The Contingent Workforce Program Strategy & Management Guide

In a workforce shaped by rapid change, global economic pressures, and continuously increasing demands, contingent workforce programs have moved from tactical stopgaps to strategic imperatives. For HR and procurement leaders navigating complex workforce ecosystems, a well-designed contingent model delivers more than flexibility—it drives scalability, cost-efficiency, and innovation at speed.

At Oncore, we’ve spent 25 years helping enterprises simplify and scale their contractor workforce. With $630 million+ in annual disbursements, 130,000+ timesheets processed each year, and a Net Promoter Score of 73, we’ve seen firsthand how the right programme transforms workforce management.

Our proven approach ensures compliance, control, and a seamless experience for both clients and contractors.

Section 1: Understanding the Contingent Workforce Ecosystem

The contingent workforce includes contractors, freelancers, consultants, and temporary staff—each with distinct engagement models. As organisations seek agility in a shifting market, these non-permanent roles are critical to delivering projects faster, plugging skills gaps, and managing budget volatility.​​

Key Trends for 2025 and Beyond:

• Skills-based hiring over traditional roles
• AI and automation reshaping task structures
• Greater focus on talent experience and employer brand
• Heightened attention to risk, governance, and compliance

The strategic value is clear: contingent workers give enterprises the edge in innovation, cost control, and talent mobility. The challenge is doing it right—scaling without chaos.

Many organisations underestimate the hidden costs of a fragmented approach. Visibility into your full workforce—permanent and contingent—is essential to control risk, track spend, and plan strategically

Section 2: Designing Your Contingent Workforce Programme

Establishing Programme Objectives

A successful programme starts with clarity. Align goals with your broader business strategy:

• Reduce time-to-engage for niche or high-demand roles
• Drive cost savings through vendor optimisation
• Ensure compliance and mitigate risk
• Increase visibility over workforce spend and performance

Common Pitfalls to Avoid:

• Lack of executive sponsorship leading to weak governance
• Siloed ownership between HR, procurement, and finance
• Undefined KPIs that make performance hard to track

Learn more about how we supported Allianz to create their Contingent Workforce Program.

Programme Structure and Governance

At Oncore, we help clients design models that work for their unique context. Whether fully centralised or hybrid, the governance structure must support control and accountability.

Examples of Governance Models:

• Centralised model: All contingent engagement is run through a single business unit or MSP partner. Benefits: control, consistency, compliance.
• Decentralised model: Hiring managers or departments engage talent directly. Benefits: speed, autonomy—but riskier without oversight.

A clear governance framework should define roles across HR, procurement, legal, and finance, with structured onboarding and compliance embedded from the start.

Here's a comparative analysis of the contingent workforce models.

Section 3: Integrating Contingent Talent into Workforce Planning

Strategic Workforce Planning

Use workforce analytics to forecast demand, identify critical skills, and build a talent mix that supports flexibility. A proactive approach allows organisations to:

• Anticipate resourcing gaps
• Reduce reliance on reactive hiring
• Build institutional knowledge across blended teams

Step-by-Step: Building a Blended Workforce Plan

1. Audit your current workforce: What roles are mission-critical?
2. Identify repeatable projects or tasks suited to contractors.
3. Use data to predict upcoming talent gaps.
4. Develop a framework to flex between contingent and permanent resourcing.

Managing Talent Pipelines

Nurture external talent pools the same way you would permanent candidates:

• Build and maintain contractor communities
• Track engagement, availability, and performance
• Use real-time insights to plug skills gaps proactively

Oncore supports clients with contractor care, seamless onboarding, and real-time reporting—earning over 4000 five-star onboarding reviews and never missing a pay run with approved timesheets.

Client Snapshot: A leading professional services firm partnered with Oncore to centralise their contractor onboarding and integrated workforce planning. Within six months, contractor engagement increased by 35%, and onboarding time was reduced by 40%.

Section 4: Optimising Vendor Management

Selecting and Managing MSP and VMS Solutions

Choosing the right partner can make or break your programme. Oncore’s model integrates seamlessly with leading VMS platforms like Upplft—or we can plug into your existing system. This flexibility helps clients avoid being locked into a single model.

We bring:

• Deep integration capability
• Transparent reporting and controls
• Flexibility across engagement models

Here's a comparative analysis of the contingent workforce models.

Vendor Neutrality and Supplier Management

Our vendor-neutral approach means you get the best supplier mix—without bias. That translates to:

• More competitive sourcing
• Greater transparency
• Lower costs and higher contractor quality

Oncore helps clients manage multiple suppliers with clear SLAs, consistent onboarding workflows, and compliance built into every engagement.

Section 5: Aligning Contingent Workforce Strategy with Business Goals

Strategic Alignment and Stakeholder Engagement

Contingent workforce strategy doesn’t sit in isolation. It must be embedded into your broader people strategy and transformation plans. Oncore supports internal stakeholder engagement with:

• Custom dashboards
• Executive-ready reporting
• Real-time performance snapshots

Cost Optimisation and Performance Metrics

Track what matters:

• Time-to-fill and cost-per-engagement
• Compliance pass rates
• Contractor satisfaction and retention
• Spend under management

We help organisations move from reactive cost-cutting to data-driven optimisation.

Contingent workforce ROI isn’t just about savings. It's about reducing business risk, improving project delivery speed, and driving talent mobility without increasing headcount.

Section 6: Technology as an Enabler

Technology isn’t a silver bullet—but it is the enabler of agility, visibility, and scale. Whether integrating with your existing VMS or building a custom interface, Oncore helps clients:

• Eliminate manual processes and onboarding delays
• Automate compliance workflows
• Generate real-time reporting across business units

Features That Matter:

• API-based integrations with finance, HRIS, and timesheet systems
• Secure contractor data storage and audit trail functionality
• Role-based dashboards for different stakeholders

Client Snapshot: A regional bank streamlined its entire contractor lifecycle by integrating Oncore’s tech with its existing VMS and HR systems. Time spent on onboarding admin dropped by 50%, and all new contractors were fully compliant within 24 hours.

Section 7: Best Practices and Case Studies

Real-world programmes succeed when the foundations are solid. While every business is different, success stories often share:

• A clearly defined governance model
• Strong contractor care and engagement
• Technology integration that actually works
• A trusted partner who understands the stakes

Learn more about how we supported Allianz to create their Contingent Workforce Program.

Key Takeaways:

• Prioritise visibility from the start
• Invest in stakeholder alignment and programme ownership
• Standardise onboarding and compliance processes across all suppliers
• Choose a partner who can scale with you

Section 8: Future-Proofing Your Contingent Workforce Programme

The future of work is flexible—and complex. Stay ahead by preparing for:

• Greater contractor expectations around brand, onboarding speed, and engagement
• More advanced automation and task disaggregation from traditional job roles
• Evolving legislation and compliance requirements in a multi-jurisdictional world

Trends to Watch:

• Rise of the talent cloud and AI-driven sourcing tools
• Growth of project-based work over traditional roles
• Increasing importance of workforce data integration for strategic planning

Future-proofing means building systems that scale and evolve with your business. Oncore’s approach is built for adaptability, backed by 25 years of experience and zero missed pay runs.

Conclusion

The contingent workforce isn’t a trend—it’s a strategic necessity. But the value only comes when programmes are designed to scale, align, and deliver.

From governance to onboarding, supplier management to analytics, Oncore helps large organisations manage complexity while unlocking the full potential of contingent talent.

Let Oncore help you build a contingent workforce model that’s not just compliant, but confident.