Build trust with business leaders during contingent workforce program change by understanding their priorities, explaining the trade-offs, and being candid about what the team can deliver. Involve affected leaders before decisions are final, agree on realistic commitments, and show how their feedback influences the plan. Trust depends on consistent follow-through beyond a persuasive launch announcement.

A recent conference conversation highlighted the importance of acknowledging uncertainty during program change. Monica Lucero, Director, Contingent Workforce Management at Deloitte, described her approach: “For me, it is definitely being okay with the unknown.” Reflecting on sustained transformation and a significant team reorganization, she emphasized adapting to changing conditions. For program leaders, the implication is to build trust through candor about what is known, what remains unresolved, and how decisions will evolve.

Another practitioner discussion described how a proposed supplier consolidation met resistance because business leaders saw disruption where procurement saw savings. The program leader adjusted the approach, preserved supplier relationships, and involved finance, HR, and legal to validate alternatives, helping secure leadership approval without abandoning the financial objective.

For program and change management leaders, meet with affected business leaders before rollout to document their concerns, operational dependencies, and expectations. Publish a concise plan explaining what will change, what will stay the same, who owns each action, and where uncertainty remains. Review progress regularly, raise problems early, and close the feedback loop by explaining which suggestions you adopted and why others could not be accommodated.

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