Outsourcing & Emerging Trends in Today’s Workforce

Technology is transforming the recruitment process and the way we resource our organisations. With that transformation comes new language and terminology. For example, ‘outsourcing’ – where companies delegate specific tasks to an external provider, such as Bay Tree VA, is growing in popularity as a resourcing solution. The role of a ‘Chief Outsourcing Officer’ (COO), manages outsourcing partnerships as they become more common. This shift is, of course, good news for Bay Tree VA as we have been promoting the value of smart outsourcing for some time, recognising that ‘home’ or ‘remote’ working was a viable option long before the pandemic.

Here are some other terms that we come across when speaking to clients as the approach to resourcing continues to evolve:

• Hiring freeze – a temporary halt or restriction on hiring new employees within an organisation. It is typically implemented by companies as a cost-saving measure during times of financial uncertainty, budget constraints, or economic downturns.
• Quiet hiring – filling roles internally by reallocating current employees to new positions or adding responsibilities and tasks, instead of hiring new talent externally.
• Gig economy – a term originally coined to describe people predominantly on zero-hour contracts, particularly delivery drivers and app-based services. Today, it also incorporates freelancers, contractors, and temporary workers who negotiate their own terms and flex with the requirements of the ‘gig’.
• Skills-based hiring – recruiting based upon specific skills and competencies rather than formal education or degrees.
• Flexitirement – a flexible approach to retirement, where employees gradually reduce their working hours or transition to part-time roles instead of fully retiring on a particular date.
• Fractional working – refers to a work arrangement where an individual works on a part-time, project-based, or contract basis.

So, who benefits from these shifts from traditional resourcing and recruitment methods?

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