Organizations increasingly rely on external talent, such as gig workers, contractors, consultants, and freelancers, to supplement their internal workforce. While there are several reasons for this trend, one is that many organizations report a shortage of internal talent to support the transformation efforts that their businesses have underway. According to a recent survey by RGP of over …
Many organizations rely on external contributors, such as temporary workers, gig workers, and independent contractors, to help meet work demands. According to a Brookings Institution report on workforce ecosystems, external workers, often referred to as contingent workers, can make up 30-50% of an organization’s workforce. However, as pointed out in this recent article by The Conference Board, the management of …
Many organizations rely on external contributors, such as contractors, to meet their work needs. According to a recent article by the Brookings Institution on workforce ecosystems, external workers can comprise 30-50% of an organization’s entire workforce. As this trend continues, organizations must understand the benefits and risks that contract work presents to both them and contract workers. With …
As the number of contingent workers (e.g., contractors, freelancers, professional services workers, etc.) continues to expand in many organizations, HR leaders play a critical role in helping their firms manage and coordinate their workforce as an ecosystem of both external contributors and internal employees. This challenge is magnified given the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) …
The number of contingent workers (CW)—those performing gig, contract, or freelance work—continues to grow in many organizations. However, firms often lack an integrated approach to managing their CW. This article provides considerations for integrating the management of both employees and external contributors. It draws from a case study on Cisco, which has over 50,000 contingent workers — …
Contingent workers—freelance, contract, gig, and temporary—are a vital and growing workforce segment. These workers help organizations enable the “borrow” component of their strategic workforce planning (SWP) and offer several benefits, such as flexibility and fast access to talent and resources as work demand changes. Despite these benefits, SWP processes often focus primarily on internal workers …
The number of independent workers—those doing gig, contract, or freelance work—continues to grow. According to a new McKinsey article on independent workers, “36 percent of employed respondents—equivalent to 58 million Americans when extrapolated from the representative sample—identify as independent workers—a notable increase from the same survey’s estimate of 27 percent in 2016.” As the share of workers that prefer …
Much has been written about the challenges firms face in attracting and retaining workers. A narrative is also playing about how many workers have shifted their work preferences—with many placing a disproportionate value on flexible work arrangements. Simultaneously, thought leaders posit firms will increasingly deconstruct “jobs” into tasks and activities, so they have greater flexibility in delivering pieces …
Getting work done through various sources — including contractors, service providers, gig workers, and freelancers—is not a new practice for organizations. However, several converging factors have spotlighted the need for firms to view and manage their workforces as an “ecosystem” of both employees and non-employees. And as stated in this 43-page research report, when the workforce …
Although many firms ostensibly view their workforces as both employees and non-employees (e.g., contractors, contingent), legacy talent management practices and workforce strategies often take separate, unintegrated approaches to managing internal and external workers. As a firms’ workforce increasingly crosses internal and external boundaries, this article submits that a more modern workforce management approach is warranted. …
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