The convergence of interactive talent engagement tools with a shift in worker mindset has created opportunities for companies to acquire critical project skills more easily and expeditiously. As the preference for on-demand talent spreads across industries, companies must adjust to the new workforce paradigm or be trampled on the battlefield for workers possessing the specialized skills needed to survive the competitive business climate.
The on-demand model changes the way organizations must think about finding and utilizing personnel. Work no longer is defined in terms of jobs or employees, but rather as a series of tasks that must be accomplished by whatever means is most efficient. Just as Amazon, eBay, and Zappos have transformed the way we buy the things we need for our homes and families, Upwork, Toptal, and other talent marketplaces have revolutionized the way hiring enterprises augment their in-house capabilities. And like those consumer sites, hiring managers, procurement departments, and human resource professionals can comparison shop, order the exact skills they want, and accessorize by hiring people with complementary skill sets. Through the rise of minutely tuned vertical-specific labor marketplaces, they can even bundle services, talents, content, and deliverables from a one-stop shop. Projects can be kickstarted with a few clicks from a mobile device and initiated in mere minutes.
On-demand talent identification, acquisition, application, and management are accelerating the drive toward total talent management and creating exciting possibilities in terms of labor demand forecasting, project budgeting, and just-in-time delivery. Traditional organizations that rely solely on employee labor quickly are finding themselves mired in rigid processes, unable to pivot successfully in response to changes in the market, consumer, or skill-demand. Unless they adapt to the new reality, their ability to innovate, collaborate, and integrate will suffer. The only solution is to rapidly build infrastructure to tap into diverse sources of talent that can be accessed and called upon to solve specific technical and creative challenges.
The good news is, it is not too late, but you must start immediately. Start by dissecting the on-demand talent market as it applies to your firm. This will help you determine which components of the industry – its business models, platforms, vendors, and technology modules – you should implement to ensure the greatest chance for success. As you evaluate these options, ask yourself these questions:
Do you have the management skill and resources to structure projects into a series of micro-tasks that can be assigned to many different contingent workers? Or is it more likely that you would hire project managers or creatives to work with your in-house implementation team? How do you intend to find these workers – through vertical labor platforms, by building your own talent pool and pipeline, or by trusting a managed service provider to integrate all sources of traditional and external talent?
The talent management professionals at Metasys can help you analyze your company’s workforce, industry, and resources to answer these questions. As a full-service managed service provider, Metasys understands the ins and outs of the gig economy and the strengths each type of worker brings to organizations. We can ensure not only that you can find the skills you need, but also give you the tools to attract and acquire that talent. We will ensure all your contingent labor hires are correctly classified and all labor, finance, and compliance regulations are followed. Contact Metasys today, and we will develop a contingent workforce management plan customized for your company. With Metasys designing your talent engagement and planning, your organization will have a blueprint for obtaining workers with the skills you require and integrating contract, freelance, and gig work workers with each other and your in-house staff for maximum productivity.