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At CWS, we spoke with dozens of leaders navigating freelance and independent contractor management. The questions we heard again and again highlighted the same challenges: compliance, tech stack choices, and speed. Here’s a snapshot of the top questions — and how Worksome helps solve them.
Here are the top questions that our team answered across the conference floor
1. How is Worksome’s position on managing misclassification risk different?
Attendees worried about staying compliant while scaling independent talent with reduced onboarding times.
Our answer: Worksome provides built-in worker classification checks and ongoing compliance monitoring so risk is removed from hiring managers and freelancers. The difference maker at Worksome is that we take a 360-degree approach, pulling static business data from the worker, information from the client’s company policies for independent workers, and information on how the manager intends to work with the identified resource. Compliance doesn’t have to be complex, but it does have to be thorough.
2. What is an FMS, and where does it fit within my existing VMS or EOR tech stack?
An FMS is a Freelance Management System (sometimes also called a Freelance Management Software or Freelance Management Solution).
It is a technology platform designed to help companies centrally manage their freelancers and independent contractors. Think of it as the equivalent of a VMS (Vendor Management System) but built specifically for independent talent instead of staffing agencies.
Leaders asked how to avoid redundancy in their tech stack and how to correctly leverage FMS technology
Our answer: Worksome complements existing VMS/EOR by specifically managing freelancers and ICs, which is a gap those systems weren’t built for.
3. How do we move faster without breaking compliance rules?
Speed came up across industries, especially in creative and IT functions.Leaders said they can’t afford a 4-6 week onboarding cycle when project timelines are measured in days.
Our answer: With Worksome, speed and compliance aren’t in conflict. The platform automates much of the classification and onboarding workflow that usually drags out the process.
That means:
Workers can be classified, approved, and onboarded in days instead of weeks.
Compliance checks happen in the background — pulling in business data, company policy requirements, and project details — so nothing gets skipped.
Payments are streamlined, reducing back-and-forth between finance, legal, and hiring managers.
The result is a process that keeps pace with business needs while giving leaders peace of mind that compliance hasn’t been compromised.
4. How do I manage this new workforce of independent talent, like influencers, and high-profile IC’s?
More companies than ever are leveraging creative talent, influencers, and other high-profile individuals to broker relationships and make introductions. These workers don’t come with the amount of risk associated with other types of independents, and they’re generally not willing to jump through hoops to get to work. Enter Worksome - a simplified onboarding experience makes it quick and easy for this type of talent to be quickly hired and compliantly paid. Everyone wins.
5. How do we scale our IC program as it grows?
A lot of attendees shared that they’re still in early stages with IC management with a known need to scale in the future. A handful of contractors, no centralized system, but they know growth is coming. The concern is that what works for a dozen ICs today won’t work for hundreds tomorrow.
Our answer:
There’s no better time to start scaling than now! Worksome is built to grow with your program, whether you have ten ICs or thousands, if you’re just starting to centralize IC management into a single source of truth or already manage tens of millions in spend, the platform grows with your program. That means:
- Flexible workflows that adapt as you add more teams, geographies, and spend categories.
- Centralized visibility, so leaders can see risks and costs across the whole IC population.
- Global readiness, with compliance support across the globe.
Early adopters at CWS told us they want a system that won’t need to be replaced in 2 years, they want something future-ready that serves a workforce that is rapidly becoming more global. That’s exactly where Worksome fits.
CWS conversations confirmed what we see every day: organizations want to engage ICs on their terms, and do it with confidence and speed. We’re here to make that possible.
Ready to bring IC Management into your program? Get Started with a Worksome demo
