The booming gig economy is fast changing the way we work. It is likely that you know professionals who work on freelance or on-demand basis. These professionals are unlike the temporary workforce of the years gone by.
They include professional copywriters, highly-talented IT specialists, marketing gurus, HR professionals, accountants, and retired executives working as consultants, among others.
Called by different names—contractual, consultant, contingent, and virtual workers—the new work force fits the new working environment like hand in glove.
As a matter of fact, these tech-savy, unbound millennial are showing the way in this ever-expanding gig economy.
Automation is helping eliminate human error. It also helps quickly complete tasks that were earlier time-consuming. Both these things have further increased dynamic and fluid engagements and redefined the qualities employees are wanting in their employers.
In this gig economy, what measures HR personnel can take to attract, hold, and successfully manage workers?
Here are a few tips.
Embrace the virtual work force, embrace flexible work schedule
Change can bring big benefits—but only if you accept it, embrace it.
Freelance workers, in today’s gig economy, offer many benefits to employers. Thanks to virtual workers, a company can quickly increase or decrease its team size to complete specific projects, meet short-term spike or fall in work volume, and bridge skill gaps.
However, this will happen only when employers understand and offer what today’s unbound millennial wants.
Sitting up high in the priority list of freelance professionals is flexible work schedule. According to a report, 62 percent of today’s workers want employers to embrace flexible work schedules.
Support remote work
Did you know that companies that support remote work not only are able to find skilled candidates faster but also retain them longer?
Yes, this is true. And it is hardly unsurprising when you consider this fact: Nearly 65% of professionals who participated in a recently-published survey said that they would want their employers to give them the freedom to work remotely, at the very least once every month.
The survey also revealed that companies that don’t have any geographical limitations while hiring hire 33% percent faster. These companies are also able to locate the most experienced and skilled professionals faster.
Equally importantly, companies which offer the freedom of remote work are able to retain their workforce 25% better than companies which don’t support it.
So, it is clear as day. If you want to thrive in gig economy, you must support remote working.
Re-asses your assumptions
Freelance workers are motivated by factors different than those that motivate permanent employees.
For Generation Z and millennials flexibility, new experiences, and more options matter a lot. They want to explore new interests and are striving for flexibility, mentorship, career growth, security, and money. Similarly, established professionals who enjoy working on-demand basis want more flexible work schedules and opportunities to work and grow at certain specific expertise areas
More flexibility, projects in their specific interest areas, and better say over their career progression are top three factors that make professionals choose freelance work.
