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Here, we have explained the two major approaches for workforce management i.e., flexible staffing vs recruitment. Also, make you understand which one is best for your company. So, stay tuned!
Flexible staffing and recruitment are two approaches to workforce management that offer distinct benefits to businesses. Flexible staffing involves hiring temporary or contract workers to fulfill short-term or project-specific needs, while recruitment involves hiring full-time employees for permanent positions.
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Today, in this write-up, we will make you understand what flexible staffing is, what is recruitment, the advantages of these approaches, and the major differences between flexible staffing vs recruitment.
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Before proceeding further, let’s take a look at the below-mentioned infographic to understand how flexible staffing helped an online pharmacy overcome an emergency.
Why Companies Prefer Flexible Staffing Approach – It Proves The Best
Source of Infographic’s Information: Case Study
What is Flexible Staffing?
Flexible staffing is a strategy by which companies employ a contingent team. HR teams and other departments use a contingent workforce to meet evolving business and operational challenges and as an alternative to hiring permanent employees.
Contingent workers are not on a company’s payroll: they are contractors, freelancers, and agency workers. There are many reasons why businesses use flexible staffing, such as:
- When a permanent employee goes on long leave, for example, fills a talent gap.
- Meet a temporary increase in demand for labor (for example, seasonal work).
- Test casual workers as potential permanent employees.
- They are supporting one’s small business instead of expensive full-time hires.
- Access the best talent among workers who prefer to have a flexible schedule, such as parents and students.
What is Recruitment?
Finding, screening, hiring, and eventually, onboarding qualified job candidates are all parts of recruitment. The recruiting process can be relatively straightforward, but advances in technology, a tight labor market and a workforce pool that might span five generations can make the first step — finding potential candidates — particularly challenging.
Recruitment is a key part of human resource (HR) management and is supported by the hiring manager and others involved in the hiring process. A strategy that can have a direct impact on a company’s bottom line is skilled recruitment, which makes a business stand out and more appealing to potential employees.
Advantages of Flexible Staffing
Here, we are going to mention the advantages of flexible staffing. Take a quick look to understand in-depth.
01- Cost-Effective Way to Build Your Workforce
By building a pool of full-time and contract workers, you can turn some of your fixed staff costs into variable costs because you only pay for the talent you need, when you need it. In addition, it lowers the costs associated with hiring and training new staff, as well as reducing overtime expenses. So, it is beneficial to hire dedicated development team for your project and company.
02- Ideal for Handling Emergencies
Emergencies are unavoidable. Now and then a colleague may not be available to work for some explanation. An employee who gets sick or has to attend to a family emergency will not be able to perform his duties for a while. The absence of the employee affects the overall productivity of your company if a replacement is not available.
This is where staff flexibility comes into play. There are no interruptions to the workflow, and your employee can rest easy knowing that their work is being handled properly by a temporary replacement. Plus, staff flexibility helps keep your business running during peak demand seasons. You can hire additional staff when demand increases.
For instance, if you operate a bakery business, the holiday season may bring high demand for your products. By hiring workers for just that season, you can fulfill your orders faster and effortlessly.
03- Serves Short- And Long-term Staffing Needs
In today’s uncertain economic climate, anticipating your staffing requirements can make all the difference. A business forecast with both short-term and long-term objectives is suggested by the Society of Human Resource Management. As part of your forecasting efforts, consider peak seasons that may require additional staff.
A short-term IT staff augmentation strategy keeps your business agile in the event of unexpected openings or surges in business. Think about it: having access to additional workers who are immediately available will allow your business to handle challenges as they arise. It also allows you to scale up and down based on your current workload without breaking your budget.
According to Forbes, retention is a constant concern for most companies, especially considering the Great Resignation. This issue can be solved with a flexible staffing strategy. You can quickly fill vacant positions caused by employee turnover and establish relationships.
04- Supplement Your Current Workforce Faster
Businesses in nearly every industry are experiencing the effects of the Great Resignation and recent economic uncertainty. Despite recent workforce cuts, employers continue to hire temporary and part-time workers to fill critical vacancies. There are about 3.1 million temporary and part-time workers who work for staffing agencies each year, according to the American Staffing Association.
Complementary workers can provide essential support for your existing staff. Given their greater scheduling flexibility, they are often ready to work right out of the box. The extra support can also reduce stress in your workforce, lessening the likelihood of burnout and quitting. In short, flexible staffing is beneficial to your company and your temporary workers.
05- Evaluate Potential Employees
A flexible staffing strategy allows you to hire temporary professionals, assess how they work with your permanent staff, observe their work, and determine if they are a good fit for your organization. If you are satisfied with their work on a single project, you may choose to offer them more opportunities with your company, perhaps even permanently. If they don’t work, they can be easily separated.
06- Helps You Stay Ahead of the Competition
One of the ways you can stand out from your competitors is by investing in staff flexibility. The business world is changing, and if you are open to adopting new strategies, you will have the advantage. Staff flexibility gives you more control over your human resources so you can get more done.
Related Read: How to Scale a Development Team?
Advantages of Recruitment
Now, let’s have a look at the advantages of recruitment. Some of them are as follows:
01- Helps Recruit Applicants With Specialized Skills
Today’s world is witnessing rapid growth and development in almost all fields, especially in the technological domain. The need for specialists is increasing day by day. To accomplish this, recruiters must hire people with specialized knowledge. People are hired by recruitment agencies who are knowledgeable about technology, other specialties, and certain skills that are appropriate for the job.
The recruiter hires individuals according to market needs. So, for the management section, the recruiter has to hire people with management degrees and some work experience, as the recruitment agency has been aware of the prevailing market conditions, so they hired people for application development according to the market need in general and according to the need of the Organization in particular.
02- Low Employee Churn And High Morale
Employees who are hired by an organization tend to be happier when they have the skills and personality traits needed for the position. According to Forbes, employees are more likely to stay with a company if it has a culture that reflects their preferences and makes them happy. Lower turnover rates and more positive workplace morale ultimately contribute to greater efficiency and higher profits as well.
03- Strong Pool of Applicants
A planned recruiting effort includes identifying the best methods to connect with qualified applicants. Newspapers, company websites, job boards, the media, and job fairs are common recruitment methods. You can generate a larger and more qualified pool of applicants by investing your time and resources in the most effective strategies.
Flexible Staffing vs Recruitment – Major Differences
Flexible staffing and recruiting are two related but distinct concepts in the field of human resources management. Here are some major differences between the two:
| Distinction | Flexible Staffing | Recruitment |
| Definition | Flexible staffing refers to the practice of hiring employees on a temporary or contract basis to meet short-term or fluctuating staffing needs. | recruiting refers to the process of finding, attracting, and hiring permanent employees to fill open positions within an organization. |
| Cost | Flexible staffing is a cost-effective approach | Recruitment is an expensive approach |
| Process | Flexible staffing involves a simpler and quicker hiring process than recruiting, as the focus is on finding and hiring workers who can start working immediately. | Recruitment involves a more complex and time-consuming process, including job posting, resume screening, interviewing, and selecting the best candidate for the position. |
| Purpose | Flexible staffing provides a quick and cost-effective solution to fill staffing gaps and meet short-term needs, such as seasonal demands, special projects, or employee absences. | Recruitment aims to identify and hire qualified candidates who can contribute to the long-term success of the organization. |
| Duration | Flexible staffing assignments are typically short-term, ranging from a few days to a few months. | Recruitment is focused on filling permanent positions that can last for several years or even decades. |
| Employment Status | Flexible staffing employees are usually hired as temporary or contract workers and are not considered permanent employees of the organization. | Recruitment is focused on hiring permanent employees who become part of the organization’s workforce. |
Why Prefer Flexible Staffing Over Recruitment – Why, Why, Why
Flexible staffing and recruitment both have their advantages, and the choice between them depends on the specific needs and circumstances of a business. Here are some reasons why a company might choose flexible staffing over recruitment including cost-effectiveness, agility, reduced risk, expertise, time-saving approach, and more.
So, now you understand that while recruitment is necessary for long-term staffing needs, flexible staffing can be a more effective solution for short-term or variable needs. It provides businesses with the ability to quickly adjust their workforce according to demand and reduces costs, risk, and time spent on hiring and training.
Quytech – We Support Your Business With a Flexible Staffing Model!
Working with a full-service staffing company like ours gives you access to staffing experts who serve as trusted advisors. We create flexible staffing solutions based on your specific needs and goals.
As a trusted staffing company, we have built relationships with the community, including local schools, community organizations, and other groups so that we can source the candidates with the greatest potential for success.
When you need to scale your workforce, Quytech is ready to help you navigate your recruiting needs. We are your trusted staffing partner with a local presence around the world. Our team of staffing experts offers flexible staffing solutions, from a single worker to an entire staff.
You can scale your team as needed, adding more temporary workers in peak seasons and leaving during slower ones, benefiting your hiring budget. So, let’s take advantage of the flexibility of staffing to maximize your ROI.
Flexible Staffing is Beneficial For Your Company – Final Thoughts
According to our experts, as technology and culture continue to evolve, companies must also learn to change with the times. Flexible staffing is the answer for modern employers. The benefits your business could see from implementing a flexible staffing plan are many, including better workers, faster assignment of the right workers to tasks, monetary savings, and fewer issues with absent workers or overall talent shortages.
You can even use flexible staffing to help hire the best workers who might not fit into a standard work schedule, or hire workers on a trial basis to ensure they’re a perfect fit for your company.
Flexible staffing ensures that your company can adapt to changing circumstances. Additionally, for your company or project’s requirement, you can hire experienced and dedicated professionals from us. Get in touch with Quytech, our team of experts will guide you further. Thus, take your decision wisely because we can make unexpected progress with a good decision.
Also Read: Direct Hire vs. Contract Hire vs. Freelance Hire: Which is Better for Businesses?
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How can flexible staffing contribute to our long-term business goals?
As per our experts, flexible staffing can help businesses achieve long-term goals by providing a cost-effective solution for fluctuating workloads, allowing for agility in response to market changes, and improving workforce diversity.
Flexible staffing enables companies to access a broader range of skills and expertise while reducing fixed costs and maintaining productivity. Ultimately, this approach helps businesses remain competitive and adapt to changing market conditions.
Q2. How does flexible staffing help us reach talent we couldn’t otherwise reach?
Flexible staffing allows companies to reach talent they couldn’t otherwise access by tapping into a wider pool of candidates. This approach can help companies to overcome geographical or logistical barriers to hiring, while also providing opportunities for professionals seeking greater work-life balance or flexibility.
Q3. How will we successfully manage ongoing relationships with contingent workers and agencies?
Successfully managing ongoing relationships with contingent workers and agencies requires clear communication, regular feedback, and transparency regarding expectations and performance. This includes setting expectations from the outset, providing regular performance evaluations, and addressing any issues promptly.
Additionally, building a positive employer brand and offering attractive compensation and benefits can help to attract and retain top talent. Establishing a culture of respect and professionalism can also help to foster productive relationships with agencies and contractors, leading to increased engagement and better overall results.
