In our free time and personal life, we truly value time and money. We wouldn’t drive 10 miles to a popular restaurant on a Saturday night without a reservation, because we know we'll be disappointed. When we book a holiday, we use Trip Advisor and other web forums to research accommodation, restaurants, and places to visit. So in the working world, why do organisations risk hiring so many people on permanent contracts with no real research or insight into what they buying? Random screening of fabricated CVs lead to stereotypical interviews beset by unconscious bias, and ‘hey ho’ – someone’s hired and in at the deep end. It’s why 50% of new hires at all levels fail within 18 months, a mismatch at ever stage of the game and everyone feels like they’re sucking a lemon. Smart organisations are increasingly seeing the value of freelance and contract workers. It’s a try it before you buy it option that works both ways. If the contractor and employer don’t see eye to eye, it’s a swift good bye, and nothing much is lost by either party. Plenty more fish in the sea, whichever side you’re on. Hiring permanent people is incredibly costly. It’s why so much research is going into Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics, business wants to minimise the number of people needed, because humans are too complex and unreliable.
Whichever way you look at it, flexible resourcing is the way forward. If you want your house painted you don’t give a decorator a 5-day, 40-hour permanent contract, and then wonder what he’s going to do when he’s finished the job.