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A more fluid workforce is the key to digital technologies

Brian Girouard
2020-05-28

Digital transformation and market disruptions have changed the way companies view talent. With planning cycles getting shorter, business needs to be agile, flexible, and adaptable to remain competitive. Agile companies rely on a mixture of permanent employees and independent, freelance, gig, and crowdsourced workers.

The demand for more flexible employees is growing, and staffing and professional-services companies need to adapt to fill these new needs. New processes and technologies are required to overcome the challenges most companies are facing. It is about transforming the platforms and technology to be integrated and flexible.

The time to explore the potential of new technologies is now. This new generation of workers is digital, so staffing and professional-services companies need to reach them on digital platforms. These workers want everything to work the same way as their favorite digital devices. Filling out a stack of paperwork is not appreciated.

There are multiple opportunities to connect with the new fluid workforce:

  • Power of data: deploy artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and neural networks to match talent to the best opportunities
  • Streamline billing: introduce machine learning for financial automated closing
  • Automated processes: eliminate human effort and accelerate processes with Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
  • Social chatter: reach the fluid workforce on the platforms they use and aggressively pursue social-media recruiting
  • Blockchain: explore blockchain options for fluid-workforce payment and client reconciliation.

Fluid job roles are emerging across all areas, from business development to merger and acquisitions to interim C-level executives. Frontrunners are building robust processes and cultures to support the growth of the fluid workforce.

As technologies such as AI and machine learning expand, there will be a growing demand for fluid workers who can deliver this expertise. Traditional recruiting techniques are not keeping pace with the rate of change. For many companies, this will be a seismic shift in strategies, and they will need help making the change. Staffing and professional-services companies need to prepare by shifting their strategies, operating models, and technology so they are ready to take advantage of this opportunity.

Brian Girouard is EVP, NA Services Industries Leader, at Capgemini and can be reached at brian.girouard@capgemini.com.