As salary hikes are expected to average 6.9% in 2024, outpacing an inflation rate likely to average 5.0%, the real increase in employee costs will be around 1.9%. This makes hiring full-time skilled staff increasingly expensive, particularly for SME’s. The conundrum is that by not hiring staff, you hamper company growth, so what can you do? One effective solution is hiring high quality part-time skilled staff.
We have seen an increase in the demand for part-time staff over the past months as employers are seeing hiring part-time skills as a solution to bridging rising costs in the market.
The good news, according to the findings of the Working Women in SA Report 2024, many skilled working moms at senior and executive levels are looking for part-time work. This means that employers do not have to compromise on experience and skill level when hiring part-time. As women advance in their careers, the desire for flexible working models grows.
Source: RecruitMyMom Working Women Report 2024
As a business owner, you can employ these skills via RecruitMyMom, reducing your staffing cost without compromising on growth.
These skilled jod-seekers are highly qualified, valuable professionals with years of experience and are largely inaccessible through other recruitment channels due to their need for respect as mothers and desire for flexibility. They are technologically savvy, emotionally intelligent, patient, empathetic, team players and an asset to any organisation.
What exactly does part-time work mean
Part-time work means any work done that is less than the usual working day or week. What full-time hours means for a company can differ from company to company, but the norm in South Africa means 40-45 hours per week, more than this is considered overtime.
Thus part-time has to do with a reduced number of hours per day or per week.
Part-time working locations can be:
- In-Office
- Hybrid
- Remote
Part-time working contracts can be:
- Permanent - for example hiring an accountant on a permanent basis to work half days only.
- Fixed duration contract - for example hiring a bookkeeper for a three month contract around the financial year end to work for three days per week.
- Independent contractors - for example hiring a social media manager as independent contractor to work for two hours a day.
What are the advantages for employers in hiring part-time skills?
Lower overheads
One of the most beneficial reasons for an employer to use independent contractors or part-time permanent employees is to lower fixed overheads. When you hire independent contractors and part-time employees you pay as per the work required. Lower overheads do not mean lower productivity, in fact, quite the opposite. Hour for hour part-time workers are more productive than full-time workers.
Reduced contribution costs
Independent contractors do not qualify for benefits such as UIF, sick leave and annual leave, saving companies a significant amount of money. Employing permanent or fixed duration part-time skills do incur these costs but at a lower cost due to the reduced hours worked.
Only pay for what you need
Offering independent contract work and fixed duration project work options is an effective way to attract specialised expertise for a specific amount of time and allows you to staff exactly according to your company’s skill and resource requirements.
READ: Staffing Agility In Times Of Need – The Case For Independent Contractors
Reduce the hiring cost
Starting as a fixed duration contract worker often converts into a permanent hire as the contract allows the employer to test the caliber of expertise and cultural fit of the employee.
Affordable expertise
Hiring highly skilled independent contractors or hiring someone on a part-time basis enables you to bring specialised expertise to the job when you can't afford to recruit someone on a full-time basis or the flow of work is uncertain. These women are experienced in their field and are capable, committed and productive immediately, eliminating the time and cost of training.
Reduce overtime costs
Using part-time staff will help reduce the workload of other employees who, for example, regularly work overtime to meet demands. Not only will this reduce overtime costs, but it is beneficial to your permanent employees by helping prevent stress and burnout.
Increased productivity
Offering employees flexibility, where they can schedule work around their personal needs, has been proven to increase productivity. This reduces the staffing cost as the employer gets more and better work from employees for the same amount of time.
In today’s rapidly changing market, hiring part-time staff is a strategic move that will provide the flexibility, expertise, and cost-efficiency your business needs to thrive. By leveraging the skills of experienced professionals on a part-time basis, you can adapt to market conditions, reduce overheads, and maintain high productivity levels. Embrace the benefits of hiring part-time skills and position your business for sustainable growth.
Get in touch with us if you want to learn more about the services we offer for hiring full-time, part-time or independent contracting skills.
