Gone are the days when recruiting permanent IT staff was a quick and easy process. Now, businesses are finding that – thanks to COVID-19 and Brexit – it’s a process that can take anywhere between three months and a year.
It’s not just time that’s the issue, either. Recruiting permanent staff can be expensive – and with good talent so thin on the ground, you’ll be battling with numerous other companies to hire top talent.
If your tried and tested recruitment methods are no longer working, it may be time for a change. But what are your options?
Time for change
Demand for talent remains high, but how long will this be the case? Is it worth simply hanging on until things return to normal?
You’ll be in for a long wait if you do. At Identifi Global, we’re seeing no signs of demand slowing. At best, we believe it will be two years until we see any real change in the market. So, what are your options?
“There’s a vast untapped market of contractors out there”
You could outsource work overseas. You could increase the salaries you’re offering, or allocate more money to your recruitment campaigns. Why go down these routes, though, with no guarantee of results, when there’s a vast untapped market of contractors out there?
The benefits of hiring contractors in today’s market:
IT contractor demand is surging in the UK, and it’s easy to see why. IT contractors are:
1. Available
Contractors are available – and they’re available right now. Hiring a permanent member of staff takes time: they’ll have to work out their notice period, may need to take gardening leave, and will need references completed, contracts signed, and inductions finished before they can get started.
Hiring a permanent team member could take six months or more. Hiring a contractor to fill the same role could take just two weeks, even in the current climate. In critical roles, contractors can also be used to cover a perm role during the perm hiring process to keep operations flowing smoothly.
2. Independent workers
The world of work has changed. While some companies have brought all their staff back to the office, others have maintained a hybrid working approach. With many workers splitting their time between the workplace and working remotely, you’ll want to be sure that your team members can work independently.
Contractors have chosen to be freelance. They’re used to being agile and working independently, meaning that they can hit the ground running.
3. Highly skilled
The UK’s pool of contractors is highly skilled. You may be looking for support with a wide range of tasks. You may have a more specialised project that’s landed at short notice, and your existing team members either don’t have the required skills or may be tied up with other projects.
Either way, you’re sure to find a contractor whose experience and skill set fits the bill.
4. Competitively priced
On the face of it, contractors may seem like the more expensive choice, with a higher cost per hour. However, in the long run, they’re generally competitively priced.
By hiring contractors instead of permanent staff, you’ll reduce the overheads associated with the latter. Contractors are self-employed, which means that as well as being responsible for their own National Insurance, tax and pension contributions, they don’t require holiday pay, sick pay or overtime.
However, this also includes a cause of major headaches for employers – and the reason why many avoid going down the contractor route: IR35.
The elephant in the room
Despite seeming complex, IR35 isn’t actually as daunting as it appears. The important thing when hiring contractors is that you understand how it works, as it’s your responsibility to determine a contractor’s IR35 status.
The benefits of hiring contractors are clear: don’t miss out just because of the perceived complexity of the IR35 rules. Download our complete guide to IR35 compliance, and hire contractors with confidence.
Images via Unsplash and Pixabay
