In an uncertain climate, businesses are always looking for innovative, efficient or profitable ways to grow and adapt to market changes. One approach to this which has become popular for businesses is the use of executive interim or contract staff at a leadership level.
According to a recent study we conducted, only 4% of this candidate market would not consider taking a role that wasn’t deemed permanent. In this short piece we will explore the specific benefits interim executives can bring to a business including objectivity, flexibility and the ability to deliver rapid results.
1. Objectivity
For senior or c-suite executives, objectivity in decision making is a well known concept. But implementing it can be challenging to achieve. This is where interim or contract professionals can make a significant contribution. By bringing in experienced people from outside your organisation or even industry, you will open your team to a fresh perspective, unbiased opinions and innovative ideas.
Specialist interim staff are trained and practised at quickly analysing an organisation and identifying areas for improvement – especially quickly. Organisational politics, culture or preconceptions tend not to be part of this assessment and therefore groupthink and being entrenched in the same ideas is typically avoided.
Interim staff offer all of this whilst offering immediate value against a specific brief, enabling a business to stay competitive and agile in a constantly evolving market. Where organisations harness this objectivity efficiently they will stride forward on innovation, growth and success even in unpredictable market conditions.
2. Flexibility
In 2023, businesses utilising interim staff will better enable them to attract the best talent in the market as the increasing desire to work flexibly and have greater control over one’s own working life has led many of the most successful people to self employment.
These contract staff often choose to work on projects that don’t just align with their personal lives but also their passions and expertise; allowing you only the best of these candidates. This flexibility therefore means you have the flexibility to work with staff and skills only when you need them and when it is the true interest and focus of the expert.
Flexibility opens the employee pool beyond the traditional boundaries; it also creates opportunity to hire from a wider geographic location, as well as other important considerations such as people who may have disabilities or be neurodiverse in a way tgar make working from an office more difficult for them.
3. Rapid results
Business leaders are under ever increasing scrutiny to deliver and so rapid results from an interim staff member can elevate the business by removing pressure for the board or leadership teams.
Interim staff are experts in their fields, this paired with the fresh perspective mentioned works hand in hand to deliver more rapid results into a business – usually responding to specific problems, the implementation of new strategy or driving growth in a particular area.
Furthermore, these staff are not bound by the same constraints as permanent staff who have long standing relationships with other employees and even embedded business processes which allows them to make quick decisions without delay. This pace is even more valuable in fast changing conditions where fast iteration is crucial.
In conclusion, executive interim staff are key for businesses at times like these. Not only to react to demands at board level or to address particular challenges but in order to access ever better talent.
If you’d like to start the conversation about what your business might need, get in touch with us today.
