As the demand for flexible staffing continues to grow, companies are rethinking how to achieve contingent workforce efficiency. Gone are the days of filling temporary roles on an ad hoc basis. Businesses now rely on contingent labor to meet evolving needs across IT, healthcare, finance and more. But without the right structure and visibility, managing this part of the workforce can lead to overspending, compliance risks and missed opportunities.
At Suna Solutions, we help companies make their contingent workforce programs more efficient by focusing on strategy, data and compliance. Whether you’re managing a handful of contractors or coordinating hundreds across multiple locations, streamlining how you manage contingent labor can unlock productivity and reduce operational stress.
Why Contingent Workforce Efficiency Matters
Contingent labor isn’t a niche anymore—it’s becoming mainstream. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that as of July 2023, 4.3 percent of workers about 6.9 million people held a contingent job as their main employment, up from 3.8 percent in 2017. That steady climb shows companies are leaning harder into contingent labor, making strong contingent workforce management critical. Without a structured approach, gaps in sourcing, onboarding, compliance and performance emerge. You might end up with inconsistent experiences, unclear reporting, increased vendor costs and potential legal exposure.
Common Roadblocks to Contingent Workforce Efficiency
Many companies fall into the trap of managing contingent labor reactively. When urgent hiring needs pop up, they turn to different vendors, onboarding methods and internal workflows leading to a patchwork of processes that’s difficult to control. Some of the most common inefficiencies include:
- Inconsistent onboarding across departments
- Lack of real-time data on spend, headcount, or performance
- Vendor overuse or underperformance
- Compliance gaps with independent contractors or temporary staff
These issues make it hard to scale or evaluate the success of your contingent program. They also make your HR or procurement teams spend more time on manual tasks rather than strategy.
Best Practices to Improve Contingent Workforce Efficiency
Achieving contingent workforce efficiency doesn’t require overhauling your entire hiring model. It starts with centralizing ownership and improving visibility. Here’s how we help companies get there:
1. Define a centralized process.
A consistent process creates fewer gaps. When sourcing, onboarding and managing contingent labor is handled through a centralized program, your organization benefits from reduced rogue spend, stronger compliance and a smoother candidate experience. Suna’s contingent workforce programs offer full-cycle support with dedicated teams who manage each stage for you.
2. Standardize onboarding and compliance.
Every contingent worker regardless of their role or location should have a consistent experience. Standardizing background checks, paperwork and training ensures everyone is aligned with your policies from day one. Our team helps build structured workflows that improve speed to productivity.
3. Track key metrics.
You can’t improve what you can’t measure. Having clear data on time to fill, cost per hire, retention and supplier performance helps you identify bottlenecks and track ROI. Our clients use real-time dashboards to keep stakeholders informed and empowered to make decisions.
4. Evaluate and optimize supplier performance.
A well-managed supply base is essential to contingent workforce efficiency. Regular scorecards, feedback loops and strategic supplier alignment ensure you’re getting quality candidates from the vendors that match your standards.
5. Stay proactive with risk and compliance.
Worker classification rules and labor regulations are complex and costly to get wrong. We stay up to date with laws across states and industries so our clients avoid misclassification penalties and stay audit-ready.
The Role of Technology
Technology plays a major role in achieving contingent workforce efficiency. A modern Vendor Management System (VMS) offers the tools to track headcount, automate invoicing, monitor performance and manage spend. At Suna, we offer clients access to intuitive VMS platforms that integrate with your internal systems and give you a clear view into your entire contingent labor program.
How Suna Solutions Helps Drive Efficiency
We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. Our team customizes contingent workforce programs based on your unique challenges and goals. Whether you’re launching your first program or optimizing a mature one, we bring the expertise, relationships and tools to improve efficiency and outcomes. From program management to supplier engagement to real-time analytics, we’re with you every step of the way.
Contingent workforce efficiency isn’t just about cutting costs, it’s about building a smarter, more responsive workforce model that can scale with your business. When done right, it helps you stay compliant, attract better talent and respond faster to market changes.