AI for efficiency whilst reserving meaningful interactions for our talented human recruiters.
Data Privacy and Security:
Safeguarding sensitive candidate and client information is essential in how we govern the use of AI tools, which is why we have robust data protection policies and governance is in place.
Technology Dependence:
On PSR we always want to maintain the capability to revert to manual processes if AI systems encounter technical issues and so we always avoid over reliance on AI tools.
Lack of Adoption:
We have regular training in place to help our staff utilise the AI tools to make sure that it’s being utilised to its maximum potential and to maximum ROI.
By the end of 2024, 75% of organizations will shift from piloting artificial intelligence projects to operationalizing them, according to a report by Gartner. As the AMS article below suggests, finding the right balance between “Tech and Touch” will be key to making talent acquisition strategies successful in the long term as well as effectively harnessing new technology as it develops.
Utilising AI as part of PSR’s continuous improvement strategy has allowed us to enhance our efficiency allowing us to focus on building relationships with potential candidates and clients.
Sharing my latest Catalyst article with expert views from Dustin Talley and Laurie Padua on integrating contingent hiring into a more holistic approach to talent management.
“After the 2008 financial crisis, we saw heavy utilization of contract workers. At that time, it was driven by necessity, but not strategic in most cases. This time around is proving to be different. The organizations that get it right will find ways to use budget wisely in place of headcount. Instead of just filling roles reactively, companies are taking proactive measures like building talent pools and equipping their teams with access to on-demand resources,” says Dustin Talley, CEO and founder of Talent Simplified.
