Did you Know your Contract Management Software Manages Contractor Compliance too?

Contract management software is more than just a system to store your contracts. It helps to organise other aspects of your contract lifecycles too – like people.

You’ve probably heard the saying; ‘just like herding cats’, it’s an idiom used to describe the difficult job of managing people with their own agendas, ideas and preferences (par for the course in most workplaces). Just like cats, people have a mind and will of their own, they also possess disparate skills and personalities, so finding a system to manage them and maintain compliance, especially when you have a big project to complete is of crucial importance.

Just like the problems that would surround herding real cats, a lot can go wrong when trying to manage human contractors, particularly when it comes to compliance. Read on to learn more about contract management software and managing your contractors’ compliance.

Inductions

Work health and safety legislation requires contractors who enter your premises to be   inducted first. This ensures they clearly understand the work environment, evacuations points and engagement policies. It also ensures they provide you with up-to-date licenses, training, insurances, police background checks, trade registrations and certificates to demonstrate they’re complying with the terms of their contract.

Back in the old days, before there was contract management software, systems ran differently. Induction information would be recorded manually. The day, time and authorising person would be written down on a piece of paper, placed in a file and stored away in a cabinet.

These days, some businesses continue to run on those manual systems, but the availability of contract management software, now allows information to be stored in a more accessible way. At WebCM we use a cloud-based SaaS (software as a service) system. This ensures it’s far easier and faster to locate your documents than a physical file, and if it’s needed at a moment’s notice, a few clicks is all it takes to have the details in front of you in seconds.  What’s more, you and your staff can access the information from any device (smartphone, tablet, laptop, desktop) provided it has an internet connection and the relevant security clearance has been given.

Automation

Don’t get caught out – Make sure your contractors are qualified to be at work! You and your contractors are busy people, which makes it more likely that important details will slip through the cracks – for example, licenses and registrations can easily expire without anyone noticing. Your organisation needs to ensure that a contractor’s licenses and registrations are up to date if they are to keep working. If they lapse and you are unaware, there may be consequences such as hefty fines that negatively affect your business.

Don’t leave it up to the contractor to let you know if their information needs updating – program your system to do it instead. With contract management software you’ll be reminded when licenses and registrations are coming up for renewal.

You’ll also be notified if a contractor has already slipped into non-compliance with their registrations, police checks or insurances. You’ll be able to notify the contractor that they need to prove they are qualified in order to continue undertaking the work they’ve agreed to. It’s then up to the contractor to provide the updated documentation you’ve requested so they can keep working.

Configuration

Rules, environments and procedures change, and your system needs to be flexible enough to keep up. COVID has caused us all to experience changes to our systems and workflow. Company policy may now require all staff and contractors to be vaccinated against COVID if they are to continue attending the workplace. Keeping track of vaccination status is important, but it’s also an enormous task if the right systems aren’t in place. This has become even more apparent with the recent vaccine booster requirements.

This is where configuring your system to your needs as they arise is invaluable. At WebCM we’ve developed a bespoke contract management software that can be configured to the individual needs of your business and updated when necessary. Whether it’s for the COVID vaccine or the flu shot, or any other compliance requirement, your system can be adapted to cover it.

At WebCM we know that not everyone has the skills (or time) to herd cats. This is why we developed software to do it for you. We also provide personalised support to get all aspects of your contracts organised. Contact our team today for a demo or try our system for 90 days – obligation-free.