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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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The Skills-Based Organization and the Staffing Outlook for 2023

Contingent WorkforceDiversity and InclusionTalent Acquisition by Christopher J. Dwyer on

There’s no question that the world of staffing has entered yet another period of uncertainty. Besieged by the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic and then, thankfully, amped by a greater need for workforce flexibility and an increased utilization of contingent workers, the staffing arena faces a watershed year ahead.

Ardent Partners and Future of Work Exchange research has discovered that 82% of businesses leveraged more extended talent in 2022 than 2021, proving that:

  • The extended workforce’s great bump in utilization wasn’t just an anomaly due to the pandemic’s impact on fluctuating talent needs.
  • Non-employee talent remains a viable and strategic way to not just augment staff, but truly drive mission-critical endeavors with high-quality, top-tier skillsets and expertise, and;
  • With direct sourcing, AI-enabled hiring, and digital recruitment paving the way for the Future of Work movement, the realm of extended talent translates into an opportunity for businesses to thrive during even the most challenging of times.

Glider.ai is a Best-in-Class, next-generation artificial intelligence platform that has disrupted the staffing and recruitment technology markets. Glider AI’s unique talent intelligence platform provides its users with fully-automated tools to boost candidate assessment and allow hiring managers (and other talent management executives) to remotely execute deep, skill-based recruitment strategies with a robust layer of strength and rigor.

The solution recently polled over 130 staffing, recruiting, HR, and contingent workforce leaders on their intentions, challenges, and general perspectives on the talent arena.

Takeaway #1: Diversity Is, As It Should Be, A Critical Priority

Nearly 90% of executives in Glider’s research study state that initiatives related diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) are a “medium-to-high” priority entering the new year. Of that figure, over 50% deemed it a high priority, proving an old mantra of the Future of the Work Exchange: a diverse talent community is the deepest talent community, especially as it pertains to the extended workforce.

While established diversity programs previously existed in many enterprises, the events and civil unrest of the past three years have driven many businesses to develop and communicate more purpose-driven goals which are linked to societal, economic, technological, and sustainable shifts. To achieve these goals, a large number of businesses are trying to harness the power of a diverse workforce. Glider’s new research study is a pure reflection of the modern enterprise’s 2023 commitment to DE&I in its hiring efforts for both full-time and temporary staff.

Takeaway #2: High-Tech or Low-Tech, It Doesn’t Matter: The Skills-Based Organization is King

Nearly 70% of businesses in the Glider study stated that high-tech and technical skills are currently a high priority for hiring and recruitment. Even though some of the world’s most massive tech brands, such as Alphabet (Google), Microsoft, Meta (Facebook), Amazon, and Salesforce have executed mass layoffs in recent months (and in the case of Alphabet and Microsoft, literally just over the past two weeks), there is still a incredible need for professionals with high-tech skills.

Why? The answer is simple: we are living in a globalized and digitized world of work, in which digital transformation is an ongoing endeavor in nearly every enterprise, not to mention the overarching digital requirements in operating in a networked economy. Some of the highest-level talent in digital fields can only be found in the ranks of the extended workforce, which translates into the need for the average organization to devote more resources to enhancing contingent workforce management.

Too, the flip side of this equation isn’t even a counterbalance, as nearly 80% of organizations state that non-technical roles are a “medium-to-high” priority for businesses. Combined with the aforementioned high-tech stat and we can come to a direct conclusion: the skills-based organization is king.

In 2023, there will be many discussions around the concept of the skills-based organization. And this doesn’t just mean that businesses prioritize the skillsets they have within their ranks or within their talent pools or talent communities, but rather center the way they work around enterprises skillsets, expertise, and experience. By fractionalizing jobs/projects and segmenting the work from the workers, enterprises can more effectively align what needs to be done with the know-how required to address it.

Takeaway #3: Upskilling Remains a Key Focus for Businesses

The new Glider study found that 83% of enterprises placed a “medium-to-high” priority on upskilling as a means to engage top-tier candidates and retain top talent. This just reinforces the idea of the skills-based organization, as expertise has become the de-facto weapon in a skills-driven, digitized business arena. As enterprises to balance an ongoing pandemic, a looming recession, and an increasingly-globalized (and, of course, more competitive) market, skills become ever-so-critical.

Upcoming Future of Work Exchange research finds that nearly 70% of businesses are actively focused on engaging new and advanced skillsets in anticipation of digital transformation, further reinforcing the need to 1) upskill current workers (both FTEs and contingent) and 2) engage talented professionals that can make an immediate impact. The greater focus on upskilling (which is an entirely different entity than reskilling) is crucial for a variety of reasons, including:

  • The digital enterprise now requires progressive skillsets that are needed to thrive in an evolving world of work.
  • Upskilling is a ideal way for business leaders to combat extreme talent shortages by developing highly-skilled workers from within the organization, and;
  • It prepares enterprises to weather workforce disruptions (due to challenging economic conditions or other market events) and can serve as beneficial attribute of the company brand when developing new talent acquisition strategies.

Download Glider’s new research study and learn more about skills-based organizations and the state of staffing in 2023.

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The FOWX Fifteen: Beeline

Contingent WorkforceSolution ProvidersTechnology and Innovation by Christopher J. Dwyer on

The FOWX Fifteen is an exclusive series at the Future of Work Exchange that highlights the industry’s innovative and disruptive platforms, solutions, and offerings that are driving the Future of Work movement. These providers are actively pushing talent technology innovation and ushering in a new, digital era of workforce management, staffing, and talent acquisition.

The Background

During The Great Recession of 2007-2008, an era that Ardent Partners and the Future of Work Exchange pegged as “The Perfect Storm” event which triggered the first big spike in utilization of contingent labor, businesses experienced first-hand the ultimate value and impact of non-employee talent. In the span of less than 18 months, the average contingent workforce penetration rate exploded from 10%-to-12% to upwards of 18%.

In the years since, what we now call “the extended workforce” represents not only the future of talent, but, truly, the Future of Work. With nearly half (49.8%) of the typical organization’s total talent comprised of contingent workers at this point in 2024, the very realm of contingent workforce management has traversed beyond a tactical, manual-laden series of tasks into a truly strategic force that sits in the center of a new world of work and talent.

From skills-based hiring and direct sourcing to diverse staffing and forward-thinking, Future of Work-oriented functionality, the contemporary extended workforce necessitates next-generation automation that can fuel total talent intelligence and help realize the definitive value of non-employee talent.

Enter Beeline.

Why They Were Selected

Beeline represents the veritable evolution of extended workforce solutions through its powerful array of artificial intelligence-led functionality, robust services procurement offerings, agile analytics and reporting, and longtime commitment to talent technology innovation.

Beeline has not just revolutionized the facets of contingent workforce technology, though. Beeline Acuity is one of the industry’s most groundbreaking talent intelligence tools: it is an innovative workforce analytics and compliance engine that integrates disparate data from multiple sources into a cohesive view to provide a complete picture of an organization’s workforce.

Acuity’s place alongside the solution’s extended workforce platform (itself a giant leap from traditional VMS automation), its Best-in-Class services procurement/SOW module, and other key offerings (such as the mid-market-focused Beeline Professional and its digital staffing powerhouse, JoinedUp), is a welcome addition to a Future of Work-era provider that continues to be talent-centric, humanity-led, and innovation-driven.

In Their Own Words

“At Beeline, we are honored to be recognized by Ardent Partners and the Future of Work Exchange as a leader in shaping the Future of Work. This accolade reflects our commitment to innovation and our dedication to driving meaningful transformation. As the workforce evolves, so must our approach—moving away from the traditional ‘command and control’ model toward one focused on enablement and oversight. AI plays a crucial role in this shift, empowering organizations to make smarter, faster decisions while amplifying the unique human qualities of judgment, creativity, and empathy. At Beeline, we see AI as the catalyst for unlocking the true potential of the external workforce.” – Colleen Tiner, Chief Product Officer at Beeline

The Outlook

True AI integrated into end-to-end automation? Check. Firm commitment to extended workforce innovation? Check. Candidate- and human-centric solution design that is aligned with the new, progressive era of work and talent? Check. Beeline’s VMS and extended workforce functionality is, and will continue to be, synonymous with the Future of Work movement.

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A New Era for the Future of Work Exchange

General Insights by Christopher J. Dwyer on

Over the past three-plus years, the Future of Work Exchange has delivered on its original vision to become the preeminent think tank, multimedia center, and destination site for professionals and executives across the world to learn more about the changing world of work and talent.

From the evolution of the extended workforce and the continued rise of direct sourcing to the transformation of the workplace and rapid ascension of artificial intelligence, the Future of Work Exchange (FOWX) has provided tens of thousands of business leaders with the research, analysis, and “futurist” insights needed to power the next generation of work optimization.

Today, FOWX is announcing an exciting shift in its publishing model to one that models a more traditional analyst firm – one that relies on subscriptions/memberships to access this great content.

Our Mission: Capture the Essence of the Future of Work Movement

The Future of Work Exchange mission has not changed and will not change: business leaders, solution providers, and every professional that wants on-demand access to the myriad array of forward-thinking workforce management, technology, business leadership, and innovation-led insights will continue to receive these valuable thought leadership content pieces…albeit in a membership fashion. But first…

What Stays the Same?

The Future of Work Exchange has long been lauded since its inception for its deep, empirical analysis of the technology provider marketplace. Given the evolution in “work and talent,” and especially given the Future of Work accelerants that have forever transformed the dynamics of workforce management and business leadership, FOWX will continue to dedicate and even expand its coverage of the AI, direct sourcing, MSP, VMS, RPO, digital staffing, and talent acquisition platforms and solutions that are driving indelible change in the market.

FOWX will also continue to write about and publish articles on the topics that have been considered the fabric of our site, including direct sourcing, next-generation technology, AI, extended workforce management, conscious leadership, DE&I, omni-channel talent acquisition, skills-based hiring, total talent management, etc. (We wouldn’t be who we are without continuing our dedication to these critical topics.)

Access to the Future of Work Exchange Podcast will not change…so keep tuning in!

What’s New? (Membership Has Its Privileges!)

For solution providers and technology platforms that desire access to the Future of Work Exchange and its powerful content, a paid subscription will be required to read the majority of the site’s content – contact us here for pricing and more details. For procurement, HR, talent acquisition, and other business practitioners, a complimentary subscription with a business email will provide this same access FOWX content, articles, etc.

My team and I are very excited to enter this new era at the Future of Work Exchange. Feel free to reach out with any questions, concerns, comments, or feedback.

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Shaping the Future of Work: Beeline and Upwork’s Omni-Channel Approach

Contingent WorkforceSolution ProvidersTechnology and Innovation by Christopher J. Dwyer on

For the past several years, the myriad options available to the contemporary hiring manager have pushed the boundaries of talent acquisition. Freelancer networks, talent marketplaces, vertical-specific talent communities, social media, and digital staffing outlets have provided businesses with a new range of diverse, highly-skilled, and top-tier talent. In fact, Ardent Partners and Future of Work Exchange research point to an 800% growth in adoption and utilization of these sources since 2018…positioning them as a must-have in the greater war for talent.

Around the time the Future of Work Exchange was launched back in 2021, we coined a phrase that accurately reflects this movement: omni-channel talent acquisition. Omni-channel talent acquisition revolves around the concept of enterprises being enabled with a variety of candidate sources that can be converged to drive real-time skills alignment, on-demand hiring, and enhanced visibility into deeper attributes of candidates. While traditional staffing suppliers are still a critical piece of the contingent workforce, the “omni-channel experience” represents a new era in which enterprises can expand their talent searches through the advent of innovation, direct sourcing automation, new candidate channels, and next-generation and AI-fueled technology.

News broke this morning of a partnership between Beeline, a market leader in Vendor Management System (VMS) technology, and Upwork, a fellow market leader that is considered the world’s largest talent and work marketplace.

At the outset, this type of partnership is not just another notch in the talent technology ecosystem for either organization, but rather a powerful union between two industry powerhouses of talent innovation. The Upwork and Beeline partnership represents the latest shift in omni-channel talent acquisition, as well as a progression in workforce management.

“Managing a contingent workforce, inclusive of independent talent, presents complexities and challenges that can strain even the most sophisticated processes. These challenges include navigating compliance with local and international labor laws, ensuring visibility into the entire hiring lifecycle, and maintaining consistent hiring quality and efficiency across various departments,” said Zoë Diamadi, general manager of enterprise at Upwork. “Upwork’s partnerships with VMS and MSP platforms, such as Beeline, create a holistic solution to these challenges. We have integrated the modern, technology-fueled experience of Upwork’s platform and the world-class, independent talent on Upwork with the advanced technologies and solutions of VMS and MSP platforms.”

Here’s what the partnership means for the industry:

  • It will optimize talent acquisition in a skills-based market. VMS has been a veritable “nexus” of extended workforce management for years, with ease-of-access to various channels of talent through staffing suppliers, private talent communities, and independent talent. The Beeline-Upwork integration will amp talent acquisition optimization to another level by providing contingent workforce programs with top-tier talent from the marketplace’s extensive network whilst enabling hiring managers with state-of-the-art, skills-centric candidate profiles and portfolios.
  • “Agile hiring” creates more efficiencies for HR, procurement, and talent acquisition. Combining the dynamic power of two end-to-end, market-leading workforce solutions translates into truly flexible and agile hiring for recruiters, hiring managers, and HR and talent acquisition leaders, not to mention the executives running extended workforce programs. The age of real-time talent acquisition is here and the Beeline-Upwork represents the ability to hire faster, better, and smarter, creating a wealth of efficiencies for business functions.
  • The partnership reinforces the strategic and technological advantages of omni-channel talent acquisition. As stated above, the Beeline-Upwork partnership is more than “digital staffing meets VMS.” The age of omni-channel talent acquisition is here and this union reflects both its strategic advantages (greater access to skilled talent, streamlined hiring, etc.) and technological advantages (skills-based hiring-fueled talent decisions, AI-enabled matching, end-to-end automation, etc.).

“Access to a large and diverse talent pool that is filled with candidates that hold a variety of skillsets is key to the success of any contingent workforce program,” said Brian Hoffmeyer, SVP of Market Strategies at Beeline. “I’m an Upwork user myself and I know first-hand how great their platform is. Those facts make me thrilled to launch this partnership, and, more importantly, excited about the benefits it will offer to our mutual clients.”

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How Direct Sourcing Drives Talent Sustainability

Direct SourcingTalent Acquisition by Christopher J. Dwyer on

In today’s dynamic business landscape, the age of “omni-channel talent acquisition” has emerged, providing businesses with diverse options to source and manage their workforce. From digital staffing marketplaces to traditional vendors and staffing suppliers, professional services, talent networks, and social media platforms, the choices are abundant. With this wealth of talent channels, matching project requirements with suitable skillsets has become more accessible than ever. Yet, securing top talent has grown increasingly challenging and competitive. Organizations that effectively harness direct sourcing and talent pools can cultivate a flexible, adaptable workforce, granting them a competitive advantage in a market that values agile, talent-centric responses to evolving business challenges and demands.

When it comes to direct sourcing, even the most basic programs can indeed yield tangible value, yet the stakes are higher than mere cost reduction and talent pipeline expansion.

The rest of this article is available by subscription only.

Introducing a New Subscription Model from the Future of Work Exchange.

To continue providing valuable insights and resources on the future of work and extended workforce management, we’re transitioning our site to a paid subscription model. While some posts will remain free, subscribing will grant you exclusive access to in-depth analysis, market research, expert interviews, and actionable strategies that will help improve your business. Solution providers and practitioners are invited to join today and gain a competitive edge by tracking the industry’s important innovations, emerging trends, and best practices.

Click here to learn more.

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Harness Direct Sourcing and Talent Pools for Workforce Agility

Direct Sourcing by John Yuva on

Over the past few years, direct sourcing has emerged as perhaps the hottest talent-led strategy in the world of both talent acquisition and contingent workforce management. In pre-pandemic times, businesses understood that expanding their talent engagement efforts on building internal talent communities (via enterprise-led “agencies” that eschewed middle entities like staffing suppliers) was a powerful way to infuse new skillsets into the greater organization. During the pandemic, direct sourcing served as a robust means of keeping candidates engaged during uncertain times and augmenting workforce scalability. Today, direct sourcing represents the very future of talent acquisition.

With an ever-increasing number of talent channels, including digital staffing marketplaces, traditional staffing vendors, professional services, talent networks, and social media platforms, the ability to match project requirements with available skillsets has never been easier. However, it has also never been more competitive or difficult. Businesses that harness the power of direct sourcing and talent pools have the ability to develop an agile workforce which can be the key differentiator needed to advance and grow in a marketplace that rewards dynamic, talent-led responses to new business pressures and challenges…especially what could be ahead as 2024 unfolds.

The rest of this article is available by subscription only.

Introducing a New Subscription Model from the Future of Work Exchange.

To continue providing valuable insights and resources on the future of work and extended workforce management, we’re transitioning our site to a paid subscription model. While some posts will remain free, subscribing will grant you exclusive access to in-depth analysis, market research, expert interviews, and actionable strategies that will help improve your business. Solution providers and practitioners are invited to join today and gain a competitive edge by tracking the industry’s important innovations, emerging trends, and best practices.

Click here to learn more.

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Revisiting the Blueprint for Direct Sourcing Success

Direct Sourcing by Christopher J. Dwyer on

Over the past few years, direct sourcing has emerged as perhaps the hottest talent-led strategy in the world of both talent acquisition and contingent workforce management. In pre-pandemic times, businesses understood that expanding their talent engagement efforts on building internal talent communities (via enterprise-led “agencies” that eschewed middle entities like staffing suppliers) was a powerful way to infuse new skillsets into the greater organization. During the pandemic, direct sourcing served as a robust means of keeping candidates engaged during uncertain times and augmenting workforce scalability. Today, direct sourcing represents the very future of talent acquisition.

With an ever-increasing number of talent channels, including digital staffing marketplaces, traditional staffing vendors, professional services, talent networks, and social media platforms, the ability to match project requirements with available skillsets has never been easier. However, it has also never been more competitive or difficult.  Businesses that harness the power of direct sourcing and talent pools have the ability to develop an agile workforce which can be the key differentiator needed to advance and grow in a marketplace that rewards dynamic, talent-led responses to new business pressures and challenges…especially what could be ahead as 2024 unfolds.

With so many organizations yet to undertake this journey, it is imperative to revisit these guidelines for direct sourcing success:

  • The rest of this article is available by subscription only.

    Introducing a New Subscription Model from the Future of Work Exchange.

    To continue providing valuable insights and resources on the future of work and extended workforce management, we’re transitioning our site to a paid subscription model. While some posts will remain free, subscribing will grant you exclusive access to in-depth analysis, market research, expert interviews, and actionable strategies that will help improve your business. Solution providers and practitioners are invited to join today and gain a competitive edge by tracking the industry’s important innovations, emerging trends, and best practices.

    Click here to learn more.

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The Unique Impact of Direct Sourcing in Today’s World of Work

Direct SourcingTalentTalent Acquisition by Christopher J. Dwyer on

Over the past three years, direct sourcing has dominated discussions across the world of talent and work, and rightfully so: it was a top priority for enterprises leading into the pandemic. During the first year or so of the crisis, businesses realized the workforce scalability and candidate experience enhancement inherent in direct sourcing programs.

Diversifying and expanding talent sources has become a critical element of this evolving world of work. Not only do businesses require the ability to directly source talent by transforming their operations into internal recruiting agencies, but they can also leverage their workplace culture, employer brand, and other organizational attributes to attract the best-fit talent and expertise.

This, of course, plays directly into the concept of “omni-channel talent acquisition,” in which hiring managers and recruiters (and, to a larger extended, the enterprise HR and talent acquisition functions) leverage real-time, on-demand talent culled from a variety of both digital and traditional sources, particularly digital staffing outlets, talent pools and talent communities, talent marketplaces, social media, and expert networks.

The rest of this article is available by subscription only.

Introducing a New Subscription Model from the Future of Work Exchange.

To continue providing valuable insights and resources on the future of work and extended workforce management, we’re transitioning our site to a paid subscription model. While some posts will remain free, subscribing will grant you exclusive access to in-depth analysis, market research, expert interviews, and actionable strategies that will help improve your business. Solution providers and practitioners are invited to join today and gain a competitive edge by tracking the industry’s important innovations, emerging trends, and best practices.

Click here to learn more.

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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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