CWS 3.0: April 3, 2013

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CCWP Certification: Is It Good for Everyone?

Certified Contingent Workforce Professional (CCWP), what is your role and why is it something you might want to consider for your career development?

Earning the certification means you have achieved a standard level of competency associated with managing a contingent workforce program. This certification articulates a standard language, methodology and measurement parameters that provide a framework to manage your program.

If you are responsible for a contingent workforce program, this certification will represent your competency as it relates to all major components associated with managing a contingent workforce program.

So how does a contingent workforce manager convince his or her company to invest in this certification?

Companies benefit by supporting their managers’ career development via certification as well. It can be seen as a way to drive employee engagement and retention. Let’s face it, the role of a contingent workforce manager isn't easy and is rarely glamorous. Being able to add this certification to your name can elevate the level of professionalism and drive employee satisfaction.

Beyond that, elevating your level of competency regarding the management of the contingent workforce gives you the tools and standard language to present the value of the program in ways that maximize quality, efficiency, while minimizing the cost and risk. In short, you’ll run your program better.

The benefits of certification for either a corporate program manager or the MSP staff are rather obvious, but what about your staffing providers? Staffing suppliers don’t have to deal directly with the management of a preferred supplier list nor other stakeholders in your program. But a benefit of them being Certified Contingent Workforce Professionals is that the supplier would speak the same language as you and your MSP, resulting in better communication and a more effective business relationship. Fortunately, staffing providers are also eligible for the certification program and those that have been through the program have used their knowledge to make practical changes to their staffing delivery model. It helps give them a perspective on the criteria that drives their client’s success. The more staffing representatives gain an understanding of the talent acquisition process managed by the program, the more they can adjust their business processes to maximize success while delivering staffing services through a managed program.

The two-day course covers 11 modules: 

1) The balance between HR and procurement to build a strategy that supports a balance between quality, efficiency, cost, and risk.

2) Defining a contingent workforce strategy introducing the Contingent Workforce Optimization Roadmap and Program Maturity Model. This module helps you identify your current and desired state of your program and explore various sourcing models/rate structures to support your program.

3) Designing and measuring quality and contingent workforce program value to manage the connection between talent quality and ROI drivers for your program. Utilizing standardized quality metrics to set service levels and monitor continuous process improvement.

4) Identifying and managing risks associated with the contingent workforce. An in-depth discussion on independent contractors, exempt/non-exempt worker classifications and FSLA requirements.

5) Understanding the balance between cost and quality. This module goes into the detailed math behind contingent workforce statutory costs, gross margin, and markup. 

6) Managing change, program implementation and program adoption. The multiple moving parts that are involved with getting a program implemented and managing change to achieve the goal of program adoption.

7) Analyzing and acting upon quality and efficiency data to identify root cause and implement changes to impact quality.

8) Managing staffing partner performance to achieve higher talent quality metrics and enhance supplier performance. This module covers supplier scorecards and performance reviews.

9) Contingent workforce program maturity model to identify the stage your program is in and the steps to expanded scope and delivery.

10) Elements and components of contingent workforce contracts and what parts mean to the business and how to balance risk with your contracts.

11) Finalizing your contingent workforce action plan by taking what you've learned in the course to help improve quality, efficiencies, cost and risk management in your own program.

At the end of the day, the certification program provides a set of industry recommended tools to standardize best practices, utilize a common language, and outlines a road map for continuous improvement across your program.

Take the course, pass the test and get certified. Get “CCWP” after your name and be an industry leader.