Fractional work

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Fractional work (also known as fractional employment, fractional professionals or fractional executives ) refers to a work arrangement where an individual provides specialized skills or management services to multiple organizations on a part-time or project basis. This work model has gained popularity in recent years due to the increasing demand for flexible and cost-effective solutions for businesses to access specific expertise. [1]

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Difference between fractional work, part-time and contractor work

Part-time employment or a part-time job typically involves working fewer hours than a full-time employee, usually less than 35 hours per week. Part-time employees are usually entitled to receive some of the same benefits as full-time employees, such as holiday pay, sick pay and pro-rata pension scheme. However, they may not receive all the same benefits as full-time employees and may not have the same job security. [2]

Working as a contractor involves working on a short-term basis for a specific project or service, often as an independent contractor or freelancer. Contractors are usually paid on a project basis or hourly rate and are responsible for paying their own taxes and expenses. Contractors typically work on a project basis and have more control over their schedule and work arrangements.

Fractional work [3] is a newer term that refers to working either part-time or full-time, but not in a traditional job with a single employer. Instead, fractional workers work for multiple clients or employers, usually remotely, and may offer specialized expertise. Fractional work can be project-based or ongoing, and may involve a higher level of autonomy and flexibility than traditional part-time employment.

Types of fractional workers

Fractional executives are experienced professionals who hold executive roles (CxO), such as CEO, CFO, CMO, CIO, or COO, in multiple organizations simultaneously. They offer strategic guidance and management expertise to companies that may not require or cannot afford a full-time executive. [4] The common factor is that these CxO professionals have held these positions before at other start-up, scale-up or corporate companies before.

Fractional professionals are experts in specific fields, such as finance, marketing, human resources, or information technology, who provide their specialized skills and services to multiple clients. They typically work on a contract or project basis and can be found across various industries.

Fractional freelancers are self-employed individuals (self-employment) who offer their skills and expertise in specific areas on a per-project basis. They usually have a diverse clientele, which may include businesses, non-profit organizations, or even individuals.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Employment</span> Relationship between employee and employer

Employment is a relationship between two parties regulating the provision of paid labour services. Usually based on a contract, one party, the employer, which might be a corporation, a not-for-profit organization, a co-operative, or any other entity, pays the other, the employee, in return for carrying out assigned work. Employees work in return for wages, which can be paid on the basis of an hourly rate, by piecework or an annual salary, depending on the type of work an employee does, the prevailing conditions of the sector and the bargaining power between the parties. Employees in some sectors may receive gratuities, bonus payments or stock options. In some types of employment, employees may receive benefits in addition to payment. Benefits may include health insurance, housing, and disability insurance. Employment is typically governed by employment laws, organization or legal contracts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Temporary work</span> Type of employment

Temporary work or temporary employment refers to an employment situation where the working arrangement is limited to a certain period of time-based on the needs of the employing organization. Temporary employees are sometimes called "contractual", "seasonal", "interim", "casual staff", "outsourcing", and "freelance"; or the words may be shortened to "temps". In some instances, temporary, highly skilled professionals refer to themselves as consultants. Increasingly, executive-level positions are also filled with interim executives or fractional executives.

Freelance, freelancer, or freelance worker, are terms commonly used for a person who is self-employed and not necessarily committed to a particular employer long-term. Freelance workers are sometimes represented by a company or a temporary agency that resells freelance labor to clients; others work independently or use professional associations or websites to get work.

A consultant is a professional who provides advice or services in an area of specialization. Consulting services generally fall under the domain of professional services, as contingent work.

A fractional chief information officer differs from a traditional chief information officer in that they serve as a working member of a company's executive management team as a contractor and may or may not serve on the company's board of directors. A fractional CIO, also known as a part-time CIO, parachute CIO, or CIO on-demand, is an experienced, multi-faceted professional who serves as the part-time chief information officer of a small or medium-sized business that otherwise could not afford or would not need a full-time executive to hold the position of chief information officer. A virtual CIO or vCIO may have a similar role, but the term virtual suggests that the individual is not present in the organisation on the same basis as an employed executive. An interim CIO is generally retained for a limited time period, often to oversee a specific project or to cover an interregnum. As with traditional CIOs, a fractional CIO often helps with technology roadmaps, business process improvements, and business technology strategy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salary</span> Form of periodic payment from an employer to an employee

A salary is a form of periodic payment from an employer to an employee, which may be specified in an employment contract. It is contrasted with piece wages, where each job, hour or other unit is paid separately, rather than on a periodic basis. Salary can also be considered as the cost of hiring and keeping human resources for corporate operations, and is hence referred to as personnel expense or salary expense. In accounting, salaries are recorded in payroll accounts.

An independent contractor is a person, business, or corporation that provides goods or services under a written contract or a verbal agreement. Unlike employees, independent contractors do not work regularly for an employer but work as required, when they may be subject to law of agency. Independent contractors are usually paid on a freelance basis. Contractors often work through a limited company or franchise, which they themselves own, or may work through an umbrella company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Part-time job</span> Form of employment that carries fewer hours per week than a full-time job

A part-time job is a form of employment that carries fewer hours per week than a full-time job. Workers are commonly considered to be part-time if they work fewer than 30 hours per week. Their hours of work may be organised in shifts. The shifts are often rotational.

Permatemp is a United States term for a temporary employee who works for an extended period for a single staffing client. The word is a portmanteau of the words permanent and temporary.

Contingent work, casual work, gig work or contract work, is an employment relationship with limited job security, payment on a piece work basis, typically part-time that is considered non-permanent. Although there is less job security, freelancers often report incomes higher than their former traditional jobs.

Interim management is the temporary provision of management resources and skills. Interim management can be seen as the short-term assignment of a proven heavyweight interim executive manager to manage a period of transition, crisis or change within an organization. In this situation, a permanent role may be unnecessary or impossible to find on short notice. Additionally, there may be nobody internally who is suitable for, or available to take up, the position in question.

Competence is the set of demonstrable personal characteristics or KSAOs that enable job performance at a high level with consistency and minimal difficulty. Competency in human resources is an organizational criterion for excellence that encompasses the behaviors, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities that enable employees to perform their roles effectively and reliably.

A chief information security officer (CISO) is a senior-level executive within an organization responsible for establishing and maintaining the enterprise vision, strategy, and program to ensure information assets and technologies are adequately protected. The CISO directs staff in identifying, developing, implementing, and maintaining processes across the enterprise to reduce information and information technology (IT) risks. They respond to incidents, establish appropriate standards and controls, manage security technologies, and direct the establishment and implementation of policies and procedures. The CISO is also usually responsible for information-related compliance. The CISO is also responsible for protecting proprietary information and assets of the company, including the data of clients and consumers. CISO works with other executives to make sure the company is growing in a responsible and ethical manner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Employment agency</span> Organization which matches employers to employees

An employment agency is an organization which matches employers to employees. In developed countries, there are multiple private businesses which act as employment agencies and a publicly funded employment agency.

Executive search is a specialized recruitment service which organizations pay to seek out and recruit highly qualified candidates for senior-level and executive jobs across the public and private sectors, as well as non-profit organizations. Headhunters may also seek out and recruit other highly specialized and/or skilled positions in organizations for which there is strong competition in the job market for the top talent, such as senior data analysts or computer programmers.

On-the-job training is an important topic of human resource management. It helps develop the career of the individual and the prosperous growth of the organization. On-the-job training is a form of training provided at the workplace. During the training, employees are familiarized with the working environment they will become part of. Employees also get a hands-on experience using machinery, equipment, tools, materials, etc. Part of on-the-job training is to face the challenges that occur during the performance of the job. An experienced employee or a manager are executing the role of the mentor who through written, or verbal instructions and demonstrations are passing on his/her knowledge and company-specific skills to the new employee. Executing the training on at the job location, rather than the classroom, creates a stress-free environment for the employees. On-the-job training is the most popular method of training not only in the United States but in most of the developed countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, etc. Its effectiveness is based on the use of existing workplace tools, machines, documents and equipment, and the knowledge of specialists who are working in this field. On-the-job training is easy to arrange and manage and it simplifies the process of adapting to the new workplace. On-the-job training is highly used for practical tasks. It is inexpensive, and it doesn't require special equipment that is normally used for a specific job. Upon satisfaction of completion of the training, the employer is expected to retain participants as regular employees.

vWorker Employment website for freelancers

vWorker was an employment website that enabled companies to outsource projects and independent contractors to find work. Together with Elance, Freelancer.com, Guru.com, and Upwork, it was one of the largest global freelance marketplaces of its kind. It organized and streamlined the management of outsourced employees.

Fractional executives are professionals who offer their management services to organizations on a for-hire, part-time basis, also known as fractional work. These executives typically have extensive experience in a business environment in roles such as chairperson, owner, CxO, senior vice president, vice president, or director. Their skills can be focused in one discipline or be more broad-based, depending on their experience.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gig worker</span> Independent on-demand temporary workers

Gig workers are independent contractors, online platform workers, contract firm workers, on-call workers, and temporary workers. Gig workers enter into formal agreements with on-demand companies to provide services to the company's clients.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Side job</span> Additional job providing extra income

A side job, also informally called a side hustle or side gig, is an additional job that a person takes in addition to their primary job in order to supplement their income. Side jobs may be done out of necessity, when one's income from their main job is insufficient to support them, or simply out of a desire to earn more income. Working a side job can also, informally, be called moonlighting, usually when it is performed after normal working time. A side job can be a full-time job, part-time contract, or freelance work, and a person can hold more than one side job.

References

  1. "What is Fractional Hiring, US Chamber of Commerce". 13 October 2021.
  2. "The Difference Between Contract, Part-time and Full-time workers, US Chamber of Commerce". 24 August 2021.
  3. "An Introduction to Fractional Hiring". 22 March 2021.
  4. "Kluseconomie dringt door tot bestuurskamer".