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Believe the Hype: Direct Sourcing is a Key Element of the Future of Work

Direct SourcingEventsTalent by Christopher J. Dwyer on

I can remember a moment back in January 2020, an era that seems so very long ago. At that point, the world looked so much different: we weren’t so worried about a global pandemic, nor we were masking up whenever we left the house. We weren’t bombarded by 24/7 news on social media about mass suffering and sickness. And, as we know all so well know, the way we looked at our workforce was much, much unlike the way we perceive talent today.

Ardent Partners’ 2020 State of Contingent Workforce Management research study found that, when polled regarding their top priorities heading into the new decade, direct sourcing and talent pools were #1 and #2, respectively. There were many executive leaders that participated in that study who saw the writing on the wall: talent acquisition needed to change and so did the ways businesses engaged top-tier skillsets and expertise.

Call it omniscient, or call it plain luck; no matter how we describe these pre-pandemic insights, those forward-looking business leaders were onto something. In elegant, MSP-led programs in Europe years ago, direct sourcing took the form of “contingent RPO,” in which businesses built their own talent pipelines via pseudo-agencies that they controlled and operated outside of traditional staffing supplier relationships. So, while direct sourcing isn’t a new concept, it certainly feels like that when we consider the incredible growth of these programs and the attention and focus paid to the concept over the past few years.

(I also have to give immense credit to a dear friend of mine, Jeff Nugent. Here’s a post from 2014 in which he discusses the benefits of direct sourcing. Yes, 2014!)

In the business arena, ideas and strategies that attract so much attention are inevitably destined to fail to live up to the hype. There may have been a moment or two a couple of years ago when it seemed that direct sourcing could have headed down that same fateful path. However, it very much did not, due to three main reasons:

  • Talent pipelines and talent communities became the lifelines of businesses throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as they required flexibility and scalability regarding their workforce.
  • The candidate experience, which became ever-so critical, followed a core element in Best-in-Class direct sourcing programs: talent nurture capabilities, and;
  • Businesses required a steady flow of both active candidates and passive candidates to power through The Great Resignation.

Heading into 2023, the very realm of “hiring” will take on new meaning as businesses contend with a variety of issues that could impact their organizational pathways in getting work done…and, of course, merely surviving. The war in the Ukraine continues to rage and disrupts global trade. The Great Resignation is turning into “The Great Resettling” as workers begin to discover how they want their careers to unfold. The specter of an economic downturn hovers, with recessionary fears sparking precautionary layoffs and major transitions by organizations. And, yet another COVID winter surge is just up ahead.

For enterprises today, direct sourcing isn’t just a concept that’ll ease some measure of talent shortfalls. Direct sourcing is, and has been, a key element of the Future of Work movement. Whether it’s the ability to traverse omni-channel talent engagement, building deep, segmented talent pools, fostering core talent communities, or developing enterprise-wide workforce scalability, direct sourcing remains a powerful strategy as the world of talent and work continues to evolve.

Join Ardent Partners and the Future of Work Exchange on Thursday, November 10 at 2pm ET for our next exclusive webcast, Scale Your 2023 Hiring Initiatives With Direct Sourcing. Register for this exciting new webinar and learn more about the impact of direct sourcing on talent acquisition and recruitment in the months ahead.

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Scale Your 2023 Hiring Initiatives with Direct Sourcing (Upcoming Webinar)

Direct SourcingEventsTalent by Christopher J. Dwyer on

Hot on the heels of our Five Things You MUST KNOW About the Future of Work webcast earlier this month, Ardent Partners and the Future of Work Exchange are excited to announce that our next virtual event will be held at 2pm on November 10. This time, we’re focused on perhaps the most dynamic topic in today’s exciting world of work and talent: DIRECT SOURCING.

Going into 2020, direct sourcing and talent pools were top priority areas for businesses across the globe. One global pandemic and a Future of Work-accelerated business arena later, it has become even more critical for businesses that want to thrive in the months and years ahead. 2021 and 2022 were mired in “The Great Resignation” and a “Great Resettling” of workers across various industries, roles, verticals, etc. Along with the volatile labor market that this sparked, businesses are also worrying about the specter of another economic recession while also attempting to plan for an important calendar year in 2023 from corporate objective standpoints.

Direct sourcing, and the concept of Direct Sourcing 2.0 (a FOWX original term meant to define the next era of direct sourcing), has proven to drive incredible value across several key areas of talent acquisition, recruitment, and workforce management, including: enhancing the candidate experience, boosting the hiring manager experience, revolutionizing talent engagement, improving the overall quality of talent, and enabling seamless talent redeployment.

Join Ardent Partners and the Future of Work Exchange on Thursday, November 10 (at 2pm ET) or an exclusive webinar, How to Scale Your 2023 Hiring Initiatives With Direct Sourcing. We’ll unveil some brand new data points, several Best-in-Class strategies for launching and maximizing direct sourcing programs, and so much more! Register now!

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The First Thing You Must Know About the Future of Work

Business LeadershipContingent WorkforceDirect SourcingEventsGeneral InsightsTalentTalent AcquisitionTechnology and Innovation by John Yuva on

The Future of Work Exchange (FOWX) and Ardent Partners recently hosted their complimentary webinar, The Five Things You MUST KNOW About the Future of Work, which discussed the critical capabilities that enterprises can unlock to truly optimize the way they address talent acquisition, extended workforce management, and, most importantly, work optimization. Over the next five weeks, we’ll be recapping each of the five things discussed during the event. In our first installment this week, we’ll be diving into the evolution of talent and the ever-present phrase, “The Future of Work.”

The Evolution of Talent and Talent Acquisition

When it comes to the Future of Work, one of the first things to know is the evolution of talent and talent acquisition. And this idea of the “evolution of talent” can be ambiguous. Talent is always evolving and has been for a long time. The way that businesses perceive their talent is also evolving. And, the way that those businesses get connected to talent, and vice versa, continues to evolve. It’s also being innovated through technology and new strategies and new programs.

The fact is nearly half of our workforce today is comprised of extended workers or contingent workers. We have aspects like direct sourcing and digital staffing that are making it much easier for businesses to find the talent they need to get work done to address those mission-critical projects and fill the appropriate roles. FOWX and Ardent research has been focused historically on the extended workforce and contingent workforce, but we’re talking about all types of talent.

Thus, talent acquisition as a function and as a series of processes has also progressed. We need to consider aspects like the candidate experience, and the way that our culture and our brand attract new talent into our organization. Many business leaders think of the Future of Work as being centered around technology, revolving around the idea that technology drives the Future of Work. And we  wouldn’t necessarily disagree with that; technology is a critical piece. And for some aspects and attributes of the Future of Work, technology and innovation are the nexus of those areas.

Technology is a Future of Work Centerpiece

Talent and the growth of the extended workforce represent the first leg of the stool with such things as diversity and candidate experience, but also digital staffing, direct sourcing, online talent marketplaces, and core workforce management solutions (such as MSPs and VMS platforms) These technologies are helping us to redefine the way we think about work. We’re living in a world where even though we don’t want to hear the word “pandemic” anymore, the pandemic really did shape what we think about the Future of Work.

It’s really critical to think about aspects like remote work and the technologies that support a hybrid workplace and how we leverage digital workspaces, digitization, and the idea of the digital enterprise, all rolling up into this notion of digital transformation. New technology and innovation are not the totality of the Future of Work, but certainly a centerpiece of it. And when we look at the transformation of business leadership, we often juxtapose this with business transformation or business leadership transformation, as well. It is leadership that dictates strategy, it dictates vision, and it dictates culture. And by proxy, we transform the way business leadership manages itself, manages its workforce, and how it expands its power and control over the organization.

Thus, the transparent transformation of business leadership is really critical, and honestly has nothing to do with technology. It all revolves around aspects like conscious leadership, empathetic leadership, empathy at work, and flexibility — thinking about how we lead in very new and different ways. It’s turning on its head the idea that “the boss” is always this very strict person who’s known for rigidity in how he or she perceives and manages the workforce. Business leaders are transitioning to be more flexible in their thinking. When you combine all these aspects together, that’s the future of work and the view of the Future of Work Exchange and Ardent Partners as well.

Ever-Present Future of Work

Thus, the “Future of Work” phrase is ever-present. It’s everywhere. Back when our FOWX architect, Christopher J. Dwyer, started using this phrase in 2013/2014, there weren’t many others using it. Today, we see so many conferences named “The Future of Work” as well as many websites and research studies. But unlike a lot of phrases that are hot today, it’s anything but hype. It really is this idea of permanence. Much of the change that we’ve gone through as people, as leaders, as workers, and as businesses, it’s not hype…nor is it a fad. The Future of Work is permanence. It’s not going to fade from view.

Future of Work “accelerants” that were once seedlings to the world of work and talent are now table stakes. Remote work, for example, is not new. Many of us have been working in a remote or hybrid workplace for most of our careers. And there are many others who have done so, as well. But for some business leaders and workers, it’s a very new aspect of their daily work lives.

The “Future of Work” phrase is ubiquitous. It’s an omnipresent way of looking at the current and future state of work. We are now focused on how we can improve the way we get work done, the way we manage talent, the way we engage talent, and the way that we treat our workforce. But we’re also thinking about tomorrow and the ways we’re going to get work done depending on several factors, including the economy, politics, global markets, and other aspects that could change the business arena.

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Upwork’s Work Without Limits: HR Builds Bridges Across the Organization

EventsSolution Providers by Christopher J. Dwyer on

Upwork, a global talent and work platform, recently held its Work Without Limits summit as an in-person and streaming event in Chicago The main stage was filled with customer and enterprise presenters, including Upwork’s Tony Buffum, vice president of HR Client Strategy, who served as moderator for the panel titled, “HR: Building Bridges Across the Organization.” Joining Buffum to discuss how HR leaders are earning trust, building awareness, and gaining alignment with key business partners to drive business results, was a panel that included:

  • Zoë Harte, Chief People Officer at Upwork.
  • David Harris, SVP of HR for PepsiCo.
  • Sarah Harse, Global Category Leader for HR Services and Professional Education, Johnson & Johnson.

The panel discussion covered a variety of topics. However, a central theme was HR’s cross-functional collaboration in executing the enterprise’s talent strategy. This article explores several areas around that theme. While HR is looked upon by the enterprise to drive talent and other critical initiatives, it cannot do this alone. There must be a partnership across the entire business with other functions like procurement, finance, legal, marketing, engineering, and the like.

Responsibility Lies With Everyone

When it comes to the role of sourcing and identifying talent, who is ultimately responsible? This was the opening question that Buffum posed to the panel. Harte believes everybody is responsible for bringing exceptional talent to drive the business initiatives that are the priorities for the organization. “HR has a powerful role in that. And so do the people managers and so does procurement. We all must do it together to be successful,” she said.

Responding with a procurement perspective, Harse says in the past the function took the upfront role of sourcing, finding the channel, putting it in place, and ensuring it operated. However, that’s not enough anymore.

“Just having the channel available is not enough to really solve the challenges that are ahead for our people leaders. The more we can do to partner with our HR counterparts, our finance counterparts, or our legal counterparts to connect those dots and really think about each of us having a unique role to play — with the hiring manager at the center helping to navigate all these different channels we have available — is really critical,” Harse said.

The audience at Upwork’s Work Without Limits event listens in to insights regarding the evolving world of work and talent. (Photo credit: Upwork)

Communication Is the Cornerstone

Because several business units contribute to the identification of talent sources, cross-functional collaboration is imperative. Harris described this process at PepsiCo, which included partnerships with finance (always a major role within large companies), procurement (to ensure all the contracts and partnerships are in place), and the internal talent acquisition team (securing the available people when and where they’re needed).

Of course, such collaboration couldn’t occur without effective communication. What projects are underway and the associated strategies? What are the different metrics or objectives among the functional lines? Harte says each individual team may be working toward different metrics. However, the role of the leader is to take a step back and look at the overall objectives they’re working toward. Knowing the business mission enables everyone to work together.

“It’s then easier to see how you can merge your objectives and key results together to ensure you’re making good compromises,” said Harse. “Communicate and really have a conversation about that so people understand the give and take of everyone involved. You’ll be able to find alignment and come to some level of agreement.”

Commit to Early Engagement

However, even the best-laid plans and communication can pose challenges. Harse spoke about her own experiences in procurement working through problem areas cross functionally and where opportunities exist to work toward a better goal. She said a common pitfall is the last-minute rush that can occur when a project is tossed over the wall to another function. Because both functions have not been on that journey together, there’s a lack of understanding around the purpose of the project and the work that’s been put into it.

For the individual or team suddenly holding the project, there’s a lack of alignment in terms of priority regardless of the urgency involved. Harse said much of the issue can be resolved with better early collaboration during the ideation phase.

“We have a number of subject matter experts across all our large organizations who can bring significant value to the table. Procurement shouldn’t be viewed at the table as simply the purchasing or supply chain person, but rather the beneficiary of these strategies as well,” said Harse.

She adds that the greatest learning coming into a new role supporting HR is that everyone can identify with the need for talent access. All are people leaders who understand the challenge of filling the seats to get the work done.

“It’s easy to get people on board with that message if you bring them in early and start to engage with legal and finance counterparts at the beginning of the journey to bring down some of those barriers that inevitably come up. This is crucial for those unique relationships we want to build to really be successful,” Harse explains.

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On-Demand Webinar: The Five Things You Must Know About the Future of Work

Events by Christopher J. Dwyer on

Last week, Ardent Partners and the Future of Work Exchange hosted an exclusive webcast, The Five Things You MUST KNOW About the Future of Work. During the event, we discussed how the Exchange defines the Future of Work movement, the innerworkings of work optimization, the technology-fueled and non-technological attributes of the Future of Work, and so much more. If you happened to miss the event, we’ve got you covered. Check out The Five Things You MUST KNOW About the Future of Work on-demand webinar below, and stay tuned for details about our next exclusive event.

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The Future of Work is not Static, So Where Is It Heading?

Events by Christopher J. Dwyer on

The latest episode of the Future of Work Exchange Podcast (listen here) discussed how the Future of Work movement is and will never be “static.” In essence, the continued evolution of talent acquisition, the unrelenting pace of new innovations and technology, and the complete transformation of business leadership will always be moving forward in some sense, especially considering the breakneck pace of the economic, political, and social aspects of the corporate arena.

Sometimes leaders will ask the question, “What IS the Future of Work, really?” However, the question we should all be asking ourselves at this very moment is “Where will the world of talent and work go in the months and years ahead?”

To this end, the Future of Work Exchange is excited to host an exclusive event tomorrow (Thursday, October 6 at 1pm ET) focused on the five things that every leader must know about the Future of Work. I’ll be joined by Ardent Partners’ Chief Research Officer, Andrew Bartolini, as we discuss what’s ahead for the extended workforce, the technology that supports strategies such as direct sourcing and remote work, the impact of non-tech attributes like DE&I and conscious leadership, and so much more. Register below…and I hope to see you there tomorrow!

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Upwork’s Work Without Limits: Grand Redesign with Tim Sanders

Business LeadershipEventsSolution Providers by John Yuva on

Upwork, a global talent and work platform, recently held its Work Without Limits summit as an in-person and streaming event in Chicago. The main stage was filled with customer and enterprise presenters, including Upwork’s Tim Sanders, vice president of client strategy, who discussed the grand redesign opportunity and what the breakdown of the old rules of work means for companies today. (Check out the Future of Work Exchange‘s coverage of the event.)

Defining Grand Redesign

Sanders began his session with a fascinating story about the rise of Shantanu Narayen to CEO of Adobe Inc. in 2007. Adobe was a behemoth software company known for its innovative products like Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat, and many others. In the industry, it was second only to its rival Microsoft.

However, in 2007, the company experienced the ramifications of software piracy, losing $1 billion. A year later, the Great Recession took its toll on the company’s flagship Adobe Creative Suite product offering. At a $1,800 price point, companies closed their wallets and revenue declined 20% within the first eight weeks of the recession.

What was Adobe’s response? Mark Garrett, Adobe’s chief financial officer in 2008, recognized the potential of cloud-based subscription models. Thus, the company embarked on its grand redesign, transforming from a physical product-oriented company to a 100% digital, cloud-based subscription service. In 2012, Adobe released Creative Cloud to the world with an entry-level price point of less than $60 compared to $1,800.

Sanders noted that Adobe’s grand redesign was one of the biggest turnarounds in corporate history, growing its market cap from $15 billion in 2012 to more than $200 billion today. Knowing not to rest and accept the status quo, especially during a recession, the company leveraged the opportunity to combine desktop, mobile, and services into a single customer package — shutting the door to the competition.

Our Present Grand Redesign Opportunity

This brings us to today. Sanders explains that companies are experiencing another period of great disruption — the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts. Now is the time to move beyond the status quo and redesign the workplace. He says there are six workplace design options on the table.

  1. Remote first. Companies that choose this design option fully embrace remote work and use it strategically as part of their operational and talent acquisition models.
  2. Remote-friendly. More organizations are choosing a remote-friendly design that embraces a distributed workforce for certain roles, talents, and situations. It is not a complete remote first transition, but companies are willing to consider it as a possible default. Sanders says that if companies are not remote first, they must accept remote-friendly to be competitive.
  3. Remote for now. This has been the workplace design model for many companies since the beginning of the pandemic. However, this model will disappear as companies commit to a long-term design strategy.
  4. Hybrid by role. Essentially, certain roles (e.g., doctors, nurses, warehouse workers, etc.) must be in-person due to the work type. Other roles can be accomplished remotely.
  5. Hybrid-by-day mix. In many ways, this is simply a compromise for those who want to be remote. It allows remote work for two to three days per week. The drawbacks? There are no savings on real estate costs and there’s a reliance on local talent.
  6. Onsite first. Everyone is required to work on-site with few to no remote work options. For retail organizations, Sanders questions whether it’s necessary for marketing or back-office technology employees to work on-site. There are remote work opportunities that could be leveraged.
Tim Sanders, VP of Client Strategy at Upwork, discusses “The Grand Redesign.” (Photo credit: Upwork)

Identify Your Model to Rewire Your Organization for Remote-First

Which workplace design model represents your company? Answer that question first, says Sanders, then pose three additional questions.

  1. Are you satisfied with the talent in your local markets to make you competitive to achieve digital transformation and stand-up artificial intelligence? Are you ready? Are your local markets really that strong?

And as a follow-up question, are there any remote-first companies running recruitment ads in your market? If so, that’s going to change the picture even if you think you’re comfortable with the strength of your local market.

  1. Have your leaders figured out managing based on outcomes or are they still stuck in the past of AAA management — attendance, attitude, and aptitude?

If your leaders have learned how to manage based on outcomes, then they’re completely equipped to manage without seeing people physically every day in the office.

  1. Have you invested in tools and training for people to learn how to collaborate and culture-build at a distance?

Culture is not about your office. Instead, culture is a conversation led by leaders about how we do things here. It’s about storytelling and how we succeeded in the past. If you want to build a better culture, focus on cadence, not location.

Sanders says these are the questions to ask yourself. The good news? As you embrace remote-first (or at the very least, remote-friendly) workplace design, you are going to rewire the organization.

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The Five Things You MUST KNOW About the Future of Work

Events by Christopher J. Dwyer on

The Future of Work means different things to different people. Depending on function, geography, role, etc., some business leaders may prioritize something like digital transformation as a core Future of Work facet, while others will point to non-technological attributes such as DE&I and conscious leadership as the true hallmarks of the Future of Work movement.

No matter the position within the great organization, the truth is that the Future of Work continues to expand in size, scope, and impact, with each of its “accelerants” and “arms” transforming the many ways businesses get work done.

For today’s procurement, HR, and talent acquisition executives, the world of talent and work remains a core priority. As global issues such as inflation, the specter of a recession, and a continuous war for talent continue to impact businesses, it is critical for enterprise leaders to understand the strategies, solutions, and technologies that can revolutionize the ways that work can be optimized.

Ardent Partners and the Future of Work Exchange are excited to host a complimentary webinar, The Five Things You MUST KNOW About the Future of Work, on Thursday, October 6, at 1pm ET.

This webcast will cover the critical capabilities that enterprises can unlock to truly optimize the way they address talent acquisition, extended workforce management, and, most importantly, work optimization.

We will discuss the ways businesses can leverage the innovations and Future of Work accelerants required to not only survive these changing times…but also to also thrive as dynamic organizations in the face of consistent evolution.

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Upwork’s “Work Without Limits” Conference: Thriving in a New World of Work

EventsSolution ProvidersTechnology and Innovation by Christopher J. Dwyer on

“The world of work is changing faster than ever before,” said Upwork Chief Sales Officer Eric Gilpin at the start of the talent platform’s annual “Work Without Limits” summit in Chicago. Gilpin’s opening thoughts echo the evolution of work and talent over the past two-plus years, as Future of Work-era accelerants (and the desire to truly optimize how work is done) rapidly shape the way businesses around the globe operate.

Eric Gilpin, Upwork’s Chief Sales Officer, kicks off the 2022 Work Without Limits event. (Photo credit: Upwork)

Hayden Brown, President and CEO of Upwork, kicked off the conference reminiscing about what it was like when she finally made it to the corner office and when she got an office with a door for the first time in her career. Today, Hayden says, “Every employee can have their own corner office.” There are after all, new rules for work.

One of the major benefits of this new world of work is that control has been democratized. How, where, and even when people complete their work is in more of their control, and this is a huge benefit to all businesses, said Brown. She challenges the notion that the traditional workplace was what drove success, arguing that this misplaced nostalgia is actually caused by the Mandela effect, where false memories can sometimes be shared by multiple people. “The office was not the secret sauce [of business],” says Brown, and “It is time for business leaders to lead instead of react,” and find the true drivers of business value.

Hayden Brown, Upwork’s President and CEO, discusses the new rules of work. (Photo credit: Upwork)

Brown continued her keynote by asking a few challenging questions for business leaders – “Will a location mandate get you the results you want?” and “Are you giving your team the what they need to succeed – the best tools and the best talent?”

The workforce game has changed forever and given the distribution of workforces and of talent overall today, talent access is the key to the new game, part of the new playbook that companies must use to succeed. Contractors will continue to play a larger role in business and the new rules of work must incorporate that view.

Brown believes that Upwork address all of the classic concerns (security and privacy, workforce reliability, cultural concerns, etc.) that business executives may have regarding this tectonic shift in how work is done and the broad shift to non-FTE workers. In today’s world, the leaders that get ahead on this major shift will win…and boldness will be rewarded.

Jonah Berger, Professor at Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, talks about changing the mindsets around enterprise transformation. (Photo credit: Upwork)

The WWL event featured a variety of industry leaders sharing their thoughts regarding the new world of work:

  • “Data gives us the opportunity to be predictable,” said Vito Labate, Vice President, Global Industry Marketing Leader at Capgemini during a panel discussion hosted by Upwork CMO Melissa Waters. In a chat centered around the changes in marketing, this panel highlighted how the application of top-tier freelance talent is a true differentiator (especially within their industry, where personalization is a key factor for clients).
  • “Companies have become a bit more comfortable with distributed and remote teams,” said Deb Elias, Director, Product Strategy and Operations at Chargebee. “Technology has played a critical role in how non-co-located team members to collaborate.” Upwork’s Chief Product and Experience Officer, Sam Bright, led a spirited panel discussion on how “the impossible” could be achieved via new Future of Work concepts (and technology!) in functions like product development and engineering now that they have access to highly-skilled, global talent.
  • “We’re not just listening…we’re counter-arguing,” stated Jonah Berger, Professor at Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania during his afternoon keynote address. “We have to allow for agency; we have to give them back some of that freedom and control.” Berger’s fantastic presentation focused on how business leaders can stop “selling” change and begin changing the mindsets around transformation…a crucial factor considering just how much the world of work has changed over the past few years.
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Delivering Innovation and Agility to the Extended Workforce

Contingent WorkforceEvents by Christopher J. Dwyer on

The Future of Work Exchange‘s inaugural live event, FOWX Live, was just two weeks ago, but it seems like yesterday that we convened with HR, talent acquisition, and procurement executives to discuss the Future of Work and its many implications on the greater world of work and talent. Amongst the stellar lineup of discussions, keynotes, and presentations, one of the core focal areas for the event was the growth and impact of the extended workforce.

We are excited to share video from our “Delivering Innovation and Agility to the Extended Workforce” panel from the June 14 conference, featuring Sage‘s Jessica Wall, Utmost‘s Dan Beck, and Atrium‘s Nancy Maren:

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