Contractors want access to greater professional HR support and a more holistic offering from umbrella companies, according to research from professional employment provider, giant group.
In its survey of over 160 contractors, giant found that access to an employee portal was ranked highest by these professionals when choosing an umbrella company, with 87% of respondents stating this as an important factor. A good on-boarding or welcome process came second (82%), with access to HR support third (79%).
A further 64% of those surveyed listed access to an employee benefits programme as a key consideration when choosing a professional employment provider. Expanding on this, the top benefits respondents want in the near future are: medical insurance, a discounted gym membership and critical illness cover.
These findings are indicative of the growing demand from contractors for greater HR support. As contracting continues to become the ‘new norm’, professionals choosing this career route are now expecting more of the support that is traditionally associated with permanent roles.
Managing Director of giant group, Matthew Brown commented:
“It’s clear from the results of this survey that contractors are no longer just after the admin support and salary security that has previously been associated with professional employment providers. The changing world of the contractor is leading to individuals actively seeking greater holistic support in order to be more effective in managing their own careers. These professionals have the technical expertise to deliver against the key objectives of clients and understandably want to focus their time on delivering the specialist services they are known for. In order to do this, contractors are clearly seeking the HR and benefits support that has long been available to permanent employees.”
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