No Election Can Change the Emerging Way Work is Getting Done

We will first discuss the benefits to a company.  From a company’s perspective, the benefits are as follows:

1. Cost Flexibility
   Organizations are able to modulate staff sizes up and down based on their requirements and control the cost for particular tasks by using contractors on a project basis.  Given the uncertainty of the economy and competitive markets most companies operate within, utilizing a contingent strategy is valuable providing the cost flexibility companies need to remain competitiv
2. Speed to Market
   A company’s ability to rapidly and effectively onboard contract talent can mean the difference between capitalizing on a market opportunity or missing out.  Contractors can bring on-demand execution to tasks that need immediate attention.  By expanding an organizations capacity and capability, contractors can bring specific skill-sets and know-how not accessible in the organization.
3. Access to Better Practices and Talent
   Contingent workers can infuse a fresh perspective based on experiences outside of the company and industry. Contingent workers are also able to ask “dumb” questions that can get organizations to second guess historical practices and processes that may be limiting growth.  Additionally, contractors are able to share best practices across the organization and are many times able to communicate more easily than internal employees.
4. Democratization of Information
   Websites such as Glassdoor.com provide detailed information on companies including layoffs.  In turn, companies are no longer able to afford to quickly hire only to lay off employee’s en mass without facing a severe backlash that will affect their ability to bring in talent in the future. Employing a contingent workforce can mitigate the need for companies to rapidly scale up only to have to scale back on their full-time employees and lose valuable social credibility.

Above all, companies are attracted to accessing the best talent available in the marketplace and they realize highly talented workers are executing their career this way.  Our future post will contemplate the benefits workers gain from exercising their career on a contract basis and why an increasing number of talented people are moving their career in this direction.

So no matter how you vote, the election will not change the emerging way work is getting done.