frikjøp

Frikjøp is a staffing arrangement used primarily in the Norwegian public sector. It involves temporarily freeing a unit’s employee from daily duties by employing external personnel to handle those duties, so that the internal employee can devote time to strategic work, project development, or reform initiatives.

External personnel are usually contracted through consulting firms or temporary staffing agencies, and their salaries are paid by the hiring organization within its budget and procurement rules. The internal employee remains assigned to the unit, while the external staff perform the routine tasks during the agreed period; the arrangement ends when the project or initiatives reach milestones or the staff capacity is restored.

The practice is used to access scarce expertise, accelerate reform, or manage workload peaks, for example in IT, digitalisation projects, process optimisation, or program management. Typical durations range from several months up to a few years; the aim is to free core staff to contribute strategically without committing to permanent hires.

Frikjøp is subject to public procurement rules and wage agreements and can be controversial. Proponents argue that it provides timely access to expertise and increases delivery capability; critics warn that it can be costly, may substitute permanent recruitment, or fail to build long-term internal capacity. Successful use relies on clear objectives, explicit timelines, and rigorous evaluation.