Jul 21, 2022

How Technology is Shaping Contractor Management

Why Use Technology for Contractor Management?

As the world of contractor management continues to evolve, so does the technology that goes with it. Over the last decade, the industry has witnessed explosive growth in the amount of different organizations that promise to offer top tier contractor management services within different niches including safety roles such as contractor quality management, compliance, and administration. Managing contractors is an age-old tactic implemented by businesses to ensure seamless operations throughout their entire organization, but the manner in which it is approached has been disrupted by the emergence of modern technology. However, many health and safety professionals still opt for more traditional methods that involve manual assessments, dedicated admin effort, and the use of spreadsheets for communication and record-keeping. These methods are believed to be easier to manage and allow the process to remain autonomous to the organization, but the reality is quite the contrary. This begs the question, why should you use modern technology for your contractor management needs? Among the countless benefits of using technology for your organization, the two primary factors to consider are efficiency and accuracy.

Efficiency:

Certain technologies have had the ability to transform management operations from something that was once a daunting and continuous task into a refreshed approach that eliminates the need for unnecessary work. Both hiring organizations and third party hires can gain value and benefit from an efficient chain of systems. Efficient management in this context often refers to numerous aspects such as time to implementation, operational speed, flexibility, communication potential, and ease of use. Beginning with time to implement, businesses are beginning to opt for software solutions due to the speed in which they can be implemented into their strategy. While the speed in which this is achieved can vary greatly depending on the software you choose, the strict and constrained timelines of business operations require a modern solution that can be put to use at the shortest possible notice. WIth that being said, speed is a recurring theme within contractor management. In addition to a suitable time to implement, organizations look to adopt technology that gives them the benefit of being able to solve their needs promptly, make changes at short notice, and keep a consistent flow of productivity within their company. Software solutions offer means to automate lengthy tasks such as third party onboarding, compliance monitoring, and qualification assessments. Furthermore, a solid contractor management strategy involves multiple parties. This is why businesses see the value in investing in technology that allows for clear, easy, and accurate communication. This becomes increasingly beneficial as businesses begin to scale their operations. Lastly, the ease of use of a particular program can greatly impact contractor management solutions both in the short and long term. Businesses are often searching for an option with a minimal learning curve and a service that comes with ample support.

Accuracy:

Did you know that almost 90% of spreadsheets contain errors? Yet, many businesses still implement them to manage their safety efforts. The shift to technology is a much needed one that can drastically improve the rates of margin for error. Choosing technology means choosing heightened accuracy of safety practices, risk assessments, and compliance levels. The move towards automated data tracking rather than manual labor means that companies now have more time on their hands to dedicate to other aspects of their operations. Another significant facet to accuracy is the ability to track and provide real time data. Long gone are the days of periodic, inconsistent, manual audits, leading technologies are able to collect and display live data that paints an accurate picture of an organization’s current compliance standing.

Choosing Contractor Compliance

Amongst the plethora of software solutions to pick from, Contractor Compliance stands out from the crowd for a number of reasons. Put simply, many hiring organizations opt for Contractor Compliance due to three core principles; cost, autonomy, and flexibility. 

Cost:

Whether a bootstrap startup or a generously funded corporation, cost is certainly a determining factor within a business. Contractor Compliance offers hiring organizations with an innovative solution that comes at absolutely zero cost. Instead, service costs are beared by the contractors. Even then, this still proves to be the most cost-effective option for third parties. Other solutions available on the market often cost upwards of $10,000 annually, and this is before extra charges are added for additional features and/or services. Through using Contractor Compliance, hiring organizations no longer need to factor in contractor management services into their annual budget, and are subsequently able to allocate funds to other fundamental operations within the business.

Autonomy:

Contractor Compliance’s technology is able to offer a benefit that many alternatives can’t. Organizations are able to implement this digital solution in their strategy while having their processes remain fully autonomous. Companies are often turned away from adopting technology for their contractor management due to the implications of having to give up a level of control of their processes. Contractor Compliance offers an alternative in which businesses are afforded the jam-packed features of an intuitive platform that can be utilized entirely in-house. This method allows safety professionals to maintain full control and visibility over their efforts while not being forced to delegate important tasks to external parties who may not fully understand the intricacies of their operations.

Flexibility:

One of Contractor Compliance’s most revered features is that the platform is completely built to scale. In short, the software is suitable for business of all shapes and sizes, no matter what stage they may be in. It is built for the novice safety-conscious individual learning about contractor management, as well as the seasoned safety professional looking to take their processes to the next level. The solution’s flexibility both internally and externally is a primary driving factor in helping companies make their decision when choosing technology. Not only is the platform suitable for all profiles, it is also fully configurable and can be altered to suit the individual needs of an organization. Countless companies have migrated from alternative providers due to the fact that the nature of their platforms did not allow them to make high-level changes to keep up with the businesses’ scalability and rapid change.

Technology as a solution is quickly becoming the dominant process within contractor management and has afforded unrivaled benefits to a range of industries. Manual task handling is no longer efficient in keeping up with business operations. What once was a lengthy process has been streamlined into a seamless operation that is flexible, scalable, and easy to track. With the developing intricacies that hiring organizations are required to address, choosing the right technology for their contractor management is a crucial matter. From automated software to tech stack development, businesses are migrating to modern technology in large numbers. Contractor Compliance prides itself on providing a single source of truth. It positions itself as a one-stop-shop for all contractor management needs where safety professionals are able to track, manage, and requalify all of their contractors with ease. Ready to implement the most efficient contractor management software in the market? Get started with a 10-minute demo here!

About the Author

Addison Moore
Director of Marketing at Contractor Compliance

Addison has spent the last four years learning from and participating in the Health & Safety community. He has travelled to numerous EHS conferences, trade shows and events with the intention of helping organizations with their contractor management programs. Addison is also responsible for curating the collection of white papers, case studies and eBooks that provide real world insights into the workforce safety space.

Recent Articles