New Study Details Strategies for Managing the Contingent Labor Umbrella, Including Independent Contractors

The latest research on contingent workforce management from Aberdeen highlights a new trend in independent contractor and statement of work consultant management: a dramatic increase in the use of 3rd party Independent Contractor Engagement Specialists (ICES) that help businesses reduce the risks of engaging independent contractors and other contract workers, including misclassification and co-employment risk.

Herndon, VA (Vocus) August 12, 2010

Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company, announced the release of its latest contingent workforce management study, Contingent Labor Management: Strategies for Managing the Complexities of the Contingent Labor Umbrella.

The new research report tracks the evolution of the modern-day centralized contingent labor program and its inclusion of crucial workforce categories, such as independent contractors, statement-of-work (SOW) consultants, project-based services, and "classic" temporary workers. The research delves into strategies utilized by Best-in-Class companies to effectively mitigate misclassification and co-employment risk and better manage all aspects of their contingent workforce.

“The trend is clear: over the last year, we’ve seen a 20% increase in the use of contingent labor. It is more important than ever to manage the complexities of each sub-set of contingent labor, such as independent contractors, Statement of Work (SOW) labor, services and ‘classic’ temporary labor,” said Christopher Dwyer, research analyst, Aberdeen.

The report also highlights the growing use of outsourced Independent Contractor Engagement Specialists (ICES) by organizations looking to better manage this category. According to the report, the 3rd party solution facilitates all components of independent contractor management, including classification determinations, 1099 auditing, and compliance, and drives down the risk of co-employment. Historically, ICES solutions have improved compliance rates by nearly 80%, according to the study.

Says Dwyer, “The use of Independent Contractor Engagement Specialists (ICES) has increased over 50% in the last 18 months, and there are compelling reasons why organizations are bringing their focus here. ICES utilization, especially when combined with MSP and VMS solutions, can enhance Best-in-Class management of the contingent labor umbrella and ensure that all other facets of this program, including effective management of Independent Contractors (ICs), SOW consultants, and services vendors, are driving significant value to the organization.”

Download your complimentary copy of the new Aberdeen contingent labor study.

About Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company
Aberdeen provides fact-based research and market intelligence that delivers demonstrable results. Having queried more than 30,000 companies in the past two years, Aberdeen is positioned to educate users to action: driving market awareness, creating demand, enabling sales, and delivering meaningful return-on-investment analysis. As the trusted advisor to the global technology markets, corporations turn to Aberdeen for insights that drive decisions.
http://www.aberdeen.com.

About MBO Partners
Since 1986, MBO Partners has been driving innovation in the way independent contractors and their clients work together. The leading Independent Contractor Engagement Specialist (ICES), MBO offers enterprise solutions for contingent workforce management that make it safe, easy, and efficient for organizations to utilize the valuable services of Independent Contractors (ICs), SOW consultants, and small services vendors. They provide 1099 risk mitigation and independent contractor compliance solutions. http://www.mbopartners.com

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