The Rise of the Contingent Workforce - Walrath Recruiting, Inc.

The Rise of the Contingent Workforce - Walrath Recruiting, Inc. The workforce and the job market is constantly changing the way we work and the needs that employers have. Consider the start-up boom, on demand jobs (gig economy), and the multitude of technology platforms being utilized to connect with potential employers or clients. One recurring trend in today’s workforce is in regard to the term “business-of-one” and the contingent workforce. Many people in the workforce have taken a liking to the term and are utilizing that mantra to take steps to truly take control of their career trajectory. Now, it is more common to see contingent workers (contractors, freelancers, and temporary employees) competing for the jobs that full-time employees used to own in the past. The question that remains is if it is good choice to make for your career or employment needs. In some cases, companies in need of specialized workers are finding it easier and more affordable to hire these skilled workers on a contingent basis. In turn, many workers are seeking out jobs that they are really interested in that can improve upon their skills and present them with different opportunities to use them. Once completed, they can move on to something else that is aligned with their career goals. We are connected at all times, the ability to access clientele globally from anywhere at any time (thanks mobile technology) is creating a change in the way we work, where we work and when we work. These changes allow for new flexibility that is now accessible to all types of careers in all types of industries, a changing workforce undoubtedly underway. Whether we like it or not, contingent  employment is becoming more popular. This is not to say that all jobs will be able to function using contingent employees on a regular basis, but the variety of jobs employers are filling with contingent workers is increasing. It has evolved into much more than the standard temporary office jobs or blue collar labor jobs we were used to seeing in the past. Is contingent employment a good option for me? As a worker: The flexibility that contracting can bring with it is an opportunity that many employees still do not have. The ability to pick and choose the work that you do can be a great way to direct your career along a certain path. Not to mention, also give you the potential to improve your work/life balance as you see fit. However, there is not the certainty that you will always have work. Contractual work has some critical components; the need to be improving and expanding your network at all times (in order to get new work) and saving as much as you can (for the possible down times). Benefits are also a major factor that need to be considered; eg. the healthcare or workers compensation that is not received from an employer. Although, with this increased shift in contingent workers, there are improvements being made on this front. The Freelancers Union is one organization making efforts to support these workers. As an employer: Hiring contingent workers definitely can have its advantages. When you consider the costs of a full-time employee compared to the costs of a contracted employee, the contingent requires less compensation (you most likely will not be paying their benefits). They may have a more specialized skill set and bring a new or different (and needed) perspective to the table. There are also downsides, such as, not being able to train them on everything you would like within a certain period of time. There is also no real guarantee that they will stay for the specified period of employment. There are ups and downs to contract work and we have only briefly discussed a few. There is definitely a shift in the workforce today, so if you are thinking about joining that wave, weigh your options and sift through the pros and cons before jumping right in.