It’s no surprise that with rapid technological innovation, comes the inevitable panic of playing catch-up. Companies not leading the technological charge are desperate to react: they must become more adaptable, more scalable and obviously, more productive. Political climate change has also forced both labor and management to rethink their traditional roles, e.g., the Affordable Care Act causing employers to trim or cut completely employee benefits.
The result has been the rapid growth of the gig economy and the rise of agile talent helping reshape the traditional workspace. But what does the future hold for both companies and talent as we all enter this new paradigm? Here are a few insights into the future of the new workplace.
Disruption leads to change, but it also exposes weaknesses. Approximately 40% of companies using software developers are experiencing talent or intelligence shortages. Not surprisingly, smaller companies are tapping into the remote workforce more quickly than larger competitors. Larger companies will be looking to reshape and re-educate their current infrastructure to welcome agile talent.
The future of work is moving from roles to projects, which is a nod to agile talent, that is all about results. The days of treating freelancers like substitute teachers are fading. Successful completion of projects means that companies must grade their full-time and freelance talent on an equal scale. This means that companies must integrate freelancers more fully with the full-time staff to ensure that all experiences lead to the completion of these projects successfully.
Want to make your employees happier? Hire happy workers, for starters. Nearly three-quarters of career freelancers prefer their situation that gives them more financial stability, but more importantly, it lets them control their time. Happier workers generally lead to more productive workers, and that’s what the gig economy is all about.
The numbers of available external talent are already higher than it’s ever been, and the number would grow even higher if full-time employees had the flexibility to move in that direction. To complement this move, the reason why companies are reaching out to this agile workforce is not primarily cost-driven, it’s need-based. These developers can fit specific roles almost immediately, with an intended effect of productivity increase and an auxiliary cost-saving (not lost on anyone, but it’s not the primary driver).
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