Total Talent Management Archives - The Future of Work Exchange

The Incredible Potential of the Modern Talent Tech Ecosystem

Contingent Workforce Solution Providers Talent Acquisition Technology and Innovation by Christopher J. Dwyer on 04/01/2025

There are perhaps dozens of various attributes that sets apart the talent and work technology arena apart from others. Think of the inherent relationships between solutions, staffing suppliers, talent acquisition leaders, hiring managers, and tech platforms. Think of the numerous collaborations between talent management solutions and workforce intelligence providers.

And, now, think of another thing that sets this space apart: the integrations, the coordination, the nuances, and the ultimate power of the talent technology ecosystem.

Many other industries rely on core integrations between integral systems for the sake of operational efficiency; think ERP and financial planning, or maybe spend management and accounts payable. The partnerships in those arenas are certainly robust and provide its millions of users with necessary information, data, and intelligence, as well as contemporary process orientation, to effectively manage hundreds of enterprise tactics.

The difference between these “other” industries and the human capital world is this: there are substantially more expansive outlets of value from the technology ecosystem in talent solutions, ranging from higher-quality candidates, a better overall ROI on talent strategies, deeper visibility into talent intelligence, and, most importantly, the ability to truly transform the realm of innovation within the greater enterprise through next-generation skills and expertise.

So, this is so much more than “Solution A” integrates with “Platform B,” and it’s more expansive than a handful of technology systems working together in such a way to improve processes or drive efficiency.

We’re not talking just cost efficiency or improvements in operations. This is about the total transformation of how we address how work is done. This is about the ways businesses harness the true power of technology, automation, relationships, and innovation to become truly and formally agile.

This is the Future of Work.

What makes this ecosystem truly revolutionary is how…

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Introducing a New Subscription Model

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.

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Holistic Talent Orchestration: The Future of VMS Technology

Contingent Workforce Solution Providers Technology and Innovation by Christopher J. Dwyer on 02/18/2025

When I first began my career in the talent technology industry, Vendor Management Systems (VMS) were considered “eProcurement for staffing” and not the true enterprise behemoths they are today. The truth is that this wasn’t a natural evolution for the world of VMS and extended workforce automation; these systems had to prove their worth through a mix of grit, innovation, and market-shifting functionality.

A little over a decade ago, when enterprise software giant SAP acquired Fieldglass (a VMS pioneer), I was quoted as saying, “By 2020, half of the global workforce will be considered “contingent” or “external.” At that point, upwards of a third (33%-to-34% and growing) of the workforce was considered external. From 2015 to the early weeks of 2020, we were getting closer and closer to that 50% threshold…and then something happened that sparked another spark in contingent workforce growth.

The COVID-19 pandemic was, of course, a watershed moment in both human and business history; it was a global health crisis that sparked an economic crisis that sparked Future of Work accelerants that we all leverage today five years later (like remote and hybrid work, for instance). During the hardest, earliest months of the pandemic, businesses needed to scale up or scale down their workforces based on fluctuating conditions; when cases were down and demand for products/services returned, hiring managers and talent leaders shored up the workforce with contingent labor. When demand waned (especially during the very difficult 2020-2021 winter), it was easier to scale down with a temporary workforce.

It was well before this, though, that the VMS platform more than proved its worth for a simple reason: the external workforce kept growing. No other solutions (technology, that is) were as well-fit and aligned with managing this growth like Vendor Management Systems.

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The 2025 MSP Playbook, Part II

Contingent Workforce Events by John Yuva on 01/30/2025

This week is part two of my discussion recap with Brad Martin, Chief Revenue Officer for Atrium, during our recent exclusive webcast where we focused not only on the 2025 trends that will shape the Future of Work, but also the impact of the Managed Service Provider (MSP) model on those areas in the months ahead.

As businesses face the challenges of a fast-evolving workforce landscape, the intersection of innovation in technology and hiring initiatives has become a critical area of focus. My conversation with Brad shed light on key trends shaping the future of workforce management, from cutting-edge tech stacks to achieving meaningful talent goals.

Innovating Talent Technology: The Rise of Specialized Tech Stacks

Today’s talent technology stacks have an increasing role in driving efficiency and agility for businesses. The tools available today, such as direct sourcing platforms, artificial intelligence, and compliance technologies, have surpassed those of just five or six years ago. These advancements allow companies to manage their workforce more comprehensively, extending beyond traditional staffing to include freelancers, contractors, and other non-employee talent.

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Let’s Set the Record Straight on Direct Sourcing

Direct Sourcing Talent Acquisition by Christopher J. Dwyer on 12/09/2024

As you may know, the Future of Work Exchange moved to a subscription format a short time ago. Ordinarily, this article would only be accessible to FOWX subscribers. However, today’s article on direct sourcing will be available to all until midnight on December 16. Given the rampant discussion on direct sourcing and its outlook, direction, etc., the FOWX felt that this piece should be accessible to all readers for a short period. Enjoy!

For nearly 20 years, I’ve seen talent trends, shifts, and “fads” come and go. There is no industry that invites divisiveness like the world of talent and work. Making contingent workforce management less tactical and more strategic was once seen as crazy, yet today the extended workforce comprises 49.8% of the average company’s total talent, and, businesses regularly rely on this top-tier labor to get work done.

Total talent management deserves a major mention, as it still (yes…still) drives executives absolutely nutty on completely opposite sides of the spectrum: it’s either the wave of the future, or, it’s a pipe dream mired in conjecture and theory. (My take: there’s incredible value in elements of total talent management, particularly total talent intelligence. The ability to make snap worker decisions based on information and data on your total talent resources is the real benefit of any total talent management strategy/program.)

Direct sourcing has reached a similar level of conjecture, and, rightfully so: since the waning days of pre-pandemic times, “direct sourcing and talent pools” have routinely been a top-three workforce strategy, according to Ardent Partners and Future of Work Exchange research. Furthermore, during the pandemic, direct sourcing emerged as a viable, flexible strategy for businesses that 1) wanted to scale up or down based on rollercoaster-like market conditions, 2) keep those laid off during the worst of the pandemic engaged with the organization and cultivated within an easily-recruitable talent community, 3) wanted to maintain their brand (and keep it front-and-center) in front of potential candidates, 4) support burgeoning skills-based hiring efforts, and, 5) desired to centralize their total talent resources and available skills.

There is no question today regarding the value of direct sourcing; we all realize what it can do, what it can generate, etc. The real quandary (and it’s a painful one, given the discourse on social channels liked LinkedIn) is this: how does direct sourcing actually work?

There are several schools of thought here. The simplest explanation is that an enterprise can leverage its own talent acquisition and contingent workforce teams to create an internal “recruitment agency” that blends branded job portals, curation (internally-led or outsourced), and marketing-fueled engagement with VMS or ATS technology (for sourcing and management) and EOR (for payrolling and compliance) for workforce management. Add in some level of automation to place current contractors, contingent workers, retirees, alumni, silver medalists, etc. into talent pools, and, boom, a direct sourcing program is born.

This very non-intricate approach thrives on simplicity: engage candidates, curate them, and provide internal TA and recruitment teams with access to these workers. The past several years has seen a shift, however, in how direct sourcing is approached. Deeper automation, specific functionality offered by direct sourcing platforms, a sharper focus on skills-based hiring, more attention on the marketing/brand aspects, and the power of artificial intelligence are all transforming what direct sourcing truly means today in 2024.

Here’s where some of the scuttlebutt meanders and gets us to a point of “theory vs. reality” within the direct sourcing discussion. Do businesses really need point direct sourcing platforms? Is there a real role for AI? Is there even a true DEFINITION for direct sourcing? Where does VMS fit in? Is it true that direct sourcing technology is just next-gen ATS? And, finally, does direct sourcing have a place within the contemporary extended workforce program?

Let’s tackle these one-by-one, because that’s just how we do things here at FOWX.

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A New Era for the Future of Work Exchange

General Insights by Christopher J. Dwyer on 09/23/2024

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, 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.

Navigating the Current and Future State of Total Talent Management

Contingent Workforce HR Procurement Talent Acquisition by Christopher J. Dwyer on 07/29/2024

I’ve been in the Future of Work, talent acquisition, and workforce management arenas for nearly 18 years. Over that time, I’ve witnessed (as many of us have) two equally-devastating economic downturns, multiple waves of technological innovation, numerous hype cycles of various proportions, the continued evolution of talent management, and one worldwide pandemic that set off Future of Work-era accelerants that have shaped how we work today. Suffice to say, the last two decades have brought tremendous change to the greater world of work and talent.

Even though I identify as an “elder millennial” or “geriatric millennial,” I feel as if I’ve spent enough years in the business world to truly understand what is hype, what is theory, and, of course, what is reality.

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The Next Stage of Total Talent Management: Value Chain Management

Business Leadership General Insights Talent Uncategorized by John Yuva on 07/08/2024

Whether enterprises realize it or not, it is time to approach total talent management as an ecosystem value chain. Like supply chains, which are not linear segments but rather a spiderweb of inputs, the total talent ecosystem has a similar construct. With enterprise talent and strategy at the center hub, the various talent inputs such as FTEs, gig workers, contractors, and external talent serve as spokes that feed into organizational strategic objectives. As an ecosystem, it is about accessing the best talent from an arsenal of channels.

Using a sports analogy, enterprises now have a valuable “bench of players” from whom to select for various projects and initiatives. With total talent intelligence, organizations can tap employees with specific skillsets that may not be core to their current roles. Through the utilization of HR solutions, there should be transparency in the full depth that each employee brings to the enterprise.

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Talent Ecosystems for Value Chain Management

Business Leadership Contingent Workforce General Insights HR Talent Talent Acquisition by John Yuva on 02/26/2024

Total Talent Management…Enabled By Today’s Tech

There are few reasons for enterprises not to have extended workforce systems to enable total talent intelligence and human capital systems integration. Research from Ardent Partners and the Future of Work Exchange indicate that 65% of businesses plan to utilize their workforce solutions to enable total talent intelligence over the next couple of years. And 90% have integration enabled between HR and contingent workforce systems (such as integration between HRIS and VMS platforms).

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

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The Future of Work Exchange Podcast, Episode 715: A Conversation With Christy Forest, CEO and Executive Director at LiveHire

Podcast by Christopher J. Dwyer on 02/08/2024

The Future of Work Exchange Podcast welcomes Christy Forest, CEO and Executive Director at LiveHire, to discuss the current state of direct sourcing, the future of this high-impact strategy, the reality of total talent management, and much more.

This week’s podcast, sponsored by Worksuite, also highlights the importance of “balance” between human-centricity and digital evolution.

How Next-Generation MSPs Will Transform Total Talent Management

Contingent Workforce Talent Acquisition Technology and Innovation by Christopher J. Dwyer on 11/13/2023

For the past decade (plus), total talent management has often been akin to chasing a mirage in the business landscape—a tantalizing concept that’s been discussed widely, but rarely (very rarely) seen in its entirety within global organizations. While we’ve occasionally encountered fragments of total talent programs in a few enterprises, and observed specific facets of these endeavors, like total talent acquisition and procurement and HR collaboration, being embraced by forward-thinking workforce management solutions (and enterprise programs), the full realization of this concept has remained an elusive pursuit.

Total talent intelligence serves as the foundational bedrock of comprehensive talent management, drawing a wealth of invaluable insights from the combined workforce of both full-time employees and non-employees. This multifaceted approach hinges on the seamless integration of data originating from diverse sources, including Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS), Vendor Management Systems (VMS), Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), Freelancer Management Systems (FMS), and an array of analogous platforms like direct sourcing, digital staffing, etc. This comprehensive data synthesis empowers organizations with unprecedented depth and clarity into their entire talent pool, ushering in a new era of data-driven workforce management.

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

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