The 2015 National Football League (NFL) season is (finally!) upon us, and there’s no better time to take a fun look at how today’s contingent workforce management (CWM) programs match up with the principles and standards of successful NFL teams. (And, yes, let’s avoid Deflategate, Spygate, and Headsetgate references throughout, okay?).

The hallmarks of top-tier football teams are numerous and varied, with each year’s Super Bowl winner holding characteristics that differ from the previous year’s Lombardi Trophy champion. Back in February, the high-octane offense (and much improved secondary) of the New England Patriots overcame Seattle’s stifling defense and league-best rushing attack…the same mix that secured the Seahawk’s victory over the Denver Broncos in the previous year’s big game.

If today’s contingent workforce management programs were football teams, what would be the common characteristics of true winners? Let’s take a look:

• The clutch, game-managing and team-leading quarterback = contingent workforce management automation (i.e. VMS). Today’s non-employee workforce is founded on varied complexities that necessitate automation and technology. Vendor Management System (VMS) platforms have proven their value throughout the years, and, like a Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, or Aaron Rodgers, these leading solutions are actively propelling their “teams” by managing all facets of contemporary CWM (from SOW to supplier management to analytics) while consistently helping users drive intelligence into their non-employee workforce.
• The hard-nosed defense = compliance and risk mitigation. Think of football history’s greatest teams, like the dynasty-era (2000s) Patriots, the 1970s Steelers, or the 1985 Chicago Bears. The commonality between them? A hard-nosed defense that relied on a stout defensive line and ball-hawking secondary. Football teams today consistently face the risk of giving up “the big play,” which is typically a long, streaming pass to a wide receiver. For CWM programs, giving up the big play is akin to letting the risk of non-compliance change the course of the “game.” As businesses continue to engage talent from around the globe, they sometimes ignore local labor laws or culture-specific issues that can have dire ramifications (such as audits or reclassification of independent contractors and other workers). Thus, a “defense” that is founded on compliance and mitigation can go a long way towards ultimate success.
• The grizzled head coach = the Chief Procurement Officer or Chief Human Resources Officer (or both). Every football team needs a leader in the film room, the locker room, and on the field. NFL head coaches pore over game film and build game-specific plans for their opponents. Today’s CWM programs require a leader that can understand how to develop the best “game-plan” for engaging talent, ensuring quality, controlling costs and compliance, and maintaining visibility and intelligence. Both CPO and HR leaders are best-equipped for leading CWM programs from all avenues (workforce/talent management and spend management) and improving deficiencies to ensure future success.

It’s always fun to compare the world of sports with that of the business world. At the end of the day, both football players and those tasked with running contingent workforce management programs are striving for the same thing: excellence.

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Tagged in: Chief Procurement Officer, Christopher Dwyer, Complex Categories, Contingent Workforce, CPO, People, Process, Strategy, Technology