Driving Project Success and Innovation with Contingent Workers in Engineering

Resourcing challenges have become quite common in the engineering industry not only because of economic uncertainties in the global market but also due to a lean availability of engineering talent. The transition to digital spaces has made engineers an integral part of the business revolution, motivating more and more individuals to earn engineering degrees. Despite the career boom in the engineering industry due to emerging technologies, organizations find it challenging to get hold of the right candidates who could efficiently suit their business needs. With so many engineering graduates racing for the best spots in top organizations, there has been a massive increase in competition. To tackle the wide range of challenges faced while discovering skilled engineers today, employers can turn to hiring contingent workers in engineering.In this article, we will discuss the major engineering staffing challenges witnessed by employers at present and how these challenges can be addressed by hiring contingent workers in engineering.

Top engineering staffing challenges faced by employers

1. Uncertainties in demand cycles and shifts in consumer preferences

With the increase in global-scale operations of engineering industries, one of the key issues that employers witness today is the constantly fluctuating demand for products and services. Project-based demands or sudden spikes in orders often lead to employee burnout, straining the existing teams if they do not get additional support. Apart from shifts in consumer preferences, other external factors that may lead to demand variations include changes in government regulations or policies, causing organizations to scale their workforce quickly and efficiently. Hence, sailing through the vulnerable demand cycles and, at the same time, maintaining operational efficiency is challenging for engineering organizations.

2. Struggle to find skilled engineers for time-specific projects

The struggle to find skilled and technically proficient individuals is a core challenge for almost all industries, and the engineering industry is no exception. In view of the changing dynamics of the business market, it becomes critical for organizations to find individuals with niche skills for the execution of deadline-based projects. The engineering industry stands as one of the prime sectors requiring specialized skills and competencies to master projects and drive innovation. In this regard, finding and retaining highly skilled engineers for executing complex projects within specific timeframes is critical.

3. Finding a balance between resource allocation and quality maintenance

Engineering organizations or projects usually find it challenging to hit the right balance between the allocation of resources and the maintenance of consistent quality of work in day-to-day tasks, particularly the ones associated with non-core business operations. This leads to inefficiency in business tasks and operations, delays in projects, and a shrinking competitive edge for the organization. In the absence of external resources, it tends to be difficult for organizations to ensure high-grade accomplishment of non-core functions while, at the same time, optimizing resource allocation for core functions.

4. Positioning the right candidate in the right job

At times, when employers seek candidates for urgent filling up of positions to meet their business needs, recruiters may end up placing the wrong candidates in the wrong positions. Although the hired candidates may be highly qualified, skillful, and competent, they may not be the ideal ones for the vacant positions. Be it a part-time or contractual role or a permanent position, if the right candidates are not placed in the right positions, the engineering organization is likely to encounter complexities in terms of flexibility, agility, and on-time execution of projects.

5. Maintaining workforce diversity

While workforce diversity has become a crucial aspect of employment at present, many employers fail to recognize its importance in terms of creativity and innovation. A diverse and inclusive workforce is proven to bring fresher perspectives and more innovative ideas to the forefront. Also, with women breaking the glass ceiling in engineering, the dominance of men in the industry needs to be ended. Organizations need to consider hiring women who possess the desired skills and knowledge and have the potential to deliver better results than their male counterparts.

How contingent workers in engineering can help drive innovation

The contingent workforce introduces a dynamic element to engineering projects. Distant from full-time or fixed employees, contingent workers in engineering remain free from the conventional hierarchies and constraints that enable them to drive project success and innovation. 

Related read: How can engineering staffing solutions enhance project efficiency?

The best three ways of deploying contingent workers in engineering and mitigating the engineering staffing challenges are:

1. Initiating project-based contracts with temporary workers or freelancers

In the engineering domain, project-based contracts act as the major means of connecting organizations with top-notch talents, including specialized engineers and architects. The distinctive stages of complex engineering projects require unique skills and competencies.  In this sense, organizations can embrace project-based contracts for engaging freelancers, independent contractors, or temporary workers for specific projects or project phases. 

This will allow organizations to congregate the right employees for the right project phases, thereby elevating flexibility and agility. Besides that, the engagement of contingent workers in engineering projects can enable employers to manage costs and time efficiently, confirming optimal project results.

2. Opting for a third-party contracted workforce

Besides initiating project-based contracts directly with independent contractors or temporary workers, engineering organizations can consider partnering with an external staffing agency and involve a third-party contracted workforce. Proficient engineering staffing firms like Denken Solutions build and maintain an extensive database of skilled and competent engineers, architects, and other professionals Thus, the task of searching for ideal candidates becomes easier. In fact, by passing on the responsibility of hiring and engaging candidates to staffing firms, organizations can concentrate on core business processes, saving a good amount of time, costs, and effort.

3. Developing an augmented workforce

For global-scale engineering projects or globally operating firms, flexibility and agility become crucial for managing change and innovation and driving success. This makes it necessary for organizations to embrace the concept of workforce augmentation, that is, supplementing the existing teams with a contingent workforce. Global engineering projects are vulnerable to frequent fluctuations due to several factors, such as market alterations and shifts in regulatory requirements. As such, an augmented workforce will enable organizations to scale their teams up and down as required and respond to market demands swiftly in a cost-efficient manner.

Conclusion

With the constantly altering business market sphere, the engineering industry often witnesses resourcing challenges. The major engineering staffing challenges that they face are changes in demand cycles and consumer preferences, lack of balance between resource allocation and quality maintenance, sourcing of skilled engineers for time-bound projects, placement of the right candidates in the right positions, and creation of a diverse workforce. The three ways in which organizations can utilize contingent workers in engineering are project-based contracts, third-party contracted employees, and augmented workforce.

If you want to get rid of any of the staffing challenges discussed in this article and harness the full potential of contingent workers in engineering, partner with Denken Solutions.