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State of Independence Report : 2013
Talent sourcing and procurement roles shift as independents are engaged for project work
In its latest State of Independence report, MBO Partners offers insight on the top three trends that will shape the American work and business landscape.
Prediction 1. From BYOD to BYOW. Following on the consumerization of IT with Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), MBO predicts the coming consumerization of talent as managers are empowered to bring their own worker (BYOW). In 2014, more professionals will be sourced for larger project needs from the cloud. BYOW will impact how organizations view both talent sourcing and management. Enterprise managers, leveraging managed contractor clouds, will be able to build their own teams and procure the help they need on a project-by-project basis. To realize this potential, Human Resources and Procurement will have to collaborate to meet the challenges of accommodating the democratization of talent while retaining governance to control the category spend and satisfy compliance requirements
Prediction 2. Company as Partner - Not Parent. The employer-employee relationship will continue to evolve as companies shift out of their role as provider to become enablers. The traditional perks and benefits that were commonplace twenty years ago have evolved into companies focusing on enhancing the workplace experience with in-demand benefits such as flexible work spaces and paid time off to volunteer. In the past, benefits such as retirement, and healthcare could only be obtained through traditional employment, creating a job tether that was not easily broken. In 2014 benefit levels will shrink and companies will provide more self-source systems to employees for items traditionally associated with the employment contract -- health, insurance and retirement benefits.
Prediction 3. Self- Help Employment. In this new era, workers will take a "build your own career" approach establishing greater responsibility and control over their work life. These burdens will challenge those seeking to transition to a self-employed professional mindset. From finding and buying benefits that are no longer offered by employers to defining their expertise and planning the trajectory of their career, self-help support for workers will rise alongside self-employment. We will see the emergence of new service industries to support these new burdens on the American worker -- with professionals outsourcing back office and non-critical work functions so as to focus on their marketable expertise at accelerated rates.
"As the ball drops on 2013, American workers will move in larger droves to self-employment, with over 1 million more Americans joining the self-employed ranks in 2014 " predicts Gene Zaino, CEO and President of MBO Partners. "American professionals are adjusting to a sea change in how work gets done. They need our support. In 2014, it's time to wake up to the exciting possibility that American professionals have all the tools needed to be successful, self-employed business owners."
Small business, large businesses and even government agencies are adopting management tactics from the lean start-up playbook, hiring talent on a project basis only when and where it's needed.
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