--- title: Use Your VMS to Fill Skills Gaps Quickly and Efficiently description: Use your VMS to quickly fill skills gaps with contingent talent while maintaining control over cost, compliance and recruitment. image: https://www.expresshr.com/hubfs/Blog%20-%202026-09-29T085615.084.png --- [![ExpressHR White High Res (1)](https://www.expresshr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ExpressHR%20White%20High%20Res%20(1).png?width=209&height=60&name=ExpressHR%20White%20High%20Res%20(1).png "ExpressHR White High Res (1)")](https://www.expresshr.com/) [![ExpressHR logo](https://www.expresshr.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ExpressHR%20logos%20(1).png?width=209&height=60&name=ExpressHR%20logos%20(1).png "ExpressHR logo")](https://145853400.hs-sites-eu1.com/home) - Customised Products - [Temporary & Contingent Workforce](https://www.expresshr.com/temporary-contingent-workforce-management) - [Scheduler/Rostering](https://www.expresshr.com/smarter-scheduling-rostering) - [Integrations](https://www.expresshr.com/integration) - [Pricing](https://www.expresshr.com/pricing) - About - [About Us](https://www.expresshr.com/about-us) - [Our Customers & Industries](https://www.expresshr.com/our-customers-and-industries) - Resources - [Blog](https://www.expresshr.com/blog) - [eGuides](https://www.expresshr.com/eguides) - [Contact Us](https://www.expresshr.com/contact-us) [Book A Demo](https://www.expresshr.com/book-a-demo) [Book A Demo](https://www.expresshr.com/book-a-demo) [Book A Demo](https://www.expresshr.com/book-a-demo) More results - Customised Products - [Temporary & Contingent Workforce](https://www.expresshr.com/temporary-contingent-workforce-management) - [Scheduler/Rostering](https://www.expresshr.com/smarter-scheduling-rostering) - [Integrations](https://www.expresshr.com/integration) - [Pricing](https://www.expresshr.com/pricing) - About - [About Us](https://www.expresshr.com/about-us) - [Our Customers & Industries](https://www.expresshr.com/our-customers-and-industries) - Resources - [Blog](https://www.expresshr.com/blog) - [eGuides](https://www.expresshr.com/eguides) - [Contact Us](https://www.expresshr.com/contact-us) [Book A Demo](https://www.expresshr.com/book-a-demo) [0330 0415255](tel:03300415255) [info@expresshr.com](mailto:info@expresshr.com) [hr systems](https://www.expresshr.com/blog/tag/hr-systems)[saas](https://www.expresshr.com/blog/tag/saas) [#vms](https://www.expresshr.com/blog/tag/vms)[#compliance](https://www.expresshr.com/blog/tag/compliance)[#suppliers](https://www.expresshr.com/blog/tag/suppliers)[#skillsgaps](https://www.expresshr.com/blog/tag/skillsgaps) # Use Your VMS to Fill Skills Gaps Quickly and Efficiently by [expressHR](https://www.expresshr.com/blog/author/expresshr) 4 min read Oct 5, 2026, 10:30:00 AM **When a business has a skills gap, waiting weeks to find the right person is rarely an option. A Vendor Management System can help organisations access temporary and contingent talent quickly, while maintaining control over cost, compliance and the recruitment process.** **[![Download Our eGuide: The Modern HR Leader’s Guide to Contingent and Temporary Workforce Management](https://hubspot-no-cache-eu1-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/145853400/interactive-368709388527.png)](https://www.expresshr.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLJOMMEUpqDowhNRcK8%2BjvXRXbt3wkXY5OKXV%2BbjM%2FkCLEFqmiJB3%2B2%2F0Psxwv3tNcniKPf6taDPBbPF00o6db63oK5N7H%2BAtDQ%2BVevOeP4ocT8lXBXlpsFEz4YFt1vgG6Tjn1IErEWxIXBbRYyzKt8GwjJ%2FMjaaE4YacNYJk8okqrParcgZjvKynXiBi5Yfv49h8uAnpVlMnb9Gldii%2B4V7tuNNBP4x&webInteractiveContentId=368709388527&portalId=145853400)** Across the UK, organisations are increasingly using temporary workers, contractors and contingent talent to respond to changing demand and access specialist skills. Temporary labour can provide the flexibility businesses need when permanent recruitment cannot move quickly enough. But finding the right worker is only part of the challenge. The real challenge is managing the recruitment process efficiently when multiple agencies, hiring managers and suppliers are involved. This is where a **Vendor Management System (VMS)** can make a significant difference. ## **What happens when a business has a skills gap?** A skills gap can quickly become an operational problem. A project may require specialist expertise. A team may suddenly need additional workers. Demand may increase unexpectedly. A permanent vacancy may take longer to fill than anticipated. The longer a critical role remains vacant, the greater the potential impact on productivity, workloads and service delivery. For many organisations, temporary and contingent workers provide a practical way to respond. However, if the recruitment process relies on emails, spreadsheets and disconnected systems, filling the gap quickly can become more difficult than it needs to be. expressHR identifies fragmented hiring processes as a source of delays, inconsistent processes and limited visibility. Its VMS is designed to connect the journey from the initial workforce requirement through to placement. ## **1. Get the vacancy to the right suppliers faster** When a hiring manager needs specialist talent, speed matters. A centralised VMS allows organisations to manage approved recruitment suppliers through a structured process, rather than relying on individual managers to contact agencies separately. This creates a consistent route from vacancy creation to supplier engagement. With expressHR, vacancies can be raised through a centralised workflow, with defined requirements and approval processes helping move the recruitment request forward efficiently. The result is a more structured way to access the talent already available through your supplier network. ## **2. Give hiring managers greater visibility** One of the biggest challenges when filling skills gaps is knowing what is happening after a vacancy has been released. How many candidates have been submitted? Which suppliers are responding? Where are delays occurring? How quickly are roles being filled? Without centralised information, hiring managers may have to chase recruiters or rely on separate spreadsheets and email updates. A VMS brings this information into one system. expressHR provides real-time workforce information and reporting, giving organisations greater visibility across their contingent workforce and recruitment activity. This allows hiring teams to understand progress and make decisions using current information. ## **3. Speed up the journey from requirement to placement** A skills gap is only solved when the right worker is actually in place. Manual approvals, repeated data entry and disconnected recruitment processes can create unnecessary delays. A VMS can automate parts of the recruitment workflow, helping move a requirement through approval, supplier engagement, candidate selection and onboarding. expressHR's recruitment workflow is designed to connect the initial business requirement with the final placement, reducing manual hand-offs and creating a more transparent hiring process. For organisations dealing with urgent workforce requirements, this can help reduce unnecessary administration and keep the recruitment process moving. ## **4. Access specialist skills without compromising control** Temporary and contingent labour can provide access to specialist skills without requiring every workforce need to become a permanent recruitment exercise. This can be particularly useful for project-based requirements, seasonal demand or short-term increases in workload. However, flexibility should not mean losing control. A VMS provides a structured environment for managing suppliers, workers, approvals, rates and compliance. expressHR provides controlled rates, full authorisation controls and a compliance document vault as part of its VMS solution. This means organisations can combine workforce flexibility with greater oversight. ## **5. Use supplier performance data to improve future hiring** Filling one skills gap is useful. Understanding which suppliers consistently help you fill skills gaps effectively is even more valuable. A VMS can provide visibility into supplier performance, response times, recruitment activity and workforce costs. This allows organisations to move away from managing recruitment suppliers based purely on relationships or assumptions. Instead, supplier performance can be assessed using available workforce data. expressHR's reporting capabilities are designed to provide visibility across contingent labour, including supplier performance, workforce activity and spend. Over time, this can help organisations understand which suppliers are delivering against workforce requirements and where improvements may be needed. ## **Skills gaps require speed, but speed needs structure** When a business has a critical skills gap, the instinct may be to contact as many agencies as possible and start sending emails. But more suppliers do not necessarily mean a faster or better recruitment process. The challenge is creating a system that gives approved suppliers clear requirements, gives hiring managers visibility and gives the organisation control over cost and compliance. That is the role a VMS can play. These figures illustrate the scale at which the platform is designed to support temporary and contingent workforce management. ## **The smarter way to fill skills gaps** Skills gaps are unlikely to disappear. Organisations will continue to need flexible access to specialist workers, temporary labour and contingent talent. The question is how efficiently those workers can be sourced and managed. A centralised VMS can bring recruitment suppliers, vacancies, approvals, compliance, rates, workforce information and reporting into one structured process. For organisations looking to fill skills gaps quickly while maintaining visibility and control, **expressHR provides a centralised approach to temporary and contingent workforce management.** **The goal is not simply to fill a vacancy. It is to connect the right talent with the right business requirement, as efficiently and transparently as possible.** ### **Frequently Asked Questions** What is a VMS? A Vendor Management System is a platform that helps organisations manage temporary and contingent workers and their recruitment suppliers through a centralised system. This can include sourcing, approvals, onboarding, compliance, timesheets, invoicing and reporting. How can a VMS help fill skills gaps faster? A VMS can streamline the recruitment workflow, provide approved suppliers with vacancies through a structured process and reduce manual administration. This can help organisations move more efficiently from workforce requirement to candidate placement. Why use temporary workers to address skills gaps? Temporary and contingent workers can provide organisations with flexible access to specialist skills when permanent recruitment is not appropriate or cannot move quickly enough. How can expressHR help organisations manage skills gaps? expressHR provides a centralised VMS for managing temporary and contingent workers, with features including real-time management information, authorisation controls, compliance document management and controlled rates. 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