Interim management and staffing are two different ways to temporarily deploy a professional, but they serve a different purpose. With interim management, you hire an experienced manager for a specific assignment, such as a transition, reorganization, or strategic project. Staffing involves temporarily lending an employee from another company or agency, often for executive or operational tasks. The choice depends on what your organization needs: leadership and expertise, or additional capacity. Below, we answer the most frequently asked questions about this distinction.
When do you choose interim management and when do you choose staffing?
You choose interim management when your organization temporarily needs an experienced professional who makes independent decisions, leads a team, or manages a strategic assignment. Staffing is the better choice when you need extra hands for operational tasks, without the person taking on a managerial role.
Interim management is deployed in situations such as a sudden absence of a director, a merger or acquisition, a digitalization project, or a period of organizational change. The interim manager has a clear mandate and works in a results-oriented way. He or she brings not only execution, but also vision and direction.
Staffing is better suited to a temporary peak in workload, a prolonged sick leave of an employee, or a project where you need extra technical or administrative support. The seconded professional works under the instructions of your own management and carries out tasks that you define internally.
What are the main differences in contract and liability?
The biggest contractual difference is the legal relationship. An interim manager typically works as a self-employed individual or through a management company and concludes a service agreement with your organization. A seconded employee remains employed by the staffing agency or secondment company, which acts as the employer and manages an employment contract.
Regarding liability, the interim manager bears personal responsibility for the quality of his or her work. You as the client set the objectives and the framework, but the interim manager is autonomous in execution. With staffing, the legal employer responsibility remains with the staffing company, even though you give daily instructions to the employee.
This also has implications for matters such as social security, insurance, and payroll processing. With staffing, the agency handles this entirely. With interim management through a self-employed professional, the professional is personally responsible for his or her social contributions and insurance.
Who bears the costs: what does interim management cost versus staffing?
Interim management is generally more expensive than staffing, but the added value lies in the level of expertise and the autonomy with which the professional works. You pay a day rate or project rate that covers all costs of the interim manager, including his or her overhead as a self-employed professional. There are no additional employer costs for you as the client.
With staffing, you pay an hourly or monthly rate to the staffing agency. This rate includes the employee’s salary plus a margin for the agency, which manages the employer costs, social contributions, and administration. The total cost picture is more transparent, but the profiles are also less senior.
The question is therefore not only what you pay, but what you get in return. An interim manager who successfully guides a reorganization or bridges a vacancy at director level delivers a different type of return than a seconded employee who takes over operational tasks.
How quickly can an interim manager or seconded professional start?
Both interim managers and seconded professionals can start relatively quickly, often within one to two weeks of the initial briefing. The speed depends on the availability of the profile, the complexity of the assignment, and how quickly the contractual arrangements are finalized.
For interim management, a good match requires somewhat more time, because the profile must align precisely with the assignment, the team, and the organizational culture. An interim manager who is appointed too quickly without a thorough briefing loses valuable time during onboarding.
With staffing, the start-up sometimes proceeds a little faster because the profiles do not need to be as specific and the administrative handling is standardized at the agency. But here too: the more clearly you as the client describe the needs, the faster and better the match comes together.
Can an interim assignment lead to a permanent hire?
Yes, an interim assignment can certainly lead to a permanent hire, but this is not the standard objective. In practice, it regularly happens that an interim manager integrates so well into the organization that both parties decide to convert the collaboration into a permanent role. This is sometimes called a “temp-to-perm” trajectory.
Whether this is possible depends on the contractual agreements made in advance. Some agreements contain a clause that allows a direct hire after the assignment, with or without a fee to the agency or intermediary. It is important to discuss this transparently before the assignment begins.
From a strategic perspective, an interim period also offers a unique opportunity: you get to know the professional in practice, in your specific context. If the collaboration works, you have the certainty that the person fits your team and organization before you enter into a permanent commitment.
How we help you with interim management
We connect organizations with experienced interim managers who are immediately deployable and make a concrete difference. Whether you need to temporarily fill a director-level position, guide a change process, or require expertise for a specific project, we ensure a targeted match that goes beyond a CV.
- We thoroughly map your needs and context before compiling a shortlist
- We select only profiles with proven experience at the requested level
- We support both you and the interim manager throughout the entire assignment
- We ensure clear contractual agreements, including possible progression to a permanent role
Would you like to know which profile best suits your situation? Get in touch and we will explore the best approach together.
