There have been many articles and a lot of discussions recently about the ‘gig’ economy and how it will impact the economy going forward. From Forbes to Harvard Business Review and Fast Company to The Globe and Mail. Everyone, it seems, has something to say about it. It is seen as an extension of the sharing economy and is characterized in part as organizations contracting with independent workers for short-term engagements.
While there are many discussion points and views to take, it appears that the gig economy is here to stay, at least until the next ‘ways of working’ evolution takes hold.
We at The Osborne Group have been working the gig economy since our inception 25 years ago. We feel like we were part of the laying of the foundation of this ‘new’ phenomenon. We love it and we thrive on it, but the real benefit is to our clients. Here are just a few reasons that taking advantage of the gig economy may make sense for you:
- Gives you the ability to inject experience and knowledge for the short-term, or long-term, often at a moment’s notice
- Saves the cost of on-boarding and employee benefits
- May save the cost of office space and personal technology needs, depending on the project/role
- Gives you greater control over your talent budget with quick access to a deeply talented team that can work for the hour, the day, the week or the month – whatever your needs require
- Little or no ramp-up time is needed – we have the experience and knowledge to hit the ground running
- Our extensive experience and focus means we often complete projects and assignments in less time than is planned
If any of these appeal to you I urge you to give it a try. You will become part of the growth of this new way of managing human capital and I know you will be glad that you did.
