Effectively resourcing projects throughout their different stages can be challenging for any organisation. Where project managers don’t have these accessible skills in-house or are managing a tight headcount, projects can be hindered by a lack of continuity of staff. 

Why does this matter? 

With continuity on a project team, knowledge and capabilities are built over time. This increases productivity, improves communication and minimises mistakes, resulting in better outcomes. Ultimately, this improves team morale because individuals are not constantly training a new person or overcompensating for another team member’s knowledge or skill gaps. 

Balpara recognises how important continuity is and has assisted many of our clients to solve this problem through our secondments program. 

How does it work? 

Balpara seconds an employee to a project with the relevant skill set, either for a specific project or to undertake a particular task. They may work on-site, or at Balpara’s office, or in a hybrid capacity depending on customer requirements, and are supported by the team at Balpara. Generally, the secondee will have serviced the client previously, or Balpara will train them in-house on client specific protocols prior to commencement. 

A major benefit of Balpara’s secondment program is that our clients can access the same individual when they need them throughout the project. 

What does a secondment look like? 

More typical examples are in the technical sphere. For example, Balpara placed a secondee with a client team after spending just over a month in incubation at Balpara, where they received relevant training not just to the role but client process. This enabled them to hit the ground running when they started with the team in a design maintenance function. In this instance, the secondee remains in this team more than two years later. During their time, they have worked closely with the Balpara team, who have provided technical advice as required. 

In a different example, Balpara seconded a technical person in a project administration function in a client’s office. This secondee was never intended to be with the client for the length of time they were, but their impact resulted in an extended contract for almost two years. After the secondment, they have returned to Balpara office and continue to work with the Balpara team to help improve our service delivery to the client. 

If you would like to know more about how Balpara’s secondment service can assist your business, contact us today.