Definition and classification
External workforce covers all workers a company deploys without employing them itself – for example temporary workers, contractors for work and freelancers. It is the deliberately flexible part of the workforce with which companies respond to fluctuations and specialist needs.
The share of external workers is growing in many industries – and with it the need to manage them just as professionally as the permanent workforce.
What legal differences are there?
The form decides the rules: with Staff Leasing the AÜG, the licensing requirement and equal pay apply; with a statement of work the result owed is to the fore; with freelancers the distinction from False self-employment is central. Because these forms mix in daily practice, companies need one consistent overview.
How is an external workforce managed?
As the share of external workers rises, central management becomes decisive. A vendor management system brings together requirements, contracts, records and Compliance for every form of external workforce in one place – the basis for cost control and legal certainty.