“More than half of human resources leaders expect to transfer one-third of their permanent positions to contingent roles in the near future,” according to a recent survey by the global HR services company, Randstad.

“Companies are increasingly embracing gig workers, and even robots, in their overall workforce to address the increasingly tight labor market in the U.S. and around the world,” said Rebecca Henderson, CEO of Randstad Sourceright. “While in the last decade contingent workers have been viewed very differently as compared to full-time positions, today’s companies are welcoming the opportunity to employ a more agile workforce, particularly as a greater number of (on-demand) workers embrace flexible work practices as well.”


A talent scarcity is a major issue and one of the reasons companies are turning to contingent workers.

69% | Percentage of respondents who say that a talent gap is widening and will create greater challenges in the near future
25% | Percentage of companies that consider talent scarcity to be their largest concern

In response, companies are looking far and wide for needed talent.

74% | Percentage of human resources leaders who believe that the right employee, contractor or contingent worker cab be from anywhere in the world

50% | Percentage of companies increasing budgets for training and “re-skilling” programs

Bottomline: Another confirmation of the trend toward the growing use of contingent labor by corporations.

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Steve King, a partner at Emergent Research, is a contributor to SmallBusiness.com on topics related to how technology and cultural changes are transforming the ways individuals work as independent contractors, freelancers and within small businesses … and large.


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