5 ways secondments strengthen your organisation

In the ever-evolving UK Built Environment, finding the right skills at the right time can be tough. That’s where secondments come in. They bring specialist expertise straight into your projects, ready to make a difference. Secondments are more than just temporary placements. Here are five ways they benefit organisations:

1. Access the skills you need, when you need them, for as long as you need them

Whether it’s a specialist project manager for a rail upgrade, or a flood risk consultant guiding a water scheme, secondments give you the talent you need without the lengthy recruitment and onboarding processes.

2. Bring new perspectives and spark innovation

Sometimes, all it takes is a fresh pair of eyes. Our secondees draw on experience from our vast network across multiple sectors, helping your teams see challenges in new ways and improve how things get done.

3. Cost-effective access to expertise

Secondments make it easy to bring in specialist expertise without impacting your staffing budget. National Insurance, pension contributions, and salary are covered by us, so you can access the skills you need without extra staffing commitments.

4. Training & development

Secondees don’t just deliver projects, they enhance your team’s capabilities from day one. We support their professional development, including memberships, Chartership, and career growth, so your organisation benefits from a highly skilled team member without needing to fund additional training. In many cases, we can also mentor and support your staff, helping them develop new skills and advance in their careers.

5. Rapid response and project support

Secondees can start contributing immediately, helping to drive projects forward, fill critical gaps, or tackle complex challenges. Placements are flexible, whether you need someone on your team for a few months or longer. We can help with covering long-term sick leave or helping to cover maternity leave. Placements can even last for several years, and you have the flexibility to respond to changing prioritises.

Why secondments work

Our people have helped our clients progress their projects across the UK. They integrate naturally with teams, share expertise and deliver results for both immediate needs and long-term goals. Each person also has a dedicated Waterman Aspen manager to help them with career development, wellbeing, and everything else that comes with supporting a salaried employee.

What about IR35?

Most of the people we place with clients are salaried, permanent staff of Waterman Aspen. They’re seconded into your team but remain on our payroll, which means we take care of the employment administration.

Occasionally, the right person for a project may operate through a limited company. When that happens, our in-house IR35 specialists step in. We’ll provide you with clear guidance, agree the scope and carry out all necessary checks and reviews behind the scenes so you remain HMRC-compliant. This means you can access niche specialist limited company expertise while meeting your IR35 obligations confidently, without adding unnecessary complexity for your team.

We have been the leading specialist secondment provider for over 35 years… In other words, you can trust us to source you with exactly who you need, when you need them.

Interested in our expertise for your specialist project – including support with IR35?