Internal Controls and Incentive Schemes for Project Professionals [closed]

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I work with an organisation that hires professionals with temporary contracts that last for the length of the particular projects they are working on. At the moment, these contracts are usually just a fixed rate per day.

This situation creates an incentive for these contractors to sabotage the schedule of their projects, so that the project takes longer to complete, and thereby lengthen their contracts.

It does appear that this behaviour is going on. They are various techniques being used. A common one appears to be raising an "issue" or a "concern" which is actually bogus, or "making a mountain out of a molehill", but which nevertheless causes wasted time as this concern is addressed.

However, it is difficult for managers to know at the outset that an issue raised was not even worth investigation, and it could be the case that someone honestly raised a concern that turned out to not be a problem.

Although it is difficult to know for sure in any single instance that a contractor is sabotaging, it is clear from overall statistics that the practice goes on. (e.g. it happens more when the economy is down and contractors won't find another job).

So the question is this: Are there any internal controls that can be adopted to help deal with this behaviour? Is anyone aware of any incentive schemes/contract terms that could replace the fixed rate per day that have worked in dealing with this problem elsewhere?

contracts projects

share|improve this question

edited Oct 29 '15 at 11:19

asked Oct 29 '15 at 11:12

Miner_Glitch

1042

closed as off-topic by Lilienthal♦, scaaahu, panoptical, mcknz, gnat Oct 29 '15 at 18:36

This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:

• "Questions seeking advice on company-specific regulations, agreements, or policies should be directed to your manager or HR department. Questions that address only a specific company or position are of limited use to future visitors. Questions seeking legal advice should be directed to legal professionals. For more information, click here." – Lilienthal, scaaahu, panoptical, mcknz, gnat

If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  It's glib, but hire contractors you trust or have been recommended. Get references from previous contracts they have worked on.
  – user29055
  Oct 29 '15 at 11:38
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Since this question starts involving specific/suggested clauses of (hypothetical) contracts I feel like this is probably off-topic here. It might be a better fit for the Project Management SE.
  – Lilienthal♦
  Oct 29 '15 at 12:20
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Take this with a large grain of salt because I have no experience in the area, but my first thought was including bonuses for certain delivery dates on the project. Of course, if they're truly committed to squeezing out every dollar, that might backfire and incentivize them to drag things out even longer.
  – ptfreak
  Oct 29 '15 at 14:06
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Track who turned in the issue and the outcome and remind them it is being tracked. If person turned in a non-issue near the end of that contract then don't use them on the next contract unless you just don't have enough people. But if you have a lot of new people on a contract this does not help.
  – paparazzo
  Oct 29 '15 at 14:44
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Sometimes it's not immediately clear (and may never be clear to someone who doesn't have their hands in the code or just doesn't "get it") whether a concern was valid or not, or whether a course of action that delayed schedule in the short term has benefits you aren't able to measure over the longer haul.
  – Amy Blankenship
  Oct 29 '15 at 18:10
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 4 more comments

up vote
0
down vote

favorite

I work with an organisation that hires professionals with temporary contracts that last for the length of the particular projects they are working on. At the moment, these contracts are usually just a fixed rate per day.

This situation creates an incentive for these contractors to sabotage the schedule of their projects, so that the project takes longer to complete, and thereby lengthen their contracts.

It does appear that this behaviour is going on. They are various techniques being used. A common one appears to be raising an "issue" or a "concern" which is actually bogus, or "making a mountain out of a molehill", but which nevertheless causes wasted time as this concern is addressed.

However, it is difficult for managers to know at the outset that an issue raised was not even worth investigation, and it could be the case that someone honestly raised a concern that turned out to not be a problem.

Although it is difficult to know for sure in any single instance that a contractor is sabotaging, it is clear from overall statistics that the practice goes on. (e.g. it happens more when the economy is down and contractors won't find another job).

So the question is this: Are there any internal controls that can be adopted to help deal with this behaviour? Is anyone aware of any incentive schemes/contract terms that could replace the fixed rate per day that have worked in dealing with this problem elsewhere?

contracts projects

share|improve this question

edited Oct 29 '15 at 11:19

asked Oct 29 '15 at 11:12

Miner_Glitch

1042

closed as off-topic by Lilienthal♦, scaaahu, panoptical, mcknz, gnat Oct 29 '15 at 18:36

This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:

• "Questions seeking advice on company-specific regulations, agreements, or policies should be directed to your manager or HR department. Questions that address only a specific company or position are of limited use to future visitors. Questions seeking legal advice should be directed to legal professionals. For more information, click here." – Lilienthal, scaaahu, panoptical, mcknz, gnat

If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  It's glib, but hire contractors you trust or have been recommended. Get references from previous contracts they have worked on.
  – user29055
  Oct 29 '15 at 11:38
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Since this question starts involving specific/suggested clauses of (hypothetical) contracts I feel like this is probably off-topic here. It might be a better fit for the Project Management SE.
  – Lilienthal♦
  Oct 29 '15 at 12:20
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Take this with a large grain of salt because I have no experience in the area, but my first thought was including bonuses for certain delivery dates on the project. Of course, if they're truly committed to squeezing out every dollar, that might backfire and incentivize them to drag things out even longer.
  – ptfreak
  Oct 29 '15 at 14:06
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Track who turned in the issue and the outcome and remind them it is being tracked. If person turned in a non-issue near the end of that contract then don't use them on the next contract unless you just don't have enough people. But if you have a lot of new people on a contract this does not help.
  – paparazzo
  Oct 29 '15 at 14:44
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Sometimes it's not immediately clear (and may never be clear to someone who doesn't have their hands in the code or just doesn't "get it") whether a concern was valid or not, or whether a course of action that delayed schedule in the short term has benefits you aren't able to measure over the longer haul.
  – Amy Blankenship
  Oct 29 '15 at 18:10
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 4 more comments

up vote
0
down vote

favorite

up vote
0
down vote

favorite

I work with an organisation that hires professionals with temporary contracts that last for the length of the particular projects they are working on. At the moment, these contracts are usually just a fixed rate per day.

This situation creates an incentive for these contractors to sabotage the schedule of their projects, so that the project takes longer to complete, and thereby lengthen their contracts.

It does appear that this behaviour is going on. They are various techniques being used. A common one appears to be raising an "issue" or a "concern" which is actually bogus, or "making a mountain out of a molehill", but which nevertheless causes wasted time as this concern is addressed.

However, it is difficult for managers to know at the outset that an issue raised was not even worth investigation, and it could be the case that someone honestly raised a concern that turned out to not be a problem.

Although it is difficult to know for sure in any single instance that a contractor is sabotaging, it is clear from overall statistics that the practice goes on. (e.g. it happens more when the economy is down and contractors won't find another job).

So the question is this: Are there any internal controls that can be adopted to help deal with this behaviour? Is anyone aware of any incentive schemes/contract terms that could replace the fixed rate per day that have worked in dealing with this problem elsewhere?

contracts projects

share|improve this question

edited Oct 29 '15 at 11:19

asked Oct 29 '15 at 11:12

Miner_Glitch

1042

I work with an organisation that hires professionals with temporary contracts that last for the length of the particular projects they are working on. At the moment, these contracts are usually just a fixed rate per day.

This situation creates an incentive for these contractors to sabotage the schedule of their projects, so that the project takes longer to complete, and thereby lengthen their contracts.

It does appear that this behaviour is going on. They are various techniques being used. A common one appears to be raising an "issue" or a "concern" which is actually bogus, or "making a mountain out of a molehill", but which nevertheless causes wasted time as this concern is addressed.

However, it is difficult for managers to know at the outset that an issue raised was not even worth investigation, and it could be the case that someone honestly raised a concern that turned out to not be a problem.

Although it is difficult to know for sure in any single instance that a contractor is sabotaging, it is clear from overall statistics that the practice goes on. (e.g. it happens more when the economy is down and contractors won't find another job).

So the question is this: Are there any internal controls that can be adopted to help deal with this behaviour? Is anyone aware of any incentive schemes/contract terms that could replace the fixed rate per day that have worked in dealing with this problem elsewhere?

contracts projects

share|improve this question

edited Oct 29 '15 at 11:19

asked Oct 29 '15 at 11:12

Miner_Glitch

1042

share|improve this question

share|improve this question

edited Oct 29 '15 at 11:19

edited Oct 29 '15 at 11:19

edited Oct 29 '15 at 11:19

asked Oct 29 '15 at 11:12

Miner_Glitch

1042

asked Oct 29 '15 at 11:12

Miner_Glitch

1042

asked Oct 29 '15 at 11:12

Miner_Glitch

1042

1042

closed as off-topic by Lilienthal♦, scaaahu, panoptical, mcknz, gnat Oct 29 '15 at 18:36

This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:

• "Questions seeking advice on company-specific regulations, agreements, or policies should be directed to your manager or HR department. Questions that address only a specific company or position are of limited use to future visitors. Questions seeking legal advice should be directed to legal professionals. For more information, click here." – Lilienthal, scaaahu, panoptical, mcknz, gnat

If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.

closed as off-topic by Lilienthal♦, scaaahu, panoptical, mcknz, gnat Oct 29 '15 at 18:36

This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:

• "Questions seeking advice on company-specific regulations, agreements, or policies should be directed to your manager or HR department. Questions that address only a specific company or position are of limited use to future visitors. Questions seeking legal advice should be directed to legal professionals. For more information, click here." – Lilienthal, scaaahu, panoptical, mcknz, gnat

If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  It's glib, but hire contractors you trust or have been recommended. Get references from previous contracts they have worked on.
  – user29055
  Oct 29 '15 at 11:38
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Since this question starts involving specific/suggested clauses of (hypothetical) contracts I feel like this is probably off-topic here. It might be a better fit for the Project Management SE.
  – Lilienthal♦
  Oct 29 '15 at 12:20
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Take this with a large grain of salt because I have no experience in the area, but my first thought was including bonuses for certain delivery dates on the project. Of course, if they're truly committed to squeezing out every dollar, that might backfire and incentivize them to drag things out even longer.
  – ptfreak
  Oct 29 '15 at 14:06
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Track who turned in the issue and the outcome and remind them it is being tracked. If person turned in a non-issue near the end of that contract then don't use them on the next contract unless you just don't have enough people. But if you have a lot of new people on a contract this does not help.
  – paparazzo
  Oct 29 '15 at 14:44
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Sometimes it's not immediately clear (and may never be clear to someone who doesn't have their hands in the code or just doesn't "get it") whether a concern was valid or not, or whether a course of action that delayed schedule in the short term has benefits you aren't able to measure over the longer haul.
  – Amy Blankenship
  Oct 29 '15 at 18:10
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 4 more comments

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  It's glib, but hire contractors you trust or have been recommended. Get references from previous contracts they have worked on.
  – user29055
  Oct 29 '15 at 11:38
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Since this question starts involving specific/suggested clauses of (hypothetical) contracts I feel like this is probably off-topic here. It might be a better fit for the Project Management SE.
  – Lilienthal♦
  Oct 29 '15 at 12:20
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Take this with a large grain of salt because I have no experience in the area, but my first thought was including bonuses for certain delivery dates on the project. Of course, if they're truly committed to squeezing out every dollar, that might backfire and incentivize them to drag things out even longer.
  – ptfreak
  Oct 29 '15 at 14:06
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Track who turned in the issue and the outcome and remind them it is being tracked. If person turned in a non-issue near the end of that contract then don't use them on the next contract unless you just don't have enough people. But if you have a lot of new people on a contract this does not help.
  – paparazzo
  Oct 29 '15 at 14:44
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Sometimes it's not immediately clear (and may never be clear to someone who doesn't have their hands in the code or just doesn't "get it") whether a concern was valid or not, or whether a course of action that delayed schedule in the short term has benefits you aren't able to measure over the longer haul.
  – Amy Blankenship
  Oct 29 '15 at 18:10
  

  
  
  
  

1

1

It's glib, but hire contractors you trust or have been recommended. Get references from previous contracts they have worked on.
– user29055
Oct 29 '15 at 11:38

It's glib, but hire contractors you trust or have been recommended. Get references from previous contracts they have worked on.
– user29055
Oct 29 '15 at 11:38

2

2

Since this question starts involving specific/suggested clauses of (hypothetical) contracts I feel like this is probably off-topic here. It might be a better fit for the Project Management SE.
– Lilienthal♦
Oct 29 '15 at 12:20

Since this question starts involving specific/suggested clauses of (hypothetical) contracts I feel like this is probably off-topic here. It might be a better fit for the Project Management SE.
– Lilienthal♦
Oct 29 '15 at 12:20

Take this with a large grain of salt because I have no experience in the area, but my first thought was including bonuses for certain delivery dates on the project. Of course, if they're truly committed to squeezing out every dollar, that might backfire and incentivize them to drag things out even longer.
– ptfreak
Oct 29 '15 at 14:06

Take this with a large grain of salt because I have no experience in the area, but my first thought was including bonuses for certain delivery dates on the project. Of course, if they're truly committed to squeezing out every dollar, that might backfire and incentivize them to drag things out even longer.
– ptfreak
Oct 29 '15 at 14:06

Track who turned in the issue and the outcome and remind them it is being tracked. If person turned in a non-issue near the end of that contract then don't use them on the next contract unless you just don't have enough people. But if you have a lot of new people on a contract this does not help.
– paparazzo
Oct 29 '15 at 14:44

Track who turned in the issue and the outcome and remind them it is being tracked. If person turned in a non-issue near the end of that contract then don't use them on the next contract unless you just don't have enough people. But if you have a lot of new people on a contract this does not help.
– paparazzo
Oct 29 '15 at 14:44

Sometimes it's not immediately clear (and may never be clear to someone who doesn't have their hands in the code or just doesn't "get it") whether a concern was valid or not, or whether a course of action that delayed schedule in the short term has benefits you aren't able to measure over the longer haul.
– Amy Blankenship
Oct 29 '15 at 18:10

Sometimes it's not immediately clear (and may never be clear to someone who doesn't have their hands in the code or just doesn't "get it") whether a concern was valid or not, or whether a course of action that delayed schedule in the short term has benefits you aren't able to measure over the longer haul.
– Amy Blankenship
Oct 29 '15 at 18:10

 | 
show 4 more comments

1 Answer
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1
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Part of the ISO 9000 / 9001 quality management is the evaluation of contractors. This comes down to keeping reliable contractors and replacing unreliable ones. This also means to take the results of those evaluation serious when choosing one for the next project. Just always picking the cheapest one is not the desired strategy. Yes, this actually does take time and effort at the end of each project.

A contract will not turn a dishonest partner into a honest one, no matter what terms you write in there.

share|improve this answer

answered Oct 29 '15 at 17:10

John Hammond

4,3071329

suggest improvements | 

1 Answer
1

active

oldest

votes

1 Answer
1

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

up vote
1
down vote

Part of the ISO 9000 / 9001 quality management is the evaluation of contractors. This comes down to keeping reliable contractors and replacing unreliable ones. This also means to take the results of those evaluation serious when choosing one for the next project. Just always picking the cheapest one is not the desired strategy. Yes, this actually does take time and effort at the end of each project.

A contract will not turn a dishonest partner into a honest one, no matter what terms you write in there.

share|improve this answer

answered Oct 29 '15 at 17:10

John Hammond

4,3071329

suggest improvements | 

up vote
1
down vote

Part of the ISO 9000 / 9001 quality management is the evaluation of contractors. This comes down to keeping reliable contractors and replacing unreliable ones. This also means to take the results of those evaluation serious when choosing one for the next project. Just always picking the cheapest one is not the desired strategy. Yes, this actually does take time and effort at the end of each project.

A contract will not turn a dishonest partner into a honest one, no matter what terms you write in there.

share|improve this answer

answered Oct 29 '15 at 17:10

John Hammond

4,3071329

suggest improvements | 

up vote
1
down vote

up vote
1
down vote

Part of the ISO 9000 / 9001 quality management is the evaluation of contractors. This comes down to keeping reliable contractors and replacing unreliable ones. This also means to take the results of those evaluation serious when choosing one for the next project. Just always picking the cheapest one is not the desired strategy. Yes, this actually does take time and effort at the end of each project.

A contract will not turn a dishonest partner into a honest one, no matter what terms you write in there.

share|improve this answer

answered Oct 29 '15 at 17:10

John Hammond

4,3071329

Part of the ISO 9000 / 9001 quality management is the evaluation of contractors. This comes down to keeping reliable contractors and replacing unreliable ones. This also means to take the results of those evaluation serious when choosing one for the next project. Just always picking the cheapest one is not the desired strategy. Yes, this actually does take time and effort at the end of each project.

A contract will not turn a dishonest partner into a honest one, no matter what terms you write in there.

share|improve this answer

answered Oct 29 '15 at 17:10

John Hammond

4,3071329

share|improve this answer

share|improve this answer

answered Oct 29 '15 at 17:10

John Hammond

4,3071329

answered Oct 29 '15 at 17:10

John Hammond

4,3071329

answered Oct 29 '15 at 17:10

John Hammond

4,3071329

4,3071329

suggest improvements | 

suggest improvements |