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Christopher J. Dwyer

Big Trends and Predictions for 2024 (Upcoming Webinar)

Uncategorized by Christopher J. Dwyer on

The procurement function plays a critical role within the Future of Work movement. This business unit, in addition to their typical, operational prowess in optimizing spend management and supply management, also holds responsibility for influencing extended and contingent workforce management and its many links to the ways enterprises drive value from their non-employee talent. Ardent Partners and the Future of Work Exchange, in partnership with Beeline and iValua, are excited to host an exclusive webcast tomorrow focused on the big trends and predictions that will shape 2024 for this crucial enterprise function.

Andrew Bartolini (Ardent’s Chief Research Officer), Brian Hoffmeyer (SVP of Market Strategies at Beeline), and Vishal Patel (iValua’s VP of Marketing) will join me for a spirited discussion on hot-button topics such as inflation, economic conditions, the talent wars, extended workforce growth, direct sourcing, and the 2024 impact of artificial intelligence on business operations. Join us tomorrow (Thursday, February 1) at 10am ET. You won’t want to miss this event!

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Redefining “Work” In an Era of Digital Innovation

Business Leadership by Christopher J. Dwyer on

During this decade, each year has seemingly brought a reimagining to the greater world of talent and work. Entering 2020, hyped strategies such as direct sourcing and digital transformation were front-and-center before a once-in-a-lifetime (hopefully) pandemic transformed the very characterizations of what we consider to be “work.”

During post-pandemic times, there remains a sense of “resettling” that has not yet fully stabilized. There are still back-and-forth battles over remote and hybrid work. Enterprises still struggle with humanity and conscious leadership. Not enough business leaders prioritize the emotions of their workers. Organizations are in the midst of configuring just, exactly, how artificial intelligence should be utilized and integrated into their core operations.

This is a moment in time when “work” means many different things to many different leaders. And workers. And businesses. And people.

No matter the circumstances, there is one constant that actively guides the way(s) we define work and how we address it: the evolution and consistency of digital innovation. Digital innovation transcends digital transformation in a more meaningful way, as it places the breakneck speed of innovation at the center of the digital enterprise…rather than an organization configuring how to digitize operations, there is a sense of urgency around capturing the power of new tools and technology and innovating around that power in a convergence with human-led, skillset-oriented approaches.

Rather than “automate everything,” this leans towards “digitize, innovate, and augment.” The shift towards a symbiotic relationship between digital innovation and human ingenuity becomes paramount, especially in a business arena that is actively prioritizing the utilization of and integration into artificial intelligence.

Embracing a mindset that prioritizes ongoing learning, adaptability, and the synergistic interconnection of technology and human skills empowers organizations to unlock the full potential of digital innovation. This not only reshapes the nature of work but also paves the way for a future where technological advancements seamlessly integrate with human-centric strategies, guaranteeing enduring success amid the continuously evolving dynamics of the digital enterprise.

In this paradigm, the main focus extends beyond mere technological implementation and automation of core processes; it revolves around fostering a culture that thrives on curiosity, embraces change, and champions collaboration between critical enterprise functions.

Agility becomes a defining benefit and a defining characteristic, enabling quick responses to emerging challenges and opportunities. The dynamic interplay between technology and human skills isn’t a juxtaposition but a synergy, where each complements the other to enhance overall effectiveness.

In this next, great era of “work,” we can redefine that word and what it means. Digital innovation and the convergence of technology and humanity isn’t just the nexus of how we work…it’s the Future of Work.

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Talent Experts on FOWX — Evolution of Staffing and Growth of Extended Workforce

Direct SourcingGeneral InsightsPodcastSolution ProvidersTalentTalent AcquisitionTechnology and InnovationUncategorized by Christopher J. Dwyer on

Our “Talent Expert Series” on FOWX features podcast excerpts of today’s Future of Work thought leaders who appear on The Future of Work Exchange Podcast. The series kicks off with an excerpt from Season 7, Episode 12 featuring Kara Kaplan, CEO of High5, as she discusses a range of topics from the evolution of staffing to the growth in the extended enterprise to the next stage of direct sourcing.

Click to listen to the full interview. Note that this excerpt has been edited for readability.

Christopher Dwyer: Let’s begin with your general insights into the staffing industry, especially given your unique vantage point with High5. When you think of the evolution of staffing and the rise and continued growth of the extended workforce, where are we today?

Kara Kaplan: For starters, the evolution of staffing and the emergence of the extended workforce has ushered in this profound transformation that we’re seeing. It’s a fundamental shift in how companies view and engage with talent. The traditional employment model has been supplemented and, in some cases, supplanted by an extended workforce. Thus, you see many organizations today, if not most, embracing the extended workforce as an integral component of their talent strategy.

And when we look at the term “employee” in general, it’s really evolving with these new models. You have everything from full-time, part-time, contract, gig, remote, hybrid, shared and other terms emerging. Those organizations that rigidly stick to the traditional relationship are going to find themselves fighting an uphill battle. Conversely, enterprises that appreciate and use a mix of workforce models will ultimately be the ones that succeed and have access to more talent and better talent.

It’s more of an adaptation to the new global economy that we now live in and all the complexities and opportunities that are part and parcel of that global shift. At the end of the day, organizations need to embrace this evolution not as an option but more as a strategic imperative. The exciting thing is that organizations are starting to do that.

CD: There is definitely a talent revolution occurring and obviously companies like High 5 fit into that. However, how do you see companies like High5 and other digital staffing platforms fitting into this change in talent acquisition?

KK: Today’s talent revolution signifies a profound shift in how organizations acquire and engage talent. We’re seeing it become much more commoditized. Talent is more dynamic and diverse, as well as more digitally connected than ever before. With the rise of talent marketplaces and digital staffing solutions, they’ve been instrumental in reshaping talent acquisition strategies and truly enabling organizations to adapt and thrive in this global landscape.

At their core, talent marketplaces democratized new access to a global pool of talent. These platforms are empowering organizations to source talent with levels of speed and accuracy that were not possible just a short time ago. For example, in the recent past, when working with many staffing agencies, there was a significant amount of manual effort required in matching a worker with a shift — even if they had a robust ATS, it would only benefit them to a degree. However, today’s digital staffing solutions driven by artificial intelligence and automation have redefined the recruitment process and streamlined nearly everything from candidate sourcing to screening to onboarding and payrolling. It saves a vast amount of time and resources.

CD: In our industry when you think about digital staffing, what comes to mind is BMS, MSP, direct sourcing, total talent, workforce management technology, and artificial intelligence. AI has moved beyond hype and is generally accepted as table stakes in our industry. What are your views on AI and its impact?

KK: To your point, we can’t have this conversation without talking about generative AI and what it means. However, the idea that AI is table stakes for competitive differentiation may be overly simplistic. While AI can undoubtedly provide a significant edge, it’s not a cure-all as companies are seeing. Enterprises still have to remain focused on their core offerings and the human aspect of talent as well as customer relationships to build a sustainable competitive advantage. It’s certainly an exciting time for AI but also a scary one as well. AI is not going away and we’ll continue to hear frequently about the technology, but going forward we need to think about AI in the right way and in the smart way.

CD: Let’s pivot to direct sourcing which was gaining momentum even before the pandemic and is now another table-stakes strategy for businesses if they want to deepen their talent pool and scale their workforce. There’s so much more to direct sourcing than simply contingent recruitment process outsourcing (RPO). With that in mind, where do you see direct sourcing heading?

KK: So much has changed in just the year since I started High5. There’s no doubt that direct sourcing has emerged as a pivotal force in recruiting and is definitely here to stay. There are sessions at major conferences dedicated to direct sourcing with brands like Northern Trust, Toyota, and Meta espousing its benefits. When that starts to happen, the more prominence direct sourcing will have. Clearly, in terms of the future of direct sourcing, the benefits are there. However, its adoption will require an education process. Anytime an education process is involved, it’s going to slow things down, particularly from a sales cycle perspective, but that process plays a vital role in ensuring that organizations realize the efficacy of direct sourcing. To be successful means ensuring that best practices are being followed. When direct sourcing initiatives fail, it’s because they didn’t follow best practices. Again, I’m extremely bullish on the future of direct sourcing, but I do think it will take some time for that education to catch up.

CD: Before we wrap up, 2023 is quickly coming to an end. What do you see on the horizon in the year ahead?

KK: I wish I had a crystal ball. For us, 2024 is about strengthening our position in the market. Being known as the “tech first” company, we’re making heavy investments in our tech enablement, our marketplace, and our other platforms. We have a great deal of excitement around some of our recent tech acquisitions and the compelling value proposition that creates for us going forward.

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What’s the Proper Way to Structure a “Year of Efficiency”?

Business LeadershipContingent Workforce by Christopher J. Dwyer on

Last year, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg boldly proclaimed 2023 to be the company’s “Year of Efficiency” after a whirlwind three years in a post-pandemic business landscape. The efforts to shed roles, cut costs, and downsize expenses, in addition to maintaining innovation and improving its financial resilience, paid off: the company’s $966.60 billion market cap is edging ever-so-closer to the much-desired $1 trillion mark.

A major foundational cornerstone to Meta’s year of efficiency wasn’t just a commitment to driving down expenses and improving spend management; the social media giant shed over 20,000 jobs in 2023 alone in a sector (technology) that saw the loss of over 262,000 positions in the calendar year (and nearly 11,000 in 2024 thus far). While the tech market as a whole hit a rough patch due to less-than-favorable economic conditions and retribution from pandemic-era over-hiring, 2024 promises to be a positive, exciting, and, more importantly, something year for those in the tech world.

Companies across all sectors may consider Meta’s 2023 efforts as some sort of blueprint for how to achieve their goals: cut costs, slash jobs, maintain innovation. Seems easy, right? Nope. The push for “AI everything!” means that businesses cannot just slice-and-dice their workforce at-will as a cost-cutting measure; the skillsets required to leverage AI models, integrate AI technology, and actually use these tools are not just waiting in the backyard.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with wanting to downsize and make operations more efficient; the issue that one of the world’s largest companies touted job reductions as an anchor for their push for efficiency and the danger is that copycat enterprises will believe that they could easily do the same.

For businesses that truly want to buy into 2024 as a “year of efficiency,” there are much more effective means of doing so without disrupting the fabric of their talent base, nor trying to mimic a unicorn-like company that has never truly struggled like so many other organizations. Here’s how contemporary businesses can push a “year of efficiency” agenda in more streamlined, effective, and innovative manner:

(And yes, we get it: layoffs and workforce-downsizing are an accepted aspect of the modern business world and are sometimes necessary when enterprises are faced with economic challenges or other issues that threaten their survival. The point of this article is not to say that companies should avoid layoffs at all costs, but rather take a holistic view of their operations, optimize their application of skillsets, and prioritize innovation.)

  • Align AI wants with AI needs and develop a long-term skills roadmap that supports this strategy. We all know the deal by now: artificial intelligence is a requirement in 2024 (and beyond). The trick here, though, is to figure out exactly how to leverage AI without sacrificing resources, overhead, and sanity (and talent!); many companies today are unfortunately prioritizing AI in the wrong manner by over-dedicating at the expense of other, just-as-critical enterprise initiatives. Businesses must configure their artificial intelligence strategy, understand the skills requirements needed to execute on it, and put the plan in motion with the help of talent acquisition leaders and the human capital team. Specific skillsets, such as data management, applied science, and generative AI, should be centerpieces of a skills-based roadmap from which executive leaders can prioritize from a resource perspective.
  • Optimize the utilization of the extended workforce. There’s a reason why the contingent workforce has nearly eclipsed half of the average company’s total talent base: the inherent cost control, agility, flexibility, and skillsets of the extended workforce provide organizations with a new level of expertise in a rapidly-evolving world. In navigating this paradigm shift, organizations must not only recognize the strategic advantages embedded in the extended workforce but also cultivate a dynamic ecosystem that harnesses the diverse talents and perspectives within it. Innovative programs and solutions, such as direct sourcing, digital staffing, and the continued power of progressive workforce management automation, are key levers in maximizing the efficiency gains driven from the utilization of non-employee talent.
  • Prioritize talent retention initiatives. While we’re very much not in a “Great Resignation” world anymore, there are still many opportunities for talented workers that feel underappreciated, underpaid, and out-of-tune with company or workplace culture to bring their expertise to other organizations. “Skillset bleed” is a real phenomenon in enterprises that do little to improve morale, lack humanity, and fail to lead with empathy and understanding. The cost to replace a highly-skilled worker, especially in light of the new focus on adopting and implementing AI, pales in comparison to the outlays for ensuring top talent is comfortable, appreciated, and feels at-home in an inclusive, diverse workplace environment. Talent retention is not merely a countermeasure against the negative consequences of layoffs; it is a proactive strategy that contributes significantly to an organization’s long-term success.
  • Prioritize “innovation” but balance “efficiency.” Easier said than done, I know. In an increasingly-globalized, frenetic, and volatile business arena, focusing too much on one strategy can result in doom for other critical tactics. Welcoming novel concepts, cutting-edge technologies, and innovative processes has the potential to drive an enterprise towards success, expansion, and distinctiveness. Innovation serves as a catalyst for creativity, unlocking new and exciting revenue streams, as well as positioning the company as a differentiator in crowded verticals. The trick, though, is to create a harmonious balance between being progressive and maintaining organizational effectiveness in regards to costs, expenses, and resources. Specific strategies, such as “customer-centric innovation,” can help businesses home in on what really matters for revenue improvement, while focusing on internal process and workforce optimization will augment the pathways towards efficiency.
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The Four Future of Work Trends That Deserve More Attention

Business Leadership by Christopher J. Dwyer on

In the final weeks of 2023 and just recently here on the Future of Work Exchange, we highlighted a variety of predictions and insights into the coming months. Not only did we unveil our own thoughts on trends, but also commentary from numerous executive leaders across the greater workforce solutions industry.

While there are many trends and corresponding predictions that generate headlines and steal thunder, there are several other trajectories that may not be front-page news, but nonetheless, are deserving of business leadership attention as we move further into January and, of course, into 2024.

  • Services procurement (and SOW management) are still the “next frontier.” Way back when (let’s not date ourselves here except to say it was a long time ago), I presented on a webinar regarding big contingent workforce management trends. With a headline that read, “SOW and Services Procurement: The Next Frontier,” and a picture of a desert with a gorgeous sunset and mountains in the background, I spoke of how businesses needed to better manage professional services and better tie this complex form of non-employee labor into greater enterprise strategies. Well, over a decade later, and…it’s still the next frontier. Professional services represents upwards of 45%-to-60% of an average enterprise’s total extended workforce spend; in 2024, too many organizations do not include services procurement and SOW under the scope of their contingent workforce programs, which not only leaves millions of dollars in cost savings on the table (via enhanced efficiencies, automation, outsourcing to MSPs, etc.), but a general failure to apply Future of Work-era and “work optimization” strategies to this intricate type of non-employee labor.
  • Long COVID concerns will continue to affect the workforce. COVID-19 is, by-and-large, an afterthought outside of the winter seasons in today’s post-pandemic, “nearly-back-to-reality” world (even though wastewater samples across the states indicate rising levels of the virus due to colder weather and more indoor gatherings). However, in a study released in August, the Workers Compensation Research Institute found that 6% of workers comp claims for COVID illnesses ended up in long COVID situations. While that seems like a small number, the stat is compounded to the total number of COVID-specific compensation claims across the United States…a figure that represents tens of thousands of workers across various industries that will have significant gaps in their resumes (and, in parallel, valuable lost time in honing skills). This could have some major ramifications in verticals that rely on consistent, up-to-date skillsets.
  • Enterprises strengthen the link between artificial intelligence and business leadership. Much of the focus on AI as a business disruptor centers on several discussions: 1) its application as a tactical automation engine, 2) its potential as a strategic, next-generation process enhancer, and 3) its near-boundless, budding power for model- and scenario-building within specific organizational initiatives. What’s oft-missed is just how AI will impact business leadership and corporate problem-solving. AI is the most powerful technology tool that many of us have seen, leveraged, and experienced in our collective lifetime; it only makes sense that business leaders enact optimal configuration to better understand how artificial intelligence will influence core decision-making and how it will help them reimagine how they manage the workforce, long-term enterprise planning, and greater talent acquisition strategies.
  • The next generation of the candidate experience is designed. The earliest concepts behind the “candidate experience” revolved around how candidates progressed through engagement and hiring processes. In recent years, and especially in the wake of post-pandemic business evolution (specifically around bigger ideas like “humanity”), more of that experience tended to correlate with candidates’ perceptions of their future employers, particularly aspects like workplace culture, inclusive environments, and the non-financial attributes of the company brand. We will see a shift in the candidate experience as 2024 unfolds; with the power of converging AI and human-based candidate experience strategies, businesses will be able to better-tailor messaging to talent prospects, hone communication with candidates, and revolutionizing engagement processes to consider workers’ preferences, skills, and career aspirations.
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How Do We Define Direct Sourcing in 2024?

Uncategorized by Christopher J. Dwyer on

In the realm of workforce management, the concept of direct sourcing has not escaped the fervor of its own hype machine. The question persists, though: what defines direct sourcing? What is its true “reality”? What “state” is direct sourcing in today, given the evolution of talent acquisition and extended workforce management?

There is no easy answer, unfortunately. The most interesting facet regarding direct sourcing is that the industry has not yet settled on a true definition; much like contingent workforce programs can be called such without a drop of automation or third-party support, direct sourcing often falls into the same spectrum. Even without a VMS, extended workforce platform, or MSP in place, businesses can state that their non-employee workforce programs are tried-and-true (and “end-to-end”) even in cases where additional attributes, particularly services procurement and SOW management, aren’t considered part of the overall initiative.

Misconceptions surrounding direct sourcing often center on the intricacies of its implementation and the true characterization of what qualifies as genuine “direct sourcing.” Does an enterprise curating its talent internally and channeling candidates into a talent pool truly embody direct sourcing as a core workforce strategy? To discern the essence of direct sourcing, we must explore its full spectrum, including segmentation, integration into primary recruitment streams, and the facilitation of talent nurture capabilities — which is where the question arises: is automation indispensable for it to be deemed a true, end-to-end program? Do enterprises require deeper talent technology stacks to ensure direct sourcing meets its potential as a talent acquisition gamechanger?

That question is a bit easier to answer. Event though direct sourcing stands apart as a workforce strategy that yields significant benefits even when its components are selectively harnessed, there is so much more value in the initiative when its fueled by next-level automation and an edge of talent acquisition transformation. While businesses prioritizing meticulous talent curation and the optimization of talent communities often find themselves equipped with top-tier candidates, particularly crucial in an era where experience and skillsets reign supreme, the truth is that the full potential of direct sourcing, especially in terms of talent nurture, referrals, and skills-based hiring, requires the incorporation of advanced capabilities facilitated by direct sourcing platforms, artificial intelligence (AI), and extended workforce automation.

Yet, challenges abound. Executive buy-in, functional collaboration, and recruitment disparities can impede the success of direct sourcing. It is crucial to recognize that talent curation alone is not a panacea, and merely applying direct sourcing-like processes to existing talent acquisition capabilities falls short. Enterprises must delve into the core motivations behind adopting direct sourcing and implement comprehensive measures for its end-to-end execution. Cost savings demand agile talent engagement and the seamless integration of talent pool/community candidates into existing recruitment streams, while an enhanced candidate experience necessitates placing AI and related technology at the forefront of every candidate journey, particularly in a mobile setting.

And, with skills-based hiring becoming a critical recruitment initiative for 2024, defining “direct sourcing” will entail converging multilayered strategies and solutions, along with progressive business thinking, into a seamless program that facilitates the next generation of hiring.

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The Most Powerful Future Of Work Tool? Our Minds.

Business Leadership by Christopher J. Dwyer on

There is often a major discussion around the technology-led attributes of the Future of Work movement, particularly with artificial intelligence (AI) garnering headlines and encompassing the average LinkedIn feed. However, entering a new year, there should just as much conversation around another key facet of the Future of Work: the transformation of business thinking.

This space and most of the Future of Work Exchange’s thought leadership revolves around the concepts of automation, technology, and the platforms revolutionizing the greater world of work and talent. In fact, our definition of the Future of Work pointedly refers to these advancements: the evolution of talent engagement and talent management through new technology, as well as the introduction of exciting platforms that are actively pushing the boundaries of “work optimization,” are two distinct components at the very core of this movement.

However, in what was exacerbated by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is something “bigger” than us all at play right now within the business arena: the power of the human mind to traverse archaic thinking and blend progressive, diverse concepts with a focus on emotional- and empathy-led leadership principles.

This isn’t just a “we need more humanity” idea nor is it another piece on why the contemporary enterprise fares better with emotionally-charged concepts. No, this is the very awareness that we are all human, that the workforce is human, and people are what make us successful and our businesses successful.

Humanity is the foundation of the business world. And everything we do, whether it’s strategize around the global market or configure our utilization of technology, must revolve around the notion that people, and their/our minds, are the driving force of innovation, progress, and success.

It’s how we put ourselves in someone else’s shoes as they contend with rough situations at home (empathy). It’s how we prioritize the depth of the human mind in how we conduct workforce planning (conscious leadership). It’s how we build AI models that reflect the soft skills and emotional intelligence we require to succeed. It’s how we ensure a future where technology not only augments our capabilities but also aligns with our human values, understanding that innovation must serve a purpose beyond efficiency.

And, most critically, it’s how we shape the future of how we work by emphasizing a holistic approach that harmonizes the technological advancements of the digital era with the enduring importance of emotional and human intelligence.

As business leaders, our ability to recognize of the true power of innovative thinking is what will set us apart from the competition. Enterprises must strive to build and develop workplace environments that foster inclusivity and belonging, as well as reflect an aura of charity, diversity, and empathy. A commitment to fostering this atmosphere is not just a business strategy; it becomes a cornerstone for sustained success, empowering teams to navigate complexities, adapt to change, and collectively propel the organization towards a brighter, more resilient future in 2024 and beyond.

The world of work is rapidly shifting towards recognizing the profound impact of emotional thinking, empathy, diverse thinking, and advanced emotional intelligence. These qualities not only enhance individual and collective well-being but also contribute significantly to the success and sustainability of organizations in an ever-changing and complex business environment. As we continue to navigate an ever-evolving Future of Work-led landscape, embracing and cultivating these attributes will be a defining factor in achieving lasting success and relevance.

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The Four Trends That Will Shape the Way(s) We Work in 2024

Business LeadershipContingent WorkforceDirect SourcingTalentTalent Acquisition by Christopher J. Dwyer on

By now, we’ve all heard the many elucidations on the year ahead. From predictions and financial outlooks to economic forecasts and market guesses, there are so many thoughts on how the next twelve months will unfold from business, talent, technology, and leadership perspectives.

So, essentially, we’re in for another year in which the Future of Work movement will continue to reshape and transform the very ways we think about how (and why) we work.

2023 was a watershed year. Artificial intelligence fully sped its hype train in circles around both business and consumer personas, while dire-then-rosy-then-dire-again-then-optimistic economic outlooks pushed all of us onto a nonstop financial rollercoaster. The labor market remained (and remains) a tad volatile, even though it’s showing signs of slowing steadily based on jobs data heading into the final five or six weeks of 2023 (with an approximate 12%-to-14% drop in job adds in December from November).

And then there’s cooling inflation, as well, which will (hopefully) contribute to a strong economic year as a better balance between supply and demand converges with a full year of economic and labor market consistency.

The Future of Work Exchange believes there are dozens of factors that will shape the foundation of 2024. Here are, however, four of the most critical trends:

  • The effects of artificial intelligence won’t be measured by its utilization, but rather its impact. Attempting to measure the adoption of AI-based technology is difficult (even though we’ve tried that here at the Exchange many times before) because artificial intelligence utilization isn’t always rooted in enterprise software nor is it fully-integrated into core operational systems. It will be critical for businesses to measure the true effects of AI via its impact rather than how many users or how broadly the technology is being leveraged, i.e., is AI contributing to better talent matches?, is AI augmenting core roles?, is AI enabling deeper and more educated talent decision-making?, etc.
  • The “human factor” is beyond crucial…it’s essential. The term “empathy” became omnipresent in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic as more and more workers craved non-financial support from their leaders, mentors, and employers. The pandemic was more than a transformational event; it forced professionals to view their jobs and careers from a human perspective (“mortality” being a major factor in the face of death, loss, and disruption) and, consequently, resulted in a shift from leaders towards compassion and empathy. While some attributes of the human factor were lost when businesses declared “normalcy” back in fashion, the mantra still rings true: the Future of Work thrives on humanity. As talented workers have more choices than ever before, and as new jobs/roles are decided upon by candidates from more than just compensation (like charity, workplace culture, diversity, inclusion, etc.), the “human factor” is an essential piece of the Future of Work movement.
  • The next 12 months will shape the very future of business leadership. Are leaders made, or, are leaders born? This was always a fundamental question that unfortunately paved the career roads for many a professional for the past few decades. “Leadership” in and of itself is a nebulous concept given that every enterprise executive shares varied responsibilities, each with a tinge towards “strategic” or “tactical” that dictates how, when, and why they lead. The stakes have changed, though, and so has the very definition of leadership; it’s not just “management,” it’s mentorship, coaching, and conscious thinking that drives productivity, humanity, culture, and inclusion. Leaders have the potential to impact not just the financial or economic successes of their respective organizations, but also how the organization is perceived to future talent and how candidates determine its overall workplace environment. In 2024, business leadership hits a tipping point.
  • The blended workforce represents the future of talent acquisition. It’s no longer a question of how the extended workforce will impact the greater business arena…it’s how much value it will drive. Ardent Partners and Future of Work Exchange research pegs the contingent workforce at 49.5% of the average company’s total workforce, a figure that, ten years ago, Ardent predicted would become a reality given the trajectory of non-employee talent. It’s not just the overall size of the extended workforce, though, that makes it such a high-value Future of Work attribute, but rather the ecosystem around this workforce that represents so much innovation and evolution. AI-fueled talent acquisition, the continued growth of direct sourcing, the convergence of VMS and HR-led technology, massive shifts in how businesses find and engage talent, and the next great era of the Gig Economy all point to the extended workforce as a key Future of Work tenet in 2024 and beyond.
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Future of Work 2024: Predictions for the Year Ahead (Part III)

Business LeadershipContingent WorkforceDirect SourcingDiversity and InclusionGeneral InsightsHRSolution ProvidersTalent AcquisitionTechnology and Innovation by Christopher J. Dwyer on

The Future of Work Exchange continues its series on 2024 Future of Work predictions, courtesy of the industry’s brightest thought leaders and executives. The below insights are peeks into what the year ahead may bring for organizations across the globe regarding talent, technology, and work optimization. (Read Part I and Part II of our predictions series.)

“Peak AI hype will fade. However, the most innovative and competitive companies will take on the true challenge of AI’s digital disruption – its people. The paramount skill sought by companies will be “good judgement,” elevating it from a soft skill to a crucial human-in-the-loop necessity. Companies will realize that their AI adoption challenge isn’t access to technology, it’s access to people with the skills and bandwidth to stand up the programs. – Tim Sanders, VP of Client Strategy, Upwork

“2024 will see increased dissolution of silos between extended and FTE workforce management, accelerated by integrative technologies and the demand for more flexible, high-impact talent strategies.” – Jeff Mike, Head of Insights and Impact at Flextrack

“Classifying independent contractors (and avoiding misclassification) will be even more crucial in 2024. Compliance risk is always a concern when engaging a large contingent workforce. Growing companies may mistakenly classify someone as an “independent contractor” when that person should technically receive the benefits of “employment.” U.S. labor laws are becoming more specific, with a new proposed Six-Factor “Economic Realities” Test to determine worker status on the horizon. Companies must be mindful of labor laws and IC classification, as each country (and even each U.S. state) has its own nuances. Misclassifying employees as independent contractors carries risks and penalties, including fines, jail time, or being banned from talent acquisition in that country. Cover your compliance bases in 2024!” – The Team at WorkSuite

“A lot of excitement around AI and the Future of Work is still about how it’s generating efficiencies and improvements. But, as companies go past that initial fervor and move towards a more strategic transformation there’s going to be even more demands on finding skills, upskilling and shaping a new look organization. Businesses will need to learn from digital transformation and recognizing that as work changes, an extended workforce is more able to have the skills to plan and deliver those changes.” – Sandeep Dhillon, CEO, Talmix

“The era of corporate monoculture is over. Gen Z is the most culturally aware, globally-connected generation we’ve seen, and they bring a variety of backgrounds, skills, and expectations to the workplace. For 2024, expect far less desire to conform and a greater emphasis on customizable benefits and perks, along with increased consideration of mental health and ethics. The one-size-fits-all, US-centric approach to culture building will be replaced by employee-driven, bottom-up programs that prioritize self-directed engagement and cross-cultural learning. As part of that, executives will need to be trained on cross-culture (and cross-generational) communication. This is a generation that has learned to set their own rules and build skills on the fly, evolving and learning alongside the technology they used to study and connect. Now that they’re in the workplace, Gen Z doesn’t want to be micromanaged; they crave trust, autonomy, and flexibility in their work. Given freedom to experiment, this generation will continue to reinvent the way we look at work, including working remotely, hybridly, and independently as preferred career choices.” – Jessica “JJ” Reeder, Director of Remote Organizational Effectiveness, Upwork

“The proliferation of artificial intelligence as viable and accretive to decision-making has been remarkable to witness this year. The toothpaste is fully out of the tube and there’s no turning back. What’s interesting to see, however, is how some of our predictions last year on the impact of AI on the workforce evolved with the benefit of hindsight. It was originally thought that AI would have an outsized impact on front-line work and those in traditionally blue-collar roles, perhaps as automation took hold in factory and warehouse settings, but as it turns out, many are predicting a greater degree of disruption on IT and marketing roles, which could have profound implications on we view job roles and structures, especially in tech. Conversely, I predict that AI will be beneficial to industrial staffing and the supply chain workforce ecosystem as we realize with increasing confidence how certain job functions aren’t easily performed by anyone other than highly-skilled human beings. There’s a combination of judgment, experience, intelligence, and physical dexterity that coexists seamlessly within the skilled trades, and that’s a confluence of assets that we haven’t yet seen AI capable of credibly pulling off, nor do I see that as likely in the near future.” – Vinda Souza, VP of Corporate Communications, Employbridge

 “I expect to see increasing collaboration and maybe even consolidation of traditional parts of the ecosystem with some of the newer entrants. The recently-announced Upwork partnerships with VMS providers have beaten the New Year’s Eve chimes, and I’m sure we’ll see more marketplaces embedded with MSP partnerships and VMS integrations, as the enterprise puts more emphasis on the extended workforce, and wants to bring all the components together. We’re describing 2024 as the year of the grown-up talent marketplace, and instead of competing against centralized programs, they’ll be a part of it.” – Dorothy Mead, VP of Marketing and Brand, Talmix

“Distributed work is going to continue to grow and become “smarter” as we all learn how to work differently. Technology is only getting better at connecting us and removing friction that remote work used to have e.g. dropped calls, lack of knowledge-sharing tools, etc. In fact, according to our recent research, days in the office do not directly correlate to higher performance because trust and flexibility are at the core of fostering distributed teams. As people analytics continues to mature as a discipline, thanks in large part to AI, we’ll be able to better customize work arrangements based on data, allowing for greater individualization of work.– Dr. Kelly Monahan, Managing Director, Upwork Research Institute 

“Recruitment technology companies have been trying to solve the problem of shift scheduling for years, with varying degrees of success. Now that we’ve reached a tipping point, I predict that AI will help effectively connect candidates with gig work opportunities that not only match their skill sets, but also accommodate their scheduling preferences – and it will be quick and seamless. All of this ties into a broader theme of mobile platforms and artificial intelligence making life easier for workers – to find, apply for, and manage multiple gig jobs, but most importantly, to offer greater flexibility and control over their work lives and futures. Over the past several years we’ve seen increasing consolidation across the staffing ecosystem and the infusion of private equity into staffing, although that cooled somewhat in 2023. For next year, I anticipate that AI-driven efficiencies and advancements in experience design will lead to further market consolidation, with larger staffing firms acquiring and/or integrating with smaller, specialized firms that shore up gaps in segmentation or technical capability. This consolidation, in turn, will ideally lead to a more unified jobseeker experiences, giving candidates broader access to varied job opportunities through the availability of fewer, but more feature-rich and extensible, platforms.” – Colin Mooney, Chief Transformation Officer, Employbridge

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