Is Your Company Ready to Build an Agile Workforce?

April 3, 2019 Leah Hoffmann

build an agile workforce - hand on tower of blocks

If you’re interested in using the high-end gig economy to drive organizational agility, you’re not alone: according to Upwork, 72% of HR managers believe dynamic, agile team structures will soon become the norm.

And if you suspect that your company isn’t yet making the most of this powerful new resource, you’re also not alone. KellyOCG research suggests that most organizations don’t implement the workforce strategies they need to drive real results from gig workers, and only 13% of organizations today are considered innovators in the space. An ADP survey, meanwhile, found that while plenty of companies talk about building an agile workforce, only 6% have actually adopted an agile workforce model.

That’s the paradox Business Talent Group CEO Jody Greenstone Miller spoke about at the 2019 SXSW Conference in Austin, Texas. “Companies need to figure out, How do we access this talent pool?” she said. “How do we deploy it? How do we keep track of it? How do we know and teach our executives how to use it? There’s a lot of learning that has to happen.”

Miller also underscored why it’s so urgent that companies learn to make better use of gig resources, citing the following reasons:

  • Speed. Having on-demand access to talent makes it easier for companies to find the skills that fit the challenges they face now. “You can’t be in a world today where every job has to be a permanent employee,” Miller noted. “You won’t be able to move fast enough.”
  • Skills. The gig economy gives you access to a population of workers that’s not available on the full-time market. “When you’re talking about higher-skilled workers, they want to choose what they work on, they want to choose what they think about, and they want to choose who they work with. You cannot hire them. They will do a nice project for you, but they will not take that job.”

The good news is, there’s no reason to struggle alone when partners like BTG are available to help your company install limitless access to on-demand talent across the enterprise. Contact us today to learn more!

Get the Skills You Need

Thousands of independent consultants, subject matter experts, project managers, and interim executives are ready to help address your biggest business opportunities.

Get Started

About the Author

Leah Hoffmann

Leah Hoffmann is a former journalist who has worked for Forbes.com and The Economist. She is passionate about clear thinking, sharp writing, and strong points of view.

More Content by Leah Hoffmann
Previous Article
[PODCAST] What’s in a Name?
[PODCAST] What’s in a Name?

Business Talent Group (BTG) CEO Jody Greenstone Miller continues her discussion with host Chad Nitschke on ...

Next Article
[PODCAST] Setting the Stage for the Gig Economy
[PODCAST] Setting the Stage for the Gig Economy

Business Talent Group CEO Jody Greenstone Miller recently sat down with Ready. Set. Work. podcast host Chad...

Get our free guide to working with on-demand talent.

Read Now