A contingent worker is an individual who is not a permanent employee and is hired on a temporary, contract, or project-based basis to provide workforce flexibility. Similar to staff augmentation, organizations use contingent workers to scale quickly or address short-term needs without committing to full-time hires. These workers typically do not receive company benefits, which can reduce employer costs but offers less job security for the worker. Common types of contingent workers include independent contractors, freelancers, temporary employees, and service labor.