The gig economy: Distraction or disruption?

From the increasing use of contingent freelance workers to the growing role of robotics and smart machines, the corporate workforce is changing--radically and rapidly. These changes are no longer simply a distraction; they are now actively disrupting labor markets and the economy. Three years ago, Deloitte introduced the concept of the open talent economy, predicting that new labor models--on and off the balance sheet--would become increasingly important sources of talent.2 Granted, respondents to this year's survey rated workforce management the least important of the trends we explored. At an even more basic level, companies are struggling to understand who (and what) their workforces are composed of and how to manage today's incredibly diverse combination of worker types.