As the name suggests, workforce management revolves around an organisation’s staff and involves human resource management. It goes much further than simply hiring and firing, however, and covers all aspects of overseeing staffing – translating to the scheduling, planning, controlling and optimisation of the work in a company.

One of the greatest benefits of this is it then leaves the business to focus on its core operations, saving the time and effort that workforce management naturally requires. There are advantages for employees, who may only require short-term contracts or who are keen to work on particular transition projects. It also offers the opportunity to gain experience with a company that is not looking for permanent staff, but is an attractive proposition as a place to work.

Workforce management is an integral part of any business or organisation, but shifting some of the risk to an experienced and expert service provider allows the organisation to be more focused on core responsibilities and competencies, with the agility and flexibility to adapt this resource in response to changing circumstances.

So what is it?

Workforce management, whether insourced or outsourced generally includes:

  • Recruitment – this involves sourcing and shortlisting suitable candidates, with the customer always involved in the last stage interview and final selection.
  • Performance management – once employment commences, the workforce management provider may take care of performance reviews, timesheet systems and payrolling, while monitoring career progression and such incidences as bonus payments. Employee counselling may also be available, if required, and assistance in dealing with any issues the employee may have with the customer.
  • Training management – upskilling and ensuring staff receive appropriate training is an important part of workforce management, especially in particular technologies.
  • Ongoing liaison – apart from ensuring communication channels are always open, the provider will schedule formal checks every two to three months to monitor how recruits are performing.

How are businesses taking advantage of it?

In times of transition or challenge organisations may express caution or simply not be in a position to increase their staff numbers. Freezes on permanent headcount may be due to unexpected or one-off events, but often it’s everyday considerations that make outsourcing an attractive option.

The advantages include:

  • freeing up capital
  • accessing best practice human resources management
  • lowering risk
  • accessing fresh talent
  • utilising specific skills for short-term projects
  • augmenting business models to quickly meet changing market forces, and
  • hiring staff to cover transition periods.