Written by: Flexing It
13/03/2024
5 minutes read
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The workforce of the future will increasingly rely on a blended model of full-time and freelance talent. As per MIT Sloan Management Review, 90% of global executives already agree their workforce includes 'external contributors' like freelancers, gig workers, consultants and contractors. At Flexing It, we have experienced a 50%+ growth in demand for skilled freelance professionals over the past couple of years, and see a significant increase in consultant registrations, particularly post-pandemic, with a 200% rise over the last six quarters.
However, while many organisations recognise the strategic importance of tapping into the freelance talent pool, few have unlocked its full potential. Challenges exist in seamlessly integrating freelancers into the organisational DNA across the end-to-end lifecycle. This calls for a structured change management approach tailored to freelance talent programs.
At Flexing It, we have developed an end-to-end change management framework - DIGIT (Driving Impact from Gig & Independent Talent). This framework is based on over a decade of hands-on experience of spearheading the professional gig economy in India. The framework provides organisations with a quantifiable roadmap to systematically embed high-impact freelance talent.
Our blog post helps you understand the different stages of DIGIT so that you too can unlock the full potential of the flexible talent pool.
Align with Business Strategy
The first step is getting leadership alignment on the goals for leveraging freelance talent. Typical strategic goals, in our experience, include:
- Access to niche, in-demand skills like AI, Robotics, Blockchain etc.
- Enhanced business agility through on-demand hiring
- Flexible staffing models to optimise workforce costs
- Specialist support for time-bound initiatives
Additionally, programmes could target specific talent cohorts like women on career breaks or promote inclusion and diversity mandates.
A readiness assessment at this stage is used to benchmark the current state across parameters like policies, technology infrastructure, manager capability to handle remote teams, etc.. Once the gaps are identified, it sets the stage for the program to deliver impact.
Design a Robust Flexible Talent Program
With strategic clarity on 'why' freelancers, Stage 2 focuses on 'how' to design processes enabling success. With rising demand for freelancers, being an employer of choice for external talent is a differentiator. Elements like interesting assignments, networking platforms, alumni ecosystems, and sometimes even bonus structures and partial benefits help attract quality consultants. At Flexing It, we call this the freelancer value proposition (FVP) and work closely with organisations to help build a compelling one for their target audience.
This entails understanding the entire lifecycle of a freelancer in the organisation as well as the key areas of demand where freelance talent can impact the current teams.
Drive Early Impact
Pilot projects generate early success stories, building confidence in the model and unlocking further demand. As a result, Stage 3 focuses on hand-picking 10-15 initial projects across functions where demand is high. Flexing It adopts a Program Management Office-like approach to drive rigour - from hiring, to tracking progress and capturing feedback.
Impact analysis based on defined metrics provides pivotal data showcasing productivity enhancements, cost optimisation and other pre-set KPIs. Dashboard insights revealing adoption patterns, top skills leveraged, and performance benchmarks persuade sceptics. Internal marketing levers like leadership endorsements and consultant showcases help spot new opportunities suited for flexible talent.
Mainstream and Scale
With a solid foundation demonstrating clear advantages, Stage 4 scales flexible resourcing across the organisation. The focus is on decentralising adoption of flexible talent across the organisation through manager enablement, placing strong governance frameworks, and internal communication. Change management principles like reinforcement mechanisms and celebrating success stories help mainstream the program.
A systematic approach is key to unlocking the potential of high-performing freelance talent. Flexing It's proprietary DIGIT framework provides a proven playbook to make flexible talent a seamless, value-adding part of their workforce. With tested methodologies and dedicated expertise, we enable organisations to unlock and scale the potential of flexible talent. Reach out to us to discuss how we can partner in your journey to become a truly 'blended' organisation!
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