Are we on the verge of a massive shift in the way we work? Technology, globalization, the economy and demographics all play a role in how the workplace is evolving. Regardless of the reasons why, the reality is that the worker of the future is likely to be earning a living in new ways. According to Time Magazine, in the future, "We will see a more flexible, more freelance, more collaborative and far less secure work world.”
The increasing popularity of contract work is shown in the results of a web survey conducted by recruiting consultancy Robert Walters. The results of the poll with “4,288 respondents from 17 different countries” show that “more than half (55%) of all respondents said they'd be happy to take on contracting. One third (33%) said they would only take up contracting if there were no permanent roles, and only 12% of respondents world-wide, would not consider it.” And in the United States, “independent workers now make up 30% of the workforce,” a group that represents “42.6 million” individuals, writes Sara Horowitz, the executive director of Freelancers Union.
To properly manage this workforce, appropriate performance management processes need to be in place. This is not always the case. Consider, for example, United States Government Accountability Office findings that “GAO’s review of PPIRS data for fiscal years 2006 and 2007 indicates that only a small percentage of contracts had a documented performance assessment.”
When a company hires contract workers, the following questions need to be answered:
-are performance goals for contractors clear?
-can the expected deliverables be measured and evaluated properly?
-is performance criteria specific and consistently applied between similar contractors?
-is performance management information documented and readily available?
-is the information collected used to make future hiring decisions?
-do contractors receive an evaluation or feedback in relation to their performance?
-how are deviations from contracted expectations dealt with?
-what type of support and ongoing direction will contract workers receive?
References:
Horowitz, Sara. “The New Labor Force Is Out On Its Own.” Forbes.com [www.forbes.com]. May 20, 2009.
Time Magazine. The Future of Work “The Way We’ll Work” [http://www.time.com]. Obtained May 28, 2009.
Robert Walters. “Webpoll reveals increased popularity of contract working.” Press release [www.robertwalters.com.au]. April 15, 2009.
United States Government Accountability Office. Federal Contractors Better Performance Information Needed to Support Agency Contract Award Decisions. GAO-09-374, April 2009.
