The talent tap: Turning it on, turning it offTen Alps Publishing produces the fortnightly publication Optometry Today. This requires input from qualified optometrists at regular intervals, but not on a full-time basis. Thanks to their ongoing relationships with freelance optometrists, the publisher is able to engage experts for a few days every month in order to deliver the magazine cost-effectively. If they had to employ a specialist full-time to deliver a relatively low output, the costs could become prohibitive. Iain McIlwee, Head of Commercial Development at PCG added: “We use a number of specialist advisors for several days each month. Some months they might do more, others less, flexing according to the workload. That kind of arrangement simply wouldn’t be possible on an employed basis.” Many of the companies interviewed by PCG use freelancers to expand or contract as the business fluctuates. This allows them to be far more responsive as they can bring in extra resource to meet additional demand. Whereas in the past businesses would operate at 80% capacity in case of a sudden increase in workload, they are increasingly choosing to operate at 100% – contractors can be put in place very quickly to handle the surge, for however long the surge may last. Anne Mulliner, Head of Resources at engineering company Carillion believes that having niche skills that you can turn on and off when you need them is very important. Carole Thorn, Human Resources Business Partner at Thales says: “As a company we use freelancers in a very robust way already to support our business initiatives. During the current economic downturn freelancers can sustain businesses in their operations when there is a problem with staffing until the economic situation improves.” |
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