Contingent workforce management: a holistic overview
ISSN: 1475-4398
Article publication date: 4 October 2021
Issue publication date: 1 December 2021
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to illustrate a simple, holistic overview of contingent workforce management.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper’s viewpoint outlines benefits and challenges that employers and employees encounter with contingent work arrangements and highlights relevant human resource (HR) practices to effectively manage contingent workforce.
Findings
Benefits to employers are cost-effective hiring solutions, filling-up skill requirements, increasing numerical flexibility and diversity and broadened talent pool. Challenges include legal ramifications, hidden costs, confidentiality and security issues, low organisational commitment and productivity. For employees, benefits are working flexibility and financial gain and gaining work experience. Challenges include dependence on economy, irregular work hours, health risks and exploitation and differential treatment by employers. “Value-adding” practices of holistic hiring, onboarding, performance management, workplace training and developing resilient organisational culture can effectively manage contingent workforce.
Research limitations/implications
This paper provides a broader outline of benefits and challenges, both from employers’ and employees’ perspectives, linked with precarious employment. Further investigations on employers’ and employee’s perspectives based on specific types of contingent work arrangements (e.g. temporary agency workers and gig workers) can give in-depth insights.
Originality/value
This paper provides a simplified framework of pros and cons of contingent employment, along with practical HR remedies to manage contingent workforce.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author would like to thank Australian HR Institute for all resources, support and necessary guidance, thus enabling me to comprehend and interpret HR-related matters more practically and efficiently.Conflict of interest and funding information: There is no conflict of interest. The author received no funding.
Citation
Santra, S. (2021), "Contingent workforce management: a holistic overview", Strategic HR Review, Vol. 20 No. 6, pp. 199-205. https://doi.org/10.1108/SHR-08-2021-0035
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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