The Hidden Workforce: How to Better Engage Contractors and Freelancers with Leanne Faulkner

The Hidden Workforce: How to Better Engage Contractors and Freelancers

In a rapidly changing world of work, organisations are increasingly relying on
self-employed contractors, freelancers, and micro-business owners to deliver
specialised skills, drive innovation, and support project-based work. Yet
while many leaders understand how to engage and support employees, far fewer
understand what it takes to build strong, productive relationships with
independent contractors.

In this episode, we sit down with entrepreneur, researcher, and former Billie
Goat Soap founder @Leanne Faulkner to
explore the unique realities facing Australia’s growing self-employed
workforce. Drawing on more than 20 years of business experience and five years
of PhD research into the mental health hazards faced by sole traders and
micro-business owners, Leanne shares valuable insights into how organisations
can better connect with, support, and retain contractor talent.

Together, we discuss the changing nature of work, the differences between
employment and self-employment, and why understanding these distinctions can
unlock stronger engagement, greater innovation, and better outcomes for
everyone involved.

Leanne offers practical strategies for building trust-based relationships with
contractors, creating healthier project environments, and developing long-term
talent networks that benefit both organisations and the people they engage.

Whether you’re a CEO, HR leader, procurement professional, or business owner,
this conversation will challenge you to rethink traditional approaches to
workforce engagement and consider how more human-centred partnerships can
create lasting impact.

Because when organisations understand the people behind the contracts, they
create the conditions for stronger relationships, better performance, and more
meaningful work for all.

Want to pick the brain of Leanne Faulkner? Click
here.