Contract Talent in Today’s Market: Insights from Altis Co-Founder Kathryn Tremblay

In today’s hiring landscape, organizations are balancing growth goals with economic uncertainty, evolving skill demands and shifting workforce expectations. One strategy gaining renewed attention is contract talent.

To explore why contract and fractional hiring are becoming such an important workforce strategy, we sat down with Kathryn Tremblay, Co-Founder and Owner of Altis, who has spent nearly four decades watching labour markets evolve.

From specialized project work to fractional leadership, Kathryn shares how contract professionals can help organizations stay flexible, access expertise faster, and manage workforce planning in uncertain times.

Prefer to watch instead of read? You can view the full interview here.

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The Interview

Q: You’ve spent decades watching the labour market evolve. Why should organizations today consider contract professionals as part of their workforce strategy?

Kathryn Tremblay:

“Well, you're right. Over 37 years, I’ve seen the labour market move from permanent to contract and back again. There’s always an ebb and flow.

What’s interesting right now is that we’re actually very busy in permanent staffing despite uncertainty in the market. Normally when uncertainty appears, our clients rush to contract or temporary roles. I think over the next year or two we’re going to see an increase in contract project work again.

The primary reason is flexibility and scalability. You may have a project that needs to get over the finish line. Or you need a knowledge worker with experience in a very specific area. That person can come in for four weeks, six weeks, four months, or a year.

In that arrangement, you’re not committing to a permanent employee. We are the employer in a T4 arrangement, and our clients benefit from the work getting done without having to manage things like records of employment, workers’ compensation, or onboarding. It really takes a lot of pressure off.

The other advantage is access to specialized resources. Technology is moving so fast that someone may already have experience with a tool that’s only been around for a few months. A contractor can come in, help your workforce understand it, and show real use cases.

In many ways, it’s a modern way to hire. In Europe, for example, many organizations operate with about 80% permanent staff and 20% flexible talent — temporary workers, contract specialists, co-ops, and project roles. It allows employers to ebb and flow.”

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Q: In what situations would you typically recommend contract hiring instead of permanent hiring?

Kathryn:

“Permanent hiring makes sense when you know you need a skill set for the long term — two to five years — and when someone can build their knowledge over time within the organization.

But contract hiring works very well when the situation is different.

For example, maybe your permanent workforce is already maxed out but you have a project that needs to get over the finish line. Or you need a skill your team doesn’t currently have.

It might also be a situation like maternity leave. If someone is taking ten months off, bringing in a contract professional can make much more sense than hiring someone permanently.

We also see this at the executive level. Perhaps a CFO is transitioning out and you bring in someone fractionally to bridge the gap. I recently saw a CFO on LinkedIn who works two days a week for one organization and is looking to supplement the other three days with another project. They bring two different lenses into two different organizations, which is quite interesting.”

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Q: Fractional leadership has become a big topic lately. When do you recommend organizations consider that model?

Kathryn:

“I would recommend it when you need senior-level thinking and experience but you’re not ready to commit to a full-time executive.

Sometimes organizations are still figuring out what they actually need. They may be testing job descriptions or recalibrating roles internally. In that situation, someone can come in for a couple of days a week, help solve a few specific issues, scale a team, and then move on.

You might bring someone in fractionally during a high-growth period to help build the structure. Then once everything is in place, you hire someone permanently.

We see fractional hiring most commonly in finance and accounting, HR, communications, and technology. Strategy advisors are also very common.

What’s nice is that it’s not the cost of a full-time resource and it’s not the same level of commitment. Hiring a full-time executive is a big contract. With fractional hiring, you can bring someone in, sign a confidentiality agreement, solve the problem together, and move forward.”

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Q: Some employers worry that contract workers won’t integrate well with their teams. What have you seen?

Kathryn:

“There are actually different ways to approach that.

Sometimes you don’t want full integration. If a team is already operating smoothly, you might just need help from the outside to complete specific work. In that case, you don’t necessarily want the burden of onboarding or integration.

In other situations — especially longer contracts — you might integrate the person more. We have contracts that run three or four years.

But you usually want to maintain a bit of distance because one of the reasons clients use contract talent is flexibility. You want to integrate them enough to be effective, but not so much that they become indistinguishable from permanent employees.”

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Q: How often do contract roles convert into permanent positions?

Kathryn:

“Yes, quite often in the private sector. About 40% of temporary and contract workers end up being hired permanently.

Sometimes organizations use contract hiring almost like a trial. They bring someone in to see how they perform. If they fit well and the work is excellent, they hire them.

In the public sector, that happens less frequently because there are more union and regulatory structures. But in the private sector it’s quite common.”

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Q: What’s a misconception employers often have about contract hiring?

Kathryn:

“I think many employers simply don’t understand the model.

There are different forms of contracting. In a temporary model, we are the employer. We handle the payroll, the employment records, and the screening process. Clients can have someone working within days.

In other cases, it’s a specialized contractor with a very specific skill — someone who might be billing $60 an hour or more for a particular expertise.

Our job is to have pre-screened candidates ready. That allows us to move much faster than a traditional permanent hiring process, which often includes multiple interviews, testing, and background checks.

With contract hiring, clients can quickly bring someone in, see what they can do, and get the work completed.”

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Q: Looking ahead, how do you think contract and fractional talent will shape the future of work?

Kathryn:

“I think if there has ever been a time when contract hiring makes sense, it’s now.

It allows organizations to manage costs. Instead of committing to a long-term salary, you might commit to a six-month project. You reduce benefit costs and HR overhead, but you still get the work done.

There’s something quite powerful about paying for exactly what you need. You’re not planning for a full-time role for two years — you’re bringing someone in for six months to complete a project.

Another important shift is coming from the talent side. Many professionals today see their skills as portable. They’re not always looking to stay in one job for five years. Some actually prefer contracts where they can come in, contribute, and move on to the next project.

Most organizations will likely continue with a balanced model — a stable permanent workforce combined with flexible contract talent.”

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Contract and fractional talent are no longer just temporary solutions. For many organizations, they are becoming a core part of workforce strategy.

Whether it’s accessing specialized expertise, managing uncertainty, or completing critical projects, flexible talent allows companies to move faster while keeping long-term hiring commitments in balance.

As Kathryn Tremblay explains, the future of work may not be fully permanent or fully contract — but a thoughtful combination of both.

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FAQ

What is contract hiring?

Contract hiring is when an organization brings in a professional for a specific period of time or project rather than hiring them as a permanent employee.

When should companies hire contract professionals?

Companies often hire contract professionals when they need specialized expertise, short-term project support, or additional capacity without committing to a long-term role.

What is fractional leadership?

Fractional leadership refers to senior professionals — such as CFOs, HR leaders, or technology executives — who work with organizations part-time to provide strategic expertise.

Can contract roles turn into permanent jobs?

Yes. In the private sector, many organizations use contract hiring as a way to evaluate talent before offering a permanent position.

Why is contract hiring growing?

Contract hiring is growing because it offers flexibility, faster access to specialized skills, and a way for organizations to manage costs and workforce planning during uncertain economic periods.

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Altis is a Canadian-owned staffing firm supporting organizations across the private and public sectors. We focus on relationship-driven recruitment, clear process and consistent delivery, helping employers hire with confidence and professionals build meaningful careers.