Program sponsors seeking allies for a contingent workforce program can face an uphill battle. In particular, it’s difficult to convince hiring managers to adopt not only new processes, but a technology they’re not convinced will make their lives easier. Because consumer applications do a good job of tailoring the experience to each user, people expect the same experience in business applications such as a VMS.

The hurdle for program sponsors is convincing hiring managers that a VMS solution can actually help them bring on a worker or SOW-based project more easily and quickly. One way to get over that hurdle is to make a good first impression, as SIA recently noted in a recent blog post. The post explained, “The engagement process needs to be easy, fluid, but most of all, it needs to work.”

Implementing a VMS that provides a guided experience the second users log in can further aid the engagement process. Presenting them with a familiar user interface (UI) and providing direction on next steps can ease the transition from manual to automated processes and, ultimately, greater program adoption.

Our new eBook, How Program Sponsors Can Achieve Adoption: Guiding the Hiring Manager Experience, walks through some of the typical questions hiring managers have about using VMS technology. Read More »

(Today’s guest post is by Greg Fenton, Fieldglass Professional Services. Greg is our final blogger in a new series called “Bridging the Gap” where we’ll explore the various relationships within a contingent workforce program.)

More. Faster. Cheaper. These, in a nutshell, represent the 2013 objectives for both contingent workforce buyers and MSPs. As last year’s lessons learned become this year’s business goals, the mantra remains the same: manage costs and increase quality as quickly and consistently as possible. While Fieldglass is widely used, each customer’s use is unique. Regardless of the organization or business goal, every contingent workforce program is driven by four basic value propositions: cost, quality, efficiency and compliance.

These value propositions are not out of reach, but the daily pursuit of these goals demands aggressive execution. You’ll need to understand the value each goal provides, determine an implementation strategy, and form the right team and partnerships to deliver actionable and measurable results.

So how can you “bridge the gap” between the planning and execution stages? How can you move the “more, faster, cheaper” discussion to an executive level? How can you demonstrate improvements to the original functional rollout of your VMS?

No bridge can be built without multiple – and different – support spans. We recommend our customers regularly examine the goals, objectives and performance of each key area of their programs, including VMS, MSP (if one is in place), internal program office and even suppliers.

In addition to regular business reviews, we suggest customers take advantage of Fieldglass’ Program Maturity Model (PMM) to maximize VMS use. The PMM allows companies to assemble all key stakeholders in their contingent workforce programs as well as their account teams, Fieldglass business intelligence subject matter experts, and if necessary, key leaders from the  MSP. These teams review key data points, assess if functionality is being utilized to its full potential, and examine reporting needs. Most importantly, the PMM determines the overall health of your company’s program as compared to other Fieldglass users, creating the foundation for recommendations for optimization.

Here are a few examples of how companies have improved areas of their program. Read More »

Welcome to the weekly news roundup! Below are the top stories we’ve read or shared this week affecting our industry.

Monday: As part of its “Reworking Labor” series, this WSJ article introduces us to the Freelancer’s Union, which provides health insurance and advocates for contractors. The union hopes to reach one million members in the next three years. (Wall Street Journal)

Monday: What types of technology solutions does a staffing company need to be successful? Task management and social media tools are on the list, as is VMS solutions. (Staffing Robot)

Wednesday: Some experts argue that the new Affordable Care Act, requiring businesses with more than 50 employees to offer insurance, could lead to another temporary staffing boon. (Washington Post)

Wednesday: Do you work in the IT field? Good news. Almost 70% of respondents in a survey by TEKsystems say demand for IT professionals will always outpace supply. And, see the top five companies that IT pros want to work for. (SIA Daily News)

Have a great weekend, everyone!

(Today’s guest post is by Andrew Thiermann, Fieldglass Professional Services. Andrew is our second blogger in a new series called “Bridging the Gap” where we’ll explore the various relationships within a contingent workforce program.)

Over the last seven years with Fieldglass, I have helped dozens of customers expand their contingent workforce programs in terms of size, scope and complexity. Solid programs naturally grow and evolve over time. More often than not, we help companies implement the Fieldglass VMS within one business unit, and additional geographies and business units get rolled out from there.

In order to design a deployment strategy that is best for your particular business, your contingent workforce program goals should be aligned with corporate goals. This will help secure the C-level support that is critical for change management. Stated another way, a program manager should understand the overarching company goals and create objectives for the program around those goals.

HP provides us with a classic example as described in this Wall Street Journal article. CEO Meg Whitman asked John Hinshaw, HP’s senior technology executive, to help cut $3.5 billion in costs by the end of next year. In a massive cloud strategy that includes replacing client-side applications such as Peoplesoft, HP is “switching his [their] service procurement process from a home-built system to software from Fieldglass Inc…This application will be rolling out across HP in the next several months.”

When I think about the companies I’ve helped with VMS deployments, I realize the expansion process can be very different based on the leadership style. No one way is better than another, but it is important to get the model right from the beginning and ensure the program offers constant communication to the C-suite in order to drive the most impact. And, because I really like examples, let me offer up two more that describe very different VMS deployment approaches. You might find yourself identifying with one or the other, or somewhere in between. Read More »

Earlier this month we published an eBook, Building a Business Case for a VMS, that included a checklist of five items an organization should address before pursuing a VMS and potential providers. While we discussed the first few items on the checklist in an earlier blog post, I wanted to discuss the last checklist items so you are better prepared to pursue a technology solution.

Here are the final two checklist items and some thoughts about your next steps after successfully building your business case and pursuing a VMS.

4.   Understand the Risks if a Centralized Program is Not Pursued/Implemented

Outside of the knowing the potential benefits of a program, it’s just as important to acknowledge the potential risks if one is not implemented. It’s possible not pursuing a program could result in unrealized savings, lower quality, continued risk and compliance exposure. Likewise, without a centralized program in place, manual processes would continue and potentially result in a higher headcount. A VMS could help streamline supplier management and eliminate the high administrative costs and without one in place, the organization will have to address how these and other issues will be reconciled. Read More »

Welcome to the weekly news roundup! Below are the top stories we’ve read or shared this week affecting our industry.

Monday: Are you in the customer service profession? How about engineering? Both of these careers are in high demand in 2013. Read through the rest of the list for your best shot at scoring a new gig. (Adecco Blog)

Tuesday: Industry analysts weigh in on this article on how to manage the contingent workforce. Learn the basic principles of how a VMS works and the typical benefits that can be achieved. (Workforce.com)

Wednesday: We all have heard the news. The workforce is shifting from full-time employment to temporary work. A new study just predicted how much of America’s workforce will be freelance by 2020. Click through to find out. (Quartz)

Today: Organizations have been singing the praises of cloud technology for years. The benefits – like cost savings, scalability and reliability – are proven. Learn about the positive impact of cloud technology adoption within the staffing industry. (The Staffing Stream)

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Today’s guest post is by Matt Kreh, Fieldglass Professional Services. Matt is our first blogger in a new series called “Bridging the Gap” where we’ll explore the various relationships within a contingent workforce program.)

In my six years here at Fieldglass, I have had the benefit of working with many different customers and have seen a variety of different program structures. Across the board, a program’s success usually comes down to three key things: collaboration between the hiring manager and the program office; remembering KISS principles (we’ll talk about what that means later); and seeking to understand rather than seeking to be understood.

Collaboration Between the Hiring Manager and PMO

The interaction between the hiring manager, the VMS and the program office (PMO) usually falls in a spectrum between two extremes – a completely independent “self –service” model and a much more dependent, “guided” approach.  For example, when a new position is required, do hiring managers create their own job posting in the VMS? Or do they call the PMO, conduct a detailed intake session and the PMO creates the job posting for them? Read More »

(Today’s guest post is by Arjun Dutt, Business Intelligence Solutions)

When a customer recently experienced a tricky situation with a worker, it exposed a bigger problem within its contingent workforce program. Although the company had a VMS solution in place, it was struggling to convince hiring managers to use the application rather than continue old habits and manual processes. So what was the problem and how can they fix it?

The Issue

The customer explained that although one candidate showed up for the interview, an entirely different person arrived for work. Understandably frustrated, the hiring manager contacted the supplier directly to resolve the issue but reported nothing in Fieldglass. It later turned out that the supplier was a repeat offender and the program office took steps to address the issue. But the fact that managers weren’t reporting serious violations such as this one, among others, was indicative of a larger underlying problem — they weren’t leveraging the VMS solution or utilizing the program office efficiently. One possible reason could be that the program was not as visible within the organization as it should have been.

Anyone—not just a VMS user — is reluctant to follow a process that doesn’t feel familiar. Users want a certain comfort level when performing their everyday tasks and if a solution seems foreign to them, they’re less likely to use it. So how can you convince users to do something they’ve never done before?

The Solution

The key to getting wider adoption of your VMS processes is to make the program office front and center in the eyes of the users. Hiring managers need to know they have a partner in their procurement process — a resource when things don’t go as planned.

So how could this particular company get the message out? Our team offered some ideas for how the program could become more familiar to users: Read More »

Welcome to the weekly news roundup! Below are the top stories we’ve read or shared this week affecting our industry.

Tuesday: Two new studies are proving the move to and benefits of cloud technology. A recent CDW survey found that 50+% of organizations are adopting cloud. And, another study by Rackspace Hosting shows the majority are recognizing cost savings and increased profits. (CIO)

Wednesday: Searching for an overview of the shift towards a flexible, non-employee workforce? Look no further. (M Squared Consulting)

Wednesday: Three must-haves for VMS adoption – buy-in, process clarity and usability. Read about how Staffing Industry Analysts say each can affect your contingent workforce program’s success. (CWS 3.0)

Wednesday: There are several keys to ensuring independent workers are classified correctly. Check out this article for three tips. (Wall Street Journal)

Did we miss anything? Let us know in comments. Have a great weekend, everyone!

In case you missed it, we recently wrapped up a guest blogging series by Fieldglass’ Arjun Dutt, Business Intelligence Solutions. In it, he walked us through five areas to consider when building a VMS reporting strategy. For more information, visit his posts below.

1. Give Your Contingent Workforce Program a Business Intelligence Boost

2. A Simple Approach to Reporting

3. Understanding Your Audience

4. Using the Right Tools

5. Visualize Your Data