Only 33% of companies will score 7/10
Gig economy – contracting independent workers on a short-term basis, is one of the most relevant focuses in business transformation. For one thing, in this digital age, the workforce is becoming increasingly mobile and work can be done from anywhere. We have seen this most prominently in companies such as Uber and Fiverr, where individuals like you and I can be paid on demand for a specific service. The world is most certainly evolving to adapt to non-traditional professional needs, which consequently impacts how businesses attract, retain and engage talent. So, what have you as HR professionals put in place to prepare for change? Take this test to determine how prepared your organisation is for the transformative business culture that we are facing, and take the right steps to achieve a win-win business infrastructure…
[Score yourself 1 point for each statement that you can say you have implemented in your business and then add up the scores to see how well you are performing]
You regularly review your company’s strategic development plan (SDP)
An SDP forms the blueprint that all business initiatives fall out of. If you are on the right path, you will probably be able to answer the following three questions; ‘what are the key business priorities for the year ahead?’ ‘What plans can we put in place to help achieve them?’ ‘How will we measure the success of these initiatives?’ You are likely to be crafting these questions annually and reviewing frequently to align with goals, as proper planning keeps you on course with what makes business sense for your organization. Score: 1 point
You have recently carried out a business capability audit
You have evaluated if you have the right resources to fulfil the capabilities required in your organization. This is where you are then able to automate and/or terminate existing roles. What this leaves you with is an opportunity to entertain the gig economy and create some contract opportunities. Developers, project managers, consultants, analysts, digital designers are all examples of gig roles. Score: 1 point
You have identified employee skill-gaps to bridge, in order to future proof the business
Putting in time to talk and listen to your employees, keeps productivity high. It provides a platform to discuss skills and gaps in knowledge and opens opportunities for employees with strong potential to cross skill and up-skill, thus forming a competitive workforce. Gigs can also be used as a short term solution to ‘bridge the gap’ in required skills, or as an ongoing cost-efficient approach to resourcing, if a particular skill is required sporadically. Score: 1 point
Your company has a robust learning and development strategy
Continuous professional development is vital in maintaining the quality of skills and knowledge within your workforce. Whether permanent or temporary, full time or part time employees, training ensures that consistency in quality is kept when introducing contractors into the resource mix. You have ensured that training meets the skill gaps and is designed and hosted in a format that caters to fluid and mobile talent (as gig culture means working from anywhere at any time) Score: 1 point
You have implemented the gig culture internally
This is where you have been creative with the gig. You are aware that one of the incentives of the gig economy is to be paid for what you have delivered. Based on this, you have devised various remuneration options that leverage this (commissions, bonus schemes partnerships, etc.). You have taken a good look at what makes the gig culture so attractive and adopted approaches to incorporate the same spirit internally. Score: 1 point
You are building a talent pool of temporary employees
Why wait until you are in dire need of a specific type of resource? You have started head hunting and keeping leads warm. Talent pools work well with the gig economy as they save significant time in recruitment and allow you to cast from a wider net independent resource and select the best for that job. Score: 1 point
You have established a strong company culture and innovative ways to keep it alive
Company culture is, the beliefs and behaviours set by leadership but continued by the workforce. However, it becomes more challenging to maintain when we start transforming the way we work (working from home or increased use of freelancers, etc.). You have tackled this by holding regular company meetings and invested in online platforms to keep people connected remotely. Score: 1 point
You have embarked on a broad understanding of digital, data and technology
You may not be the savviest in this area but you have embarked on the right courses to get you there. Digital, we know is the largest driver in business development and so being able to decode this language will keep you relevant around the boardroom table. The rise of the robots has increased the need for freelance tech developers and data analysts from the gig world. In a TED Talk, a quote by Peter Diamondis was referenced, saying, “There will be as many changes between 2016 – 2022 due to exponential technology growth as between 1900-2000.” As an HR professional, you need to, at the very least, be able to have commercial conversations about technology, digital and data. Score: 1 point
You have familiarized with your future workforce
What does the future of work look like? And what does the future employee look like? You are getting to know our future leaders; understanding what will motivate them in 5-10 years from now and have this at the forefront of your mind, even when making decisions at present. From recruiting to office design, benefits to development opportunities, you are putting in place solutions that will build an early demand to work for your organization, cutting out the competition for talent, almost entirely. Score: 1 point
You have re-created value within your organization
The generational shift from Baby Boomers to Gen X, Y and now Millennials has revealed the trends in what is deemed important in the workplace. You have looked into the root causes of transformational shifts and responded to the needs of the current generation, based on what is valuable to them. Score: 1 point
YOUR SCORE HERE: [ ] points
0-3 points:
It may be that until now, your organization has not considered business transformation. A major danger would be that if you continue to ignore this ever-changing culture, you risk removing yourself from the competition. Start by doing some research on business transformation, think about your strategic development plan and perhaps, seek advice from a HR consultant to help with the necessary steps.
4-6 points:
You are clearly doing something right and now need to accelerate your plans to remain competitive. It i time for an internal audit to check the health or organizational design and wellbeing of your talent. Key questions around current capability, future capability needs, employee openness to change and the physical and mental health of your talent need to now be addressed.
7+ points:
Well done! You are a transformative business, or at least well on your way to becoming one. Your employees are likely to be experiencing work-life balance (which is a key feature of the gig economy). Start considering your employee brand and how much you promote the great opportunities you have. This will ensure you maintain your most engaged employees and attract the best talent into the business.
By Joyce Dodd
