Case Study | Building Efficiency Services Client

Situation Synopsis:

Improved efficiency and cost-effectiveness through direct account servicing; Establishing engineering contracting as a viable strategic staffing option; Low Black Diamond Network employee turnover based on contractor engagement.

This Black Diamond client specializing in environment controls was acquired by a larger company and as a result came under the umbrella of a corporate managed staffing arrangement with a global general staffing company.  Being remotely situated and having experienced downsizing versus growth for several years, the client’s operation was not closely supported by this managed staffing company.

When demand for this client’s products ticked up in 2009 creating a need for additional engineering resources, the client struggled to acquire suitable talent.  Black Diamond spotted the opportunity to support their contract engineering needs but was directed to work through their managed staffing partner.  It became clear early on, that this channel arrangement was imposing drag on the client’s ability to meet its needs in a timely and cost-effective manner.  We worked in tandem with their administration to carve out a direct servicing process, vastly improving hiring turnaround and reducing cost.

Challenges:

Because the client’s engineering management had not been a significant user of engineering contract staff in the past, there was resistance to using indirect staff and misperceptions about the quality and dedication of outside workers.  In addition there was weak institutional knowledge as to how to effectively deploy contract work assignments and work with contractors.

Actions:

Over the course of several site visits, and after employing our expertise in contract staffing administration, we worked with the client’s engineering and administrative management to create a process structure and environment of successful contract work.  The results have been so positive that Black Diamond is now the primary contract engineering resource vendor for this client and contract engineers are an integral part of its staffing strategy.

Results:

This client being remotely located requires that most contract resources be brought in from outside the area.  Understanding that we were building a contingent workforce at the client that would be working far from home for a considerable period of time, we made sure to maintain close communication and regular visits with our contractors in order to understand their  needs and concerns, and maximize their comfort and sense of belonging. The result has been an exceptionally low turnover rate, with contractors working through multiple extensions and being highly lauded for their dedication and contributions.

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