In an effort to save time and money, government and businesses alike have turned to the contract workforce for all labor categories. Whether hiring for contingent, contract-to-hire, or direct hire employees, the workforce industry has evolved beyond traditional W-2 employment.
To help fill these positions, organizations often reach out to companies who are highly experienced and equipped to fill a variety of roles in various departments regardless of the complexities or specifications of a position. The three most common labor categories in a public sector Managed Service Provider (MSP) are: Information Technology (IT), Medical, and Administrative.
Information Technology (IT)
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the IT industry is expected to grow 3.6% between 2010 and 2020[1]. New IT processes and languages are developed all the time, making it more challenging to find the right candidate for the specific job at hand. Due to the expected growth in the IT industry, diverse educational backgrounds and technical experiences are becoming increasingly more common. When using a qualified MSP to fill IT positions, hiring managers can expect they will be provided qualified candidates that have been properly vetted to meet their requisition requirements and the evolving industry standard skill sets.
Many IT professionals will seek temporary contract in-line with contract-to-hire and contract positions due to the longevity of terms, the high probability of permanent placement, and flexibility – benefits best sourced and negotiated through a public sector MSP.
Temporary contracts for computer programmers, developers, technicians, coders, engineers, etc., are highly accessible according to the American Staffing Association (ASA). The ASA states 13% of all temporary and contract employees fall within the IT labor category.[2] The struggle comes down to trying to find qualified talent. Using a proficient MSP increases the likelihood of discovering (and ultimately hiring) candidates who can adapt to a position’s pace and demand, are competent, and are interested in seeing results from the work they do. The public sector also tends to attract skilled IT talent who believe in and want to contribute to an agency’s mission in hopes of doing work that makes a difference in their communities.
Medical
Health care professionals are in high demand in the public sector, as only 9% of all temporary and contract employees fall within the medical labor category[3]. Occupations such as Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), Registered Nurses (RN), health professionals, dentists, medical technicians, etc. are projected to add “about 2.4 million jobs by 2026, which can be attributed to the aging population, expansive insurance coverage options, and the medical advances in treatment and care. The flexibility and position variety within the medical field directly correlates to the increased interest in contract positions just as a recent NPR/Marist poll reports that 1 in 5 jobs in America is held by a contract employee.
Medical facilities and health systems that utilize MSPs are able to focus their staff on providing care for patients, rather than sifting through various staffing firms and resumes for potential candidates. Many rely on the MSP to not only recruit and source, but also handle the extensive process of credentialing future staff. Experienced MSPs with an expansive knowledge of the medical industry ultimately find the best candidates that fit the facility’s medical requirements and scheduling vacancies, therefore leading to better matches, higher fill rates, and lower turnover.
Administrative
Another common labor category in a public sector MSP is the Administrative or General category. This category alone makes up 28% of all temporary and contract employees in positions like receptionists, data entry operators, cashiers, call-center representatives, etc.[4] As organizations in the public sector are highly reliant on their administrative staff, it is imperative to have a client-facing representative that are adequately vetted and selected.
Due to the mere size of this labor category and volume of applicants, managing recruiting and hiring efforts for an organization seeking temporary labor in this category can be costly and time-consuming. Knowledgeable MSPs are able to drastically reduce the administrative burden and time from bid to hire, guaranteeing savings and superior talent.
These three labor categories – IT, Medical, and Administrative – are the most common labor categories found in a public sector MSP. Due to the major differences between labor specifications, industries, and the sheer quantity of contingent workforce available, an MSP is one of the best ways to penetrate the workforce for the public sector when looking to hire qualified talent to fill temporary contract positions.
[1] Csorny, Lauren. “Careers in the growing field of information technology services.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Apr. 2013, https://www.bls.gov/opub/btn/volume-2/pdf/careers-in-growing-field-of-information-technology-services.pdf.
[2] American Staffing Association. “Staffing Stats: Engineering, IT, and Scientific”. ASA, 2016, https://d2m21dzi54s7kp.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/ASA-Sector_Infographics-Eng-IT-Sci.jpg.
[3] American Staffing Association. “Staffing Stats: Health Care”. ASA, 2016, https://d2m21dzi54z7kp.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/ASA-Sector_Inforgraphics-healthycare.jpg.
[4] American Staffing Association. “Staffing Stats: Office-Clerical and Administrative”. ASA, 2016, https://d2m21dzi54s7kp.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/ASA-Sector_Infographics-Office-Cler.jpg.
