Almost-Employee
There are several reasons why almost-employees are almost better than employees. Often, almost-employees are cheaper than employees. Another advantage for employers is that almost-employees are more disposable than employees. Another is that they might not be on the tally of the official payroll, . . . which means that your government department or multinational's subsidiary can both grow and shrink simultaneously. Almost-employees are the almost-perfect almost-solution for many businesses. The almost-typical business almost-always has some, and they are especially helpful for start-up almost-companies. Almost-employees have been the wave of the future for almost-ever.
Companies large and small are reaching out to them, and they are reaching back. Almost-employees are the almost-best part of almost-Capitalism.
Types/Categories
1. Contractors: Someone working "at arm's length" from the organization requiring the work. (Some IT personnel, some lawyers, some accountants, whole contracting companies, mercenaries, Private Investigators.)
2. Part-timers: People working less than thirty hours a week at a job. (People working two or more jobs, students working part-time, an unemployed person looking for full-time employment in another field, anyone who is semi-retired and just looking for a little extra cash.)
3. Illegals: Those not authorized to work. (Illegal immigrants, child labor, anyone on the lamb.)
4. Offshore workers: You hire them through someone. You might not even know that you're doing that, you might just think that it is some internet company doing something here somehow, at an unexpectedly-low cost to you.
5. Deadwood: An employee not pulling their weight. (Those who should be fired, those who need to be inspired, those who work in a whole department that is not needed.)
Examples
Babysitters.
The people at the company that does your company's taxes.
More
The hows and whys of almost-employees often become political issues for as many reasons as there are almost-employees in the first place. For the almost-employee, working through a series of contract positions is a fast way to get ahead. For someone looking to limit the amount of time they spend working, this is great. Companies often pay a premium to keep people off their own payrolls, not under their own management, and not under their "benefits umbrella." Small start-up companies hire part-time or temporary help so as to avoid committing to the cost of a whole person year for some tasks that need doing but might not last.
Someone who is an almost-employee is almost always also an employee. They might be an employee of a contracting firm, or an employee of someone overseas, or an "employee" of their own company. Many part-time workers also have full-time employment elsewhere.
More Examples
Even almost-employees need to have something to do. What's he going to do, dig down into the Kellogg's almost-advertisement?
Hiring cartoon characters is sometimes cheaper.
Sometimes newer employees have more energy. (Step 1. Make the job really easy to do. Step 2. High turnover rate.)
Providing seats and offices helps keep up morale.
Are you watching this during an official work break? (Your company wants to know. See our Privacy Almost-policy link on the right. We'll never tell. But your company probably keeps track of the sites you go to.)
