Editor’s Note: Download the industry’s hottest guide to the Future of Work and contingent workforce management (CWM), The State of Contingent Workforce Management 2018, and learn how the new world of work will impact your business in 2018. This epic guidebook, now in its fifth year, is the de-facto research study for learning about new workforce trends, the direction of both traditional and innovative technology, and what the Future of Work means for the typical business.

Innovation defines today’s work environment with new enterprise technologies entering the business world at a never before seen pace. These technologies, fueled by the consistent nature of “on-demand” fulfillment of content, merchandise, and media, has penetrated the world of work. As the global marketplace becomes more competitive, the way that enterprises engage with talent has begun to change as well. Today, business operations and the talent that supports them must be managed in near real-time. This, combined with the fact that 40% of today’s total global workforce is comprised of non-employee talent (based on Ardent Partners’ latest market research numbers and a nearly 10% increase from 2016) has changed the world of work as we once knew it.

Finding Talent in the New World of Work

As organizations continue to seek new and enhanced options to fill both traditional and non-traditional roles with top-tier skillsets required for business growth, expanded development, and, ultimately, enterprise agility, they will buy into the notion of on-demand talent. Talent engagement strategies must account for developments in online staffing (i.e., online talent platforms), changes in generational workforce culture (i.e., Gen Y and Gen Z), and the general desire to become a more agile enterprise.

Online and talent platforms, which serve as real-time networks in which flexible/non-employee workers and businesses can connect, have quickly become a primary means of addressing talent-based needs. Many of these platforms specialize in specific areas or verticals (such as field service, industrial, and blue-collar work), and also utilize unique algorithms to help enterprises determine the best alignment between a project and potential freelancer or non-employee worker (or service). Another interesting concept in this new world of work is the demotion of costs within the purview of key contingent workforce management goals; while spend on contingent labor and traditional talent will always be a top-of-mind concern (no enterprise will fully ignore costs), the fact is that businesses today are actively promoting the talent-based needs and requirements ahead of other factors as a means to become a more agile enterprise.

Talent engagement is one of several foundational layers of the new world of work. And as we see more work being optimized via project alignment and skillsets rather than costs and budgets, the technology available in the market today will be critical for companies as they shape their engagement strategies going forward.

Final Thoughts

As businesses embark on a journey to answer the question du jour, “How does work get done?”, talent will ultimately be the linchpin for success. With the advent of talent marketplaces, online talent platforms, and digital staffing outlets, the new world of work reinforces the notion that talent, access to that talent, and the innovations behind work optimization will ultimately transform how work is addressed.

Download the State of Contingent Workforce Management 2018 research study today to learn more about the new world of work, what the Future of Work means for your organization, and how the continued evolution of talent and technology will continue to spark a new era in business history.

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Tagged in: Ardent Partners Research, Christopher Dwyer, Complex Categories, People, Process, Strategy