Staffing Industry Analysts research commissioned by MBO Partners by Beeline finds leading programs outperform peers on flexibility, speed and access to skills, while 54% expect AI to increase independent talent use
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Sept 28, 2026 – Businesses increasingly see independent talent as a source of specialized skills, flexibility and speed, but many have yet to build the strategy and infrastructure to manage it effectively. Fewer than one-third of executives surveyed consider their organization’s approach to independent talent “leading edge,” according to new research conducted by Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) for MBO Partners by Beeline.
AI is raising the stakes. Among executives surveyed, 54% expect AI to increase their use of independent talent over the next two years, compared with just 8% who expect a decrease. As AI changes not only demand for specialized AI expertise but the skills and nature of roles across the business, independent talent can give organizations greater flexibility to respond as workforce needs evolve.
Yet many enterprises, particularly those with less mature programs, still struggle with fundamental elements of independent talent management, including visibility, sourcing, compliance and program scalability. Organizations identified as Leaders (those who agree their organization’s use of independent talent is leading edge) take a different approach, integrating independent talent more strategically into workforce planning and outperforming their peers across every talent outcome evaluated.
Key Findings from the 2026 State of Independence®: The Enterprise Perspective
- Leaders are approximately five times more likely to strongly agree that independent talent enables workforce flexibility, four times more likely to cite speed in responding to business needs and three times more likely to cite access to high-value skills. They also report stronger competitive advantage and ROI from independent talent.
- Leaders are far more likely to view independent talent strategically. Among Leaders, 62% strongly agree that independent talent is a strategic necessity rather than a tactical option, compared with just 6% of Followers.
- Leaders track more than 2.5 times as many independent talent metrics as their peers, while 49% of Followers do not track any of the metrics evaluated, underscoring the role visibility and measurement play in building a more mature strategy.
- Nearly three-quarters of enterprises expect to use independent talent for AI-related work. Applied AI skills are particularly difficult to access through traditional full-time hiring, while companies also expect growing demand for combinations of AI fluency, business expertise, governance, risk and other AI-adjacent skills.
- Enterprises may be underestimating what independent professionals value. Among independent professionals, 61% say schedule flexibility is very important, compared with 36% of enterprises that recognize its importance to independent talent. Location flexibility shows a similar gap, 64% versus 45%.
“Organizations increasingly recognize the value of independent talent, but the research shows that realizing that value requires greater discipline in how this workforce is integrated, measured and managed. As AI accelerates demand for cutting-edge skills, enterprises will increasingly rely on independent talent to access scarce expertise and realize the full potential of their AI investments.” Ursula Williams, President, SIA.
Now in its 16th year, MBO Partners State of Independence research expands in 2026 to examine both sides of the independent workforce. The companion report, The 2026 State of Independence: Perspectives from the Independent Workforce®, found that 78% of independent professionals plan to remain independent or build a larger business. Together, the two reports show a workforce becoming more committed to independence just as enterprises face greater pressure to build strategies that effectively access, attract and engage that talent.
“Companies increasingly understand the value independent professionals can bring, but an effective independent talent strategy requires more than engaging a contractor when a need arises,” said Teresa Creech, President of MBO Partners by Beeline. “The organizations getting the strongest results have the visibility, processes and discipline to make independent talent part of broader workforce planning. That becomes even more important as AI changes the skills companies need and how quickly those needs can shift.”
The State of Independence 2026: The Enterprise Perspective draws on a survey of 84 corporate executives, including 74 fully completed responses, and 10 in-depth interviews with enterprise workforce leaders and industry experts. The survey was conducted in April and May 2026.
Download the 2026 State of Independence reports, including The Enterprise Perspective and Perspectives from the Independent Workforce here.
About MBO Partners
MBO Partners powers the independent workforce, helping organizations confidently engage, manage, and scale high-value independent talent. For 30 years, MBO has delivered workforce solutions including Agent of Record (AOR), Employer of Record (EOR), contractor compliance, and talent solutions, along with specialized services that help organizations assess workforce risk, strengthen compliance, access proven talent, and optimize their independent workforce programs. Today, MBO supports 100+ enterprise organizations, representing more than $1 billion in independent workforce spend. As part of Beeline, MBO brings deep independent workforce expertise and services into a connected workforce orchestration ecosystem, giving organizations greater visibility, control, and confidence across their extended workforce. Learn more at mbopartners.com.
About Staffing Industry Analysts
Founded in 1989, SIA is the global advisor on staffing and workforce solutions. Our proprietary research covers all categories of employed and nonemployed work including temporary staffing, independent contracting and other types of contingent labor. SIA’s independent and objective analysis provides insights into the services and suppliers operating in the workforce solutions ecosystem including staffing firms, managed service providers, recruitment process outsourcers, payrolling/compliance firms and talent acquisition technology specialists such as vendor management systems, online staffing platforms, crowdsourcing and online work services. We also provide training and accreditation with our unique Certified Contingent Workforce Professional (CCWP) program.
Known for our award-winning content, data, support tools, publications, executive conferences and events, we help both suppliers and buyers of workforce solutions make better-informed decisions that improve business results and minimize risk. A brand of Crain Communications, a leading business news and information company, SIA is headquartered in Mountain View, California, with offices in London, UK.
For more information: staffingindustry.com
Media Contact:
Casey Bush for Beeline
Global Results Communications
beeline@globalresultspr.com
3
MIN
