Deconstructing Direct Sourcing Program Design

Today, we’re taking a dive into Staffing Industry Analysts ' industry latest “Gig Economy Report” and some of the numbers revealed within. Their methodology is a bit different than other reports, but their data shows upwards of 33 million individuals as full-time contingent labor. The sheer size of this population indicates that the C-suite needs to stand up and take an interest – not just in how best to engage these workers, but in how to develop a strategy to best attract, retain, and even nurture this talent alongside a FTE population.

It's not enough to simply suggest that organizations today need a direct sourcing strategy. Of course you do. When one in three workers in your organization is contingent, you need a way not just to continually attract top talent, but to keep this top talent engaged within your organization.

Direct sourcing can provide greater access to specialized skills and enables the creation of a talent bench that offers immediate access to the required skills. However, since contingent workers have their personal choice on where and when they work, finding and retaining the right independent talent needs a well-designed best-in-class program. In other words, leaders should also realize that the direct sourcing program must specifically be designed to meet the needs of the workers.?

Many organizations go about this via a traditional partner search. Let’s flip the problem on its head. Think not about starting with a contingent workforce supplier, but about approaching program design strategically, carefully evaluating desired objectives – such as finding specialized talent or nurturing a specific skill set needed by your organization – and then work backward to find not just a provider, but a partner that can help meet those goals.

It is then, and only then that program can truly be successful, offering an organization insights into areas such as what talent pools matter most for the organization in the coming months and years, the total scope and need of sourcing assistance, the need for organizational change management assistance to roll out or maintain/ enhance a successful program, the need to understand data and insights around program adoption, cost savings, and efficacy, and of course, the all-important need for compliance.

It is then, and only then, that an organization should begin looking for a contingent workforce partner who best fits those needs – or to begin the conversation with a supplier who can help your organization meet those goals in a stepwise fashion, building a Client of Choice program that stands out from the rest of the pack.

Trending Topics:

●?????The World Economic Forum laid out the important five key shifts that currently shape the Future of Work. Organizations should ensure that they adopt these emerging activities such as the mobilization of talent, skill-based hiring initiatives, and the unbundling of work. Business leaders should stay away from traditional conventions that could affect the productivity of the overall workforce.

●?????Jon Younger, a Forbes contributor, cites MBO Partners as one of the early players in the prop talent marketplace as the recognition of freelancers continues to increase given the increasing number of public marketplaces. The article explains the importance of direct sourcing activities as it explores the world of freelance marketplaces.

●?????In a survey with executives and a series of interviews, the Customer Experience (CX) will both have concerns and opportunities in the post-pandemic era. Such concerns could be the inconsistency in the quality of customer service but there are opportunities in accessing wider talents.

●?????Business leaders remain obsessed with their directive of return to office. However, workers are hesitant to go back to the old set-up. This Fortune article examines the possible reasoning behind the intended mandate and its possible implications for the Future of Work.

●?????The Great Resignation has shown great persistence. The preconceived demographics behind the Great Resignation seem wrong as even Gen X quit at a higher rate than millennials. This means that companies may have underestimated the problem at hand and must immediately adopt better flexible policies just to retain their current talent.

This week's edition was authored by MBO Chief Revenue Officer Bob Lucas .

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