Insights from 2026 CWS Summit North America
The growing use of Freelancers and Independent Contractors (ICs) is changing how companies approach workforce management. With more ways to engage talent, employers are rethinking how they oversee external workers and keep pace with evolving business needs.
At 2026 CWS Summit North America, Bernie Caputo, President of AtriumWORKS™, joined leaders from YunoJuno and a global media and marketing enterprise for a discussion titled The Rise of FMS: From Vendor Management to Next Generation Workforce Strategy. The conversation looked at the role Freelancer Management Systems (FMS) play today and how pairing technology with workforce solutions can improve efficiency and compliance.
Moving Beyond Traditional Vendor Management
The demand for specialized independent talent is accelerating FMS adoption, particularly across creative and technology roles. These platforms help teams bring Freelancers on faster while putting standardized processes in place.
For years, Vendor Management Systems (VMS) have helped companies manage staffing suppliers and contingent labor. But with more businesses engaging Freelancers and ICs directly, traditional models alone may not address every need.
While a VMS focuses on staffing procurement and supplier management, an FMS handles the full Freelancer lifecycle, from sourcing and onboarding to classification and payments. Knowing where each one fits helps employers decide which capabilities they actually need.
FMS platforms can complement Managed Service Provider (MSP) programs and VMS technology to create a more unified operating model by:
- Expanding access to specialized talent through faster, more efficient sourcing.
- Making it easier to redeploy proven Freelancers and ICs across projects, so organizations keep valuable skills and institutional knowledge in-house.
- Strengthening compliance with consistent classification, contracting, and onboarding workflows.
- Improving workforce and spend management through shared reporting and analytics.
- Creating opportunities for cost optimization through rate harmonization and better resource management.
What FMS Looks Like in Practice
One example from the panel showed how Atrium and FMS partner YunoJuno helped a global media and marketing enterprise through a complex transformation.
With more than 170 business units to align, the company needed a consistent approach to managing ICs and contingent workers across a decentralized organization.
The partnership started with Employer of Record (EOR) payrolling services and grew from there to include FMS technology and full program management.
Atrium and YunoJuno built a freelancer center of excellence that brings FMS technology, MSP expertise, and EOR and Agent of Record (AOR) solutions into one ecosystem.
Each component serves a distinct purpose. FMS technology handles onboarding, classification, and payments, while MSP services drive program governance, sourcing strategy, and analytics. EOR and AOR services cover compliance for both employees and ICs.
The program now supports:
- 4,100 active workers across approximately 4,400 assignments.
- 48 jurisdictions through a coordinated external workforce model.
- More than $450 million in managed spend across the company.
The transformation also helped replace fragmented, manual processes with automated workflows and stronger compliance practices. Centralized reporting gave leaders clearer visibility into worker and spend data, and rate harmonization and resource optimization added value across the business.
The Next Generation of Workforce Strategy
As FMS adoption grows, organizations have an opportunity to move beyond managing individual suppliers and worker categories toward a more connected approach to external talent.
Still, technology is only part of the picture. The strongest programs also depend on clear governance, thoughtful implementation, and room to adapt as needs shift.
At Atrium, we see the greatest value when technology and human expertise work together. FMS platforms can simplify the administrative side of engaging external talent, while MSP expertise provides the strategy and oversight that turn those capabilities into results.
Thinking about adding FMS technology to your current program? Contact us to see how our team can help.
