THE GIG ECONOMY AND ITS RIPPLE EFFECT ON TRADITIONAL BUSINESS
The economy is changing quickly – and it’s vital to your business to evolve with it.
Recent reports show that workers are leaving their jobs in the “gig economy” to join the traditional workforce. However, the gig economy is still alive and thriving, and the so-called “traditional” workforce has added incentives, like more flexibility, to make the transition appealing.
When we think gig economy, the first example that comes to mind is usually driving an Uber. The drivers can work as they please as if they were self-employed. This type of flexibility is often the allure of gig economy jobs, as the workforce seeks work/life balance along with stable pay. Because these options are out there, traditional business models are evolving to meet the demands of the workforce.
There are a few forms in which this can take place in the communications industry, whether it be independent contracting or remote work policies. At Tunheim, we focus on the results we need to reach first, and make sure we are organized to meet the needs of our clients and the needs of our team.
Kathy Tunheim explains that her openness to these possibilities comes from learning that quite honestly, “Our clients don’t care who employs whom – they want to know we’ve organized the right talent for their assignment. The talented people have the confidence to work in this evolving, less traditional ‘job’ model.”
Tunheim customizes teams for each of our clients, bringing individual expertise together to form our Collective Best. In addition to our traditional workforce, these teams sometimes include strategic partners, or what Tunheim has traditionally called ACEs – Affiliated Consultants and Experts. Kathy explains the value of ACEs as, “We don’t need to own all our talent, but we do want to access the right talent when their expertise is essential.”
In addition to a nimble team structure, Tunheim offers flexibility for employees to schedule their work around other aspects of their life, specifically with our remote work policy. Senior Consultant, Danielle Lund, works remotely from out of state.
Danielle didn’t want to leave her job when she moved to Madison, and Tunheim didn’t want to lose her expertise, so a remote work plan was developed to keep her on the team. Danielle now works in the office for a mandated number of days each month and stays connected to her clients and her team through video conferences. She has found that she has to be more intentional about how she communicates when she is out of the office and still believes in the value of face to face communication. However, this structured approach for remote work has been a successful way for Danielle to keep her job as her life was changing and enabled Tunheim to keep her talent on board.
As businesses look to keep their top talent and recruit new employees, they must keep up with the changing demands of the workforce to stay competitive. Workers leaving the gig economy are likely seeking work that will allow them to maintain their lifestyle. Those in the traditional workforce are commonly looking to increase flexibility. Creating options for these workers is a vital and powerful way to recruit and maintain top talent and ensure that your team is reaching its potential.
Staying ahead of the curve now is important as the workforce continues to evolve. We have found success in focusing on talent and results rather than organizational structure. How is your business keeping up?
