duces exposure to potential lawsuits, such as those alleging discrimination or wrongful termination.

A wrong hire can lead to costly HR requirements and law compliance, actually preventing you from undoing a “bad” hire.

4. Maintain Flexibility Without Long Term Exposure.

You hire a consultant to handle a specific project, gaining specialized expertise for a short time period without the potential severance costs and lawsuits from terminating an employee.

5. Save Time and Expense Involved in Training Employees.

You won’t encounter resistance and potential sabotage when employees operate out of their comfort zone or level of expertise.

6. Expand and Contract Workforce as needed.

7. Access the Latest in Resources and Equipment Without Owning and

You are not alone in considering outside talent; 60% of all businesses use independent contractors, and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 8 million such people are in the workforce.

Are there compelling reasons to consider hiring a consultant who is an independent contractor rather than just another employee?

Today’s executive must manage the day-to-day assault of the business and still have time for forward thinking. The busier you are with clients, staff concerns and current commitments the less time you have to manage future strategic planning.

Would you hire an independent consultant if having top-notch assistance in promoting your firm, your services, and your people meant the difference between an equity-based retirement with a high ranking interim promotion, or a sharp decline and future downturn for you and your company?

Some executives are fear-based. Fearing loss of control. Fearing theft of professional secrets. Fearing that money may be wasted.

Let’s examine these three fears.

An independent consultant is not fear motivated; seeing, with a professional eye and experience, what needs to be done and just doing it. Productive because they do not attend your staff meetings, do not have to take company calls, are not there for the birthdays, are not signing the company greeting card, do not produce in-house reports or spreadsheet projections, have no internal messages to answer, do not converse with fellow employees, and because you are not their sole source of revenue, will tell you the truth.

Will they steal professional secrets? Not if they intend to work again, they won’t. Professional consultants work in a close community, protecting their right to work in that community in the same way your doctor or lawyer does.

Will your money be wasted? Define a set fee tied to deliverables for that fee. A consultant’s efficient work habits deliver a result within a tightly defined time frame. An in-house employee may be reluctant to complete a project, fearing that there might not be a next assignment.

The Top Ten Reasons to Hire a Consultant

1. The Bottom Line

Hiring an employee instead of an independent adds at least 20% to 33%, and often more, to total payroll costs. In addition to employee salary and other compensation, there are significant “hidden costs”, payroll taxes, unemployment, and workers compensation insurance and employee benefits such as health and dental insurance, paid vacations, sick leave, retirement benefits, and life or disability insurance.

2. Hourly Rate is More Economical

You save money by hiring a consultant; even one paid more per hour than employees. Up to 33% of hidden costs on top of employee salaries are avoided. A consultant can often do the job faster and more effectively than an employee without specific technical expertise and the right connections.

Speed, accuracy and effectiveness require less of your hourly cost in supervision, correction and loss of productivity and your hourly rate is most likely the highest.

3. Avoid Headaches and Potential Lawsuits.

Hiring Independents reduces exposure to potential lawsuits, such as those alleging discrimination or wrongful termination.

A wrong hire can lead to costly HR requirements and law compliance, actually preventing you from undoing a “bad” hire.

4. Maintain Flexibility Without Long Term Exposure.

You hire a consultant to handle a specific project, gaining specialized expertise for a short time period without the potential severance costs and lawsuits from terminating an employee.

5. Save Time and Expense Involved in Training Employees.

You won’t encounter resistance and potential sabotage when employees operate out of their comfort zone or level of expertise.

6. Expand and Contract Workforce as needed.

7. Access the Latest in Resources and Equipment Without Owning and P

rim promotion, or a sharp decline and future downturn for you and your company?

Some executives are fear-based. Fearing loss of control. Fearing theft of professional secrets. Fearing that money may be wasted.

Let’s examine these three fears.

An independent consultant is not fear motivated; seeing, with a professional eye and experience, what needs to be done and just doing it. Productive because they do not attend your staff meetings, do not have to take company calls, are not there for the birthdays, are not signing the company greeting card, do not produce in-house reports or spreadsheet projections, have no internal messages to answer, do not converse with fellow employees, and because you are not their sole source of revenue, will tell you the truth.

Will they steal professional secrets? Not if they intend to work again, they won’t. Professional consultants work in a close community, protecting their right to work in that community in the same way your doctor or lawyer does.

Will your money be wasted? Define a set fee tied to deliverables for that fee. A consultant’s efficient work habits deliver a result within a tightly defined time frame. An in-house employee may be reluctant to complete a project, fearing that there might not be a next assignment.

The Top Ten Reasons to Hire a Consultant

1. The Bottom Line

Hiring an employee instead of an independent adds at least 20% to 33%, and often more, to total payroll costs. In addition to employee salary and other compensation, there are significant “hidden costs”, payroll taxes, unemployment, and workers compensation insurance and employee benefits such as health and dental insurance, paid vacations, sick leave, retirement benefits, and life or disability insurance.

2. Hourly Rate is More Economical

You save money by hiring a consultant; even one paid more per hour than employees. Up to 33% of hidden costs on top of employee salaries are avoided. A consultant can often do the job faster and more effectively than an employee without specific technical expertise and the right connections.

Speed, accuracy and effectiveness require less of your hourly cost in supervision, correction and loss of productivity and your hourly rate is most likely the highest.

3. Avoid Headaches and Potential Lawsuits.

Hiring Independents reduces exposure to potential lawsuits, such as those alleging discrimination or wrongful termination.

A wrong hire can lead to costly HR requirements and law compliance, actually preventing you from undoing a “bad” hire.

4. Maintain Flexibility Without Long Term Exposure.

You hire a consultant to handle a specific project, gaining specialized expertise for a short time period without the potential severance costs and lawsuits from terminating an employee.

5. Save Time and Expense Involved in Training Employees.

You won’t encounter resistance and potential sabotage when employees operate out of their comfort zone or level of expertise.

6. Expand and Contract Workforce as needed.

7. Access the Latest in Resources and Equipment Without Owning and

they steal professional secrets? Not if they intend to work again, they won’t. Professional consultants work in a close community, protecting their right to work in that community in the same way your doctor or lawyer does.

Will your money be wasted? Define a set fee tied to deliverables for that fee. A consultant’s efficient work habits deliver a result within a tightly defined time frame. An in-house employee may be reluctant to complete a project, fearing that there might not be a next assignment.

The Top Ten Reasons to Hire a Consultant

1. The Bottom Line

Hiring an employee instead of an independent adds at least 20% to 33%, and often more, to total payroll costs. In addition to employee salary and other compensation, there are significant “hidden costs”, payroll taxes, unemployment, and workers compensation insurance and employee benefits such as health and dental insurance, paid vacations, sick leave, retirement benefits, and life or disability insurance.

2. Hourly Rate is More Economical

You save money by hiring a consultant; even one paid more per hour than employees. Up to 33% of hidden costs on top of employee salaries are avoided. A consultant can often do the job faster and more effectively than an employee without specific technical expertise and the right connections.

Speed, accuracy and effectiveness require less of your hourly cost in supervision, correction and loss of productivity and your hourly rate is most likely the highest.

3. Avoid Headaches and Potential Lawsuits.

Hiring Independents reduces exposure to potential lawsuits, such as those alleging discrimination or wrongful termination.

A wrong hire can lead to costly HR requirements and law compliance, actually preventing you from undoing a “bad” hire.

4. Maintain Flexibility Without Long Term Exposure.

You hire a consultant to handle a specific project, gaining specialized expertise for a short time period without the potential severance costs and lawsuits from terminating an employee.

5. Save Time and Expense Involved in Training Employees.

You won’t encounter resistance and potential sabotage when employees operate out of their comfort zone or level of expertise.

6. Expand and Contract Workforce as needed.

7. Access the Latest in Resources and Equipment Without Owning and

ayroll taxes, unemployment, and workers compensation insurance and employee benefits such as health and dental insurance, paid vacations, sick leave, retirement benefits, and life or disability insurance.

2. Hourly Rate is More Economical

You save money by hiring a consultant; even one paid more per hour than employees. Up to 33% of hidden costs on top of employee salaries are avoided. A consultant can often do the job faster and more effectively than an employee without specific technical expertise and the right connections.

Speed, accuracy and effectiveness require less of your hourly cost in supervision, correction and loss of productivity and your hourly rate is most likely the highest.

3. Avoid Headaches and Potential Lawsuits.

Hiring Independents reduces exposure to potential lawsuits, such as those alleging discrimination or wrongful termination.

A wrong hire can lead to costly HR requirements and law compliance, actually preventing you from undoing a “bad” hire.

4. Maintain Flexibility Without Long Term Exposure.

You hire a consultant to handle a specific project, gaining specialized expertise for a short time period without the potential severance costs and lawsuits from terminating an employee.

5. Save Time and Expense Involved in Training Employees.

You won’t encounter resistance and potential sabotage when employees operate out of their comfort zone or level of expertise.

6. Expand and Contract Workforce as needed.

7. Access the Latest in Resources and Equipment Without Owning and

duces exposure to potential lawsuits, such as those alleging discrimination or wrongful termination.

A wrong hire can lead to costly HR requirements and law compliance, actually preventing you from undoing a “bad” hire.

4. Maintain Flexibility Without Long Term Exposure.

You hire a consultant to handle a specific project, gaining specialized expertise for a short time period without the potential severance costs and lawsuits from terminating an employee.

5. Save Time and Expense Involved in Training Employees.

You won’t encounter resistance and potential sabotage when employees operate out of their comfort zone or level of expertise.

6. Expand and Contract Workforce as needed.

7. Access the Latest in Resources and Equipment Without Owning and Paying for it.

Consultants typically have their own resources, including transportation, and the latest in computers, laptops, software and mobile phones. You avoid costly expenditures for owning, leasing and long term contracts, or worse, having employees trying to function without proper equipment needed for the task.

8. Maximize Efficiency.

Your consultant is producing product, not interacting in staff meetings, producing reports or other documentation.

9. Stabilize Insurance Costs.

You are not paying for health or other employee and dependent insurance, nor are you paying for unemployment or tying up personnel tracking COBRA benefits for 18 months for former employees.

10. Retain and Attract Employees.

You will have greater retention and attraction of top talent if you are a company that is Known for Hiring Resources as Needed rather than Overburdening already Potentially Stressed Staff.