FACT SHEET

CONTINGENT WORKFORCE PROGRAMME MATURITY ASSESSMENT

Quickly benchmark your programme against industry best practices and uncover opportunities to improve performance, cost optimisation, and scalability.

Every organisation’s contingent workforce programme sits somewhere on a maturity curve, from ad hoc and reactive to fully integrated and strategic. Understanding where your programme stands is the first step toward reducing risk, improving visibility, and getting more value from your non-employee workforce.

This assessment walks through six key questions covering programme governance, decision-making, visibility, accountability, compliance, and business impact. Your answers map to one of five maturity stages, each with tailored guidance on how Atrium can help you move forward.

1

DO YOU HAVE ANY FORMAL MANAGED SERVICE PROVIDER (MSP) OR NON-FTE WORKFORCE PROGRAMME IN PLACE?

A

No formal programme exists. It’s mostly handled ad hoc.

B

Some early programmes exist, but they’re inconsistent across teams.

C

A formal programme exists and is used across most of my organisation.

D

We have a fully integrated programme covering non-FTE labour at scale.

E

We have a unified strategy across employee and non-FTE talent.

2

HOW ARE CONTINGENT WORKFORCE DECISIONS TYPICALLY DRIVEN?

A

Cost and urgency. We fix things as issues come up.

B

Tactical decisions, but influenced by limited data.

C

Shared governance led by TA or Strategic Sourcing.

D

Proactive, cross-functional governance with executive backing.

E

Enterprise-level strategy tied to business, talent, and brand outcomes.

3

HOW MUCH VISIBILITY DO YOU HAVE INTO YOUR NON-EMPLOYEE WORKFORCE?

A

Very little. Data is scattered or unavailable.

B

Some reports exist, but data lives in silos.

C

Reasonable visibility with growing integration.

D

Full, enterprise-wide visibility across systems.

E

Real-time and predictive insights used for planning and optimisation.

4

HOW CLEAR ARE ROLES, OWNERSHIP, AND ACCOUNTABILITY?

A

Not clear. Ownership changes based on relationships.

B

Some roles defined, but inconsistently followed.

C

Governance mostly defined, but executive alignment varies.

D

Clear, proactive governance with consistent executive engagement.

E

Governance embedded into how the business operates.

5

HOW WELL ARE COMPLIANCE, RISK, AND BEST PRACTICES MANAGED?

A

Often reactive or overlooked.

B

Addressed unevenly depending on the team.

C

Generally managed, but not always consistently.

D

Strong controls and processes across the programme.

E

Risk, compliance, and diversity goals are proactively optimised.

6

WHAT BUSINESS IMPACT DOES YOUR MSP PROGRAMME DELIVER?

A

Primarily cost savings, when visible.

B

Tactical improvements, but limited long-term value.

C

Scalable value, though strategic impact is inconsistent.

D

Measurable business impact across multiple objectives.

E

Strategic advantage tied to talent optimisation and employer brand.

SCORING GUIDE
  • Select one answer (A-E) for each of the six questions.
  • Count how many times you selected each letter.
  • The letter you chose most often represents your programme’s current maturity stage.
  • If there’s a tie, select the most advanced stage or review your responses to determine which best reflects your overall programme.
A
AD HOC STAGE:
Ungoverned & Provisional
B
EMERGING STAGE:
Inconsistent & Tactical
C
DEFINED STAGE:
Centralised & Contained
D
INTEGRATED MODEL:

Distributed & Empowered

E
STRATEGIC STAGE:
Fully Integrated & Enterprise-wide
ASSESSMENT RESULTS
A
AD HOC STAGE:

Ungoverned & Provisional

You’re operating in a reactive stage with limited structure.

Your current approach has low visibility and elevated risk, with inconsistent, cost-driven processes that often overlook compliance and industry best practices. A more strategic, unified framework would help bring clarity, control, and long-term stability to your contingent workforce programme.

LEARN HOW TO DO MORE WITH AN MSP
B
EMERGING STAGE:
Inconsistent & Tactical

You’re currently in the early stages of programme development.

Some foundational processes are starting to take shape, but they remain siloed and inconsistent, leading to limited visibility and tactical outcomes. Data gaps are widening, and a growing shadow workforce is emerging as departments create their own disconnected solutions. Without an integrated approach, risks increase and opportunities for efficiency and control are left on the table.
YOUR ROADMAP TO A NEXT-GEN MSP
C
DEFINED STAGE:

Centralised & Contained

You’re currently operating with a more structured, scalable programme.

Talent Acquisition and Strategic Sourcing are providing strong governance, and the programme is becoming more consistent and integrated. You’re gaining a clearer view of your contingent workforce and the value it delivers, but uneven executive engagement and internal politics are slowing momentum and limiting progress toward broader strategic goals. With stronger alignment at the top, the programme could mature quickly and deliver far greater impact.
IMPROVE OVERSIGHT WITH THIS TEMPLATE
D
INTEGRATED MODEL:
Distributed & Empowered

You’re currently operating with strong, proactive governance and solid executive sponsorship.

Your programme offers an integrated view of non-employee talent, supported by reliable systems, consistent processes, and data-driven decision-making that delivers meaningful business impact. There’s still room to elevate maturity by strengthening advanced analytics, deepening cross-functional collaboration, and continually refining governance to stay ahead of evolving demands.
ELEVATE YOUR PROGRAMME & CUT COSTS
E
STRATEGIC STAGE:
Fully Integrated & Enterprise-wide
You’re currently operating with a fully integrated, insight-driven talent strategy.

You’ve unified employee and non-employee labour into a cohesive ecosystem powered by real-time and predictive insights. Your organisation embraces a strategic, enterprise-wide mindset that drives cost optimisation, strengthens workforce diversity, and elevates employer brand value. Continued maturity will come from deepening advanced analytics, expanding cross-functional alignment, and refining integration practices to stay ahead of evolving talent demands.

EXPLORE 2026 WORKFORCE TRENDS

NEXT STEPS

Wherever your programme falls on the maturity curve, the next step is to get a clear, structured view of what a well-run MSP programme should include before you go to market or renew with a provider. Atrium’s MSP RFP Readiness Checklist walks you through the criteria, questions, and benchmarks to evaluate, so you can build a programme (or select a partner) with confidence. From building a first-generation programme to modernising an existing programme, our MSP solutions deliver clarity and accountability to any stage of your contingent workforce strategy.

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*The information provided in this fact sheet does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available here are for general information purposes only.