Editor’s Note: Catch up on the latest technology trends in the contingent workforce management space: download Ardent’s Contingent Workforce Management: 2016 Technology and Innovation Outlook Report by clicking here. Innovation is a key component of today’s non-employee workforce; read all about it today! And, while you’re at it, catch up on the latest Contingent Workforce Weekly podcast, hosted by Ardent’s own Christopher J. Dwyer.

The business world is changing. Seemingly by the day, new technologies and strategies redefine how work is done, pushing today’s enterprises into exciting territory as they continually seek competitive advantages and fresh sources of business. Within this scenario, the very notion of “talent” actively shapes how far enterprises can go in terms of innovation, growth, and ultimate business expansion. Talent is today’s most valuable commodity, and as globalization takes its hold on businesses across the world, the dynamics around talent have been revolutionized.

As such, talent is a pure differentiator for professionals across the globe, and is what sets successful enterprises apart from those who consistently falter. Today’s global businesses rely on specialized skillsets, deep expertise, and exceptional talent to drive critical corporate endeavors, manage and support crucial projects, and support ongoing strategies for revenue growth and business expansion. The concept of “talent as differentiator” is not a new one; however, the composition of talent today dramatically differs from its previous makeup. The business world of today is being actively shaped by the “future of work,” which is contoured by the growing reliance on freelance, independent, and non-employee talent.

Ardent Partners research shows that 95% of organizations today perceive their contingent workforce as important and vital not only to day-to-day operations, but also to ultimate enterprise success and growth. This figure should be a revelation for businesses, as the very idea of “talent” becomes a conduit for leveraging top-tier skillsets and finding triumph in a globalized economic marketplace … regardless of its source. This finding supports a “future” where non-employee talent can become just as critical as traditional, full-time labor.

Today, the non-employee workforce has reached its true tipping point. No longer does the contingent workforce remain a mere spend category or arena of human capital; there are social, economic, political, and labor-oriented impact areas associated with today’s “gig economy” that are changing the modern business environment in such a way that its influence will be irreversible. This gig economy powers much more than simple projects, professional endeavors, or corporate and strategic initiatives: it actively shapes how business is conducted across the world.

The realm of social networks is a veritable buffet of talent. Professional services are found and managed (and scheduled) via mobile applications. National governments regularly update the judgments and ramifications on how non-employee workers should be accounted for in tax- and business-related aspects. The lines between non-employee and FTE workers continually blur. Some talented workers eschew traditional employment for the flexibility of freelancing. The business world is evolving based on the progression of how talent is found, engaged, and sourced; today’s contingent workforce is a mere category of talent no longer … it has become a seismic shift in business history.

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Tagged in: Ardent Partners Research, Christopher Dwyer, Complex Categories, Contingent Workforce, Process, Technology