Labour hire vs contractor: what’s the difference and how does KOTTEK work?

When it comes to sourcing an external workforce labour solution, not all options are created equal.

At KOTTEK, we provide premium industrial maintenance labour specialising in electrical and instrumentation technicians.

However, we work differently to standard contractors and labour hire agencies and offer large-scale facilities the peace of mind when they need to replace staff or if they are looking for more permanent workforce options.

Labour hire vs contractor: what’s the difference?

It’s important to understand the difference between a contractor and labour hire when seeking a workforce solution for your large-scale facility, as the two options can vary greatly.

Here’s an overview:

Contractor

Contractors are usually engaged by a builder or construction company to assume ownership of an entire section of a specific project.

Contractors may be a company or are self-employed and offer their services to a business under an agreed contract. They are generally responsible for the labour, materials, machinery, tools, and delivery of their assigned work.

The benefit of using a contractor is that they can take full responsibility for their section of the job and also manage the delivery and allocation of the materials required for the job.

Contractors often specialise in a niche industry and offer a high availability of workers in that area, and because they are bound by contractual agreements, contractors will often have more control over the staff they bring in to work on a specific project.

Labour hire

Labour hire, also known as labour hire companies, are engaged as needed to assist with an entire worksite, including working alongside various contractors and other staff at that site. Generally, they are not responsible for a specific area of the worksite or a specific project and providing machinery or materials.

Labour hire agencies engage workers and hire them out to businesses that require their skills and services within that business setting.

One of the biggest benefits of using a labour hire provider is that they allow complete flexibility as a project evolves, meaning the number of workers can scale up or down, as needed. The businesses hiring them can therefore customise the provision of labour to suit their unique requirements.

Labour hire agencies offer convenience as there is usually one point of contact at the agency, making it easier for the hiring manager or site manager to coordinate their workforce.

The labour hire provider will also handle all of the recruitment and payroll for the workers, meaning the business hiring them saves a significant amount of time and internal admin that would otherwise be required to get those aspects of the job done.

How we work at KOTTEK: our workforce labour solutions

At KOTTEK, we operate as a specialist contractor that supplies workforce labour to large-scale industrial facilities, helping facilities to run safely and seamlessly.

We mainly provide maintenance technicians on a labour hire basis and cater to additional services that a typical electrical or instrumentation contractor would provide.

While we don’t strictly fit into the box of either a contractor or labour hire agency – we offer a hybrid of both – we are renowned for our specialist services in providing high quality technicians for maintenance work in a consistent and ongoing capacity.

As a specialist contractor, KOTTEK’s mission is to keep our major industries thriving with the most reputable workforce.

We work with hydrogen, gas, chemical manufacturing, power plants, major hazardous facilities, large-scale manufacturing, food and beverage facilities, and water and treatment facilities across Melbourne and Victoria.

As a specialist provider of maintenance services, our workers can perform regular service checks, such as instrument calibrations, and will supply all required equipment and tools to get the job done.

We’re also known for providing regular workers at the same facility, meaning they become deeply familiar with a worksite and its procedures and equipment, meaning they can resolve breakdowns and other issues quickly and efficiently.

Whatever your electrical and instrumentation requirements, we’ll match you to technicians with the best qualifications, experience, and drive to keep your facility running safely, efficiently and profitably.

Our workforce includes electricians, instrumentation technicians, dual trade electrical and instrumentation, high-voltage switching operators, maintenance supervisors and team leaders.

We work with businesses to provide the kind of staff they need, whether that be for short or long-term engagements, allowing for flexibility to adjust the workforce as needed.

One of the biggest advantages of using a specialist contractor like KOTTEK is that we’ll give your business peace of mind and a back-up plan in those moments of need.

When you need technicians to cover emergency situations like breakdowns, when you need to replace usual staff that are on leave, retiring or made redundant, or when you simply want more continuity in your workforce to avoid downtime at your facility, KOTTEK can help outsource your workforce.

Need workforce labour solutions? Contact KOTTEK today

Whether you need specialised electrical and instrumentation technicians or want a plan in place to cover shutdowns and breakdowns when they occur, KOTTEK is the solution.

To learn more about the benefits of using our workforce labour solution, give us a call on 1300 KOTTEK (56 88 35) or send us details via our contact form here.