Integrating contingent workers: A guide for growing teams

Not every worker wants a full-time job. And not every business needs one. Contingent workers are people who work on a short-term or contract basis. They’re not permanent employees. This group includes independent contractors, freelancers, consultants, and temporary workers.

Right now, they make up more than 35% of Australia’s workforce. That number’s only growing. People want more freedom, and businesses want more flexibility. That’s where this shift is heading.

For mid-sized companies, hiring contingent workers can help you fill gaps, get specialist skills on demand, and manage costs better. But only if you’ve got a solid plan and the right systems to back it up.

In this article, we discuss how to build a workforce plan that includes contingent roles. We explain how to successfully integrate contingent workers into your team. We also walk through why this shift is happening, and how Rippling and WorkTrybe can help.

Building a workforce plan that includes contingent roles

Before hiring contingent workers, you need to know where they fit. That means looking at the actual work ahead, for example, busy periods, new projects, and skill gaps, and asking: do we need a full-timer here, or can a contractor handle it?

A smart plan does more than list roles. It looks at how the work gets done, what skills are needed, and when. Sometimes a short-term contractor is a better fit than a long-term hire.WorkTrybe helps businesses figure this out. Rippling makes it easy to manage both contractors and employees in one system, with full visibility across roles and teams

How to seamlessly integrate contingent workers

Once you’ve got the plan, it’s time to bring your contingent workers in. Here’s how to do it right:

Step 1: Source the right people faster

Contractors aren’t full-time hires, so skip the multi-stage interviews. Know exactly what you need, like a bookkeeper for quarter-end or a UX contractor for a six-week sprint, and go to the right place to find them. Service providers like WorkTrybe can connect you with vetted, project-ready pros in days, not weeks.

Step 2: Onboard for speed and alignment

Freelancers don’t need a 40-page HR doc. But they do need to know who they report to, what tools to use, how they’ll get paid, and what success looks like. The smoother your onboarding flow, the quicker they’ll get to work. A good HRIS can automate this from day one.

Step 3: Make them part of the team

Treating contractors like outsiders slows everyone down. Give them access to the tools, docs, and conversations they need. Add them to team standups. Let them present in sprint reviews. Small things, like a shared Slack channel, can go a long way in helping them do their job well.

Step 4: Keep communication clear and continuous

Once the project kicks off, stay in sync. Weekly or fortnightly check-ins help everyone stay on track. And make sure feedback is tracked somewhere central, not stuck in someone’s notebook or lost in chat threads.

Step 5: Make workforce planning a habit

Don’t just ‘set and forget’ your contractor plan. Review it monthly. Who’s working? What’s ending soon? Where are the gaps? Who’s overworked? A workforce planning tool can give you visibility across roles, contracts, and spend so you’re not making blind hires or losing key people mid-project.

Why the contingent workforce is growing

More Australians are choosing freelance, contract, and temp roles. Not because they have to, but because they want to. Here’s why:

• More control over time and work: Contractors decide when they work, who they work with, and how much they take on. That kind of control is hard to find in permanent jobs, especially for parents, carers, or people juggling side gigs or study.
• Less interest in traditional perks: Many contractors would rather earn higher day rates than get paid leave or other employee benefits. Some already have private health cover or take breaks between projects instead of relying on annual leave.
• Faster, more varied career growth: Instead of climbing the ladder at one company, contractors build experience across multiple roles and industries. It’s real-world, hands-on learning, without the politics or slow promotions.
• It suits how people want to work now:  Some want flexibility. Others want freedom, income variety, or more creative say. Either way, more people are stepping away from traditional employment and designing a work life that actually works for them.

Why employers are embracing contingent talent

More businesses, especially mid-sized ones, are leaning on contingent workers to stay flexible and competitive. Here’s why:

• A faster way to fill skill gaps: Hiring full-timers with in-demand skills (like cybersecurity, IT, or marketing) can take months. Contractors let you tap into specialist talent, fast and without being limited by location or long hiring cycles.
• More flexibility, less commitment: Need extra hands for a project or seasonal bump? Contractors let you scale up or down without long contracts, overheads, or complex offboarding. 
• Less employment law stressors: Hiring employees across states or countries means battling with lots of legal rules. Contingent workers can reduce that load, if set up properly. Many companies turn to platforms with built-in HR, payroll, and contractor management to make the process easier. 
• Real cost savings: Full-time staff come with salary, super, leave, onboarding, training, and benefits. Contractors don’t. You only pay them for the work they do, making it a smart option for short-term or specialist roles.
• Quick access to experience: Need to move fast or get expert help? Contractors often come with broader experience and can hit the ground running. 
• A more responsive labour force: The mix is changing. Instead of a fixed headcount, more businesses are keeping a core team and filling the gaps with contingent labour. It gives them more control as things shift.

Nail your contingent workforce strategy with WorkTrybe and Rippling

Bringing contingent workers into your business involves more than simply filling a short-term gap. In essence, it's about building a smarter, more flexible workforce. But to do it well, you need two things: a clear strategy, and a system that makes it easy to put that strategy into action.

Enter WorkTrybe and Rippling.

WorkTrybe helps mid-sized businesses plan and build blended workforces, from permanent employees to contractors and everything in between. They can help you make the right call on when (and how) to bring contingent workers into the mix. Their team handles everything from workforce planning to talent sourcing, and they know the contractor market inside out.

Of course, planning is only part of the picture. You also need a platform that can support it. Ideally, one that can manage everything in one place, without messy workarounds or manual processes.

That’s where Rippling stands out. With Rippling, you can:

• Plan your workforce using built-in headcount planning tools
• Hire contingent workers in Australia or overseas, with or without a local entity
• Onboard contractors and employees through custom flows
• Manage all workers in one HRIS, with full visibility across teams and locations
• Pay contractors and employees through one global payroll system, with tax and compliance built in

Everything works together in one platform, from HR to Payroll, IT, and Spend management. This means fewer systems to battle with, fewer delays and errors, and less admin for your team.

Ready to build a workforce that actually fits the way your business runs? Talk to WorkTrybe to start planning your contingent strategy and book a Rippling demo to see how you can manage it all in one place.

Disclaimer: Rippling and its affiliates do not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide or be relied on for tax, accounting, or legal advice. You should consult your own tax, accounting, and legal advisors before engaging in any related activities or transactions.