Not just ‘plugging in resource on demand’
The associate or freelance model is widely used across the consultancy sector. When used to supplement full time staff it can help deliver the right skills at the right time and manage risk for the firm.
But whilst it’s straightforward in principle, running an effective pool of associates is harder than it sounds.
Some of the challenges include:
- Some skills may be rarer with only a handful of practitioners in the marketplace
- Just because someone has the right skills and expertise doesn’t mean they fit culturally
- It’s easy to get out of touch with people and find they’re not available to you when you need them to be
Help to manage associates more effectively
Our new guide ‘A question of resource: 11 ways to build, nurture and manage an associate ecosystem’ helps leaders and managers in consultancy firms to better understand some of the subtleties of building and maintaining the pool of expert talent that is used to fill niche roles and meet peak resourcing needs.
The guide covers aspects such as:
- The role of social events, payment, appraisals and induction
- Responsibility for managing the pool within the firm
- How technology helps to keep track of associates
Click here to download your free guide.
Do a better job of nurturing and managing associates with Metis
Professional services automation (PSA) tools such as Metis help you to stay on top of the diverse strands of consultancy, including resourcing. Metis dashboards cut through the complexity of your business to show you where you need to focus your attention.