Each year what we ask of leaders evolves. And FY25 is no different.

Leaders must be able to operate, and even thrive, in uncertainty. They must be able to pivot when the economy pivots. They must be prepared to disrupt and be prepared to be disrupted.

And, they must be able to achieve all of this on a tight budget.

Given this dynamic environment along with current financial pressure, there is an immediate need to reevaluate the way work is designed and resourced to ensure that it sets leaders up for success in FY25. The static organisation chart, fully embedded headcount costs and fixed team structures are simply no longer fit for purpose. 

Leaders need more flexibility in their teams and a readiness to embrace the professional gig economy. The use of on-demand talent has become essential. This more fluid model enables leaders to identify the core, “always-on” capability and capacity they need in their employee base and strategically supplement it with specialist on-demand talent (i.e. independent consultants, freelancers, professional gig workers).

Leaders who are early adopters of the professional gig economy are experiencing six key advantages.

1. Affordability: As on-demand talent works on a project or service basis, leaders do not need to fix ongoing costs, or headcount, into their budgets. A portion of their resourcing will remain highly variable and leaders can scale back without the costs associated with redundancy programs. Also driving affordability is the fact that on-demand talent will scope their work as fixed-cost projects or services which can prove to be far more cost-effective than a salary – leaders are paying for results, not hours. And let’s not forget that on-demand talent is infinitely more affordable than bringing in big consulting.
2. Skills accessibility: On-demand talent have specialised skills and expertise that may not be available within a leader’s core employee team. Accessing this talent pool allows leaders to tap into different skill sets for specific projects or activities that they don’t necessarily need all the time. This dynamic skill mix is a game changer for leaders.
3. Flexibility: Having access to on-demand talent allows leaders to augment their team around current workload and priorities. Leaders can flex their teams up during peak periods and flex down at other times. Access to on-demand talent gives leaders the ability to adapt quickly to business needs and shifting priorities.
4. Speed to engage: On-demand talent can be accessed and activated quickly, much faster than a traditional recruitment and onboarding process.  As they are working on specific deliverables, on-demand talent are laser focused on gathering the essential organisational context and building targeted stakeholder relationships that are critical for project success. There is no lengthy induction period, they hit the ground running and have immediate impact.
5. Delivery focus: On-demand talent typically focus on specific tasks or projects within their area of expertise which allows for high work quality and fast turnaround times. They channel their efforts into priority projects, sparing the core team from juggling tasks in their “spare time.” Unlike the core team, on-demand talent aren’t bogged down by daily operations or spot fires, and they operate outside the usual business rhythm. This means they aren’t required in meetings and processes that don’t relate to their deliverables. They remained focussed on the outcome they are there to deliver.
6. Fresh perspectives: On-demand talent bring external insights and an invigorating dose of energy to your projects. They come with fresh eyes and diverse thinking that can generate solutions that might otherwise be missed. These specialists are tuned into industry trends and how other organisations are tackling similar challenges. With a knack for asking the right questions and an openness to share their insights, on-demand talent can open the team up to new possibilities. 

A new financial year, as well as shaky economic conditions, presents the perfect opportunity to rethink how work is designed and delivered. As more leaders embrace the professional gig economy as an alternative to fully static structures and expensive big consulting, they are experiencing immediate benefits; affordability, skill accessibility, flexibility, speed to engage, delivery focus and fresh perspectives.  

If you are ready to explore how on-demand talent can help you deliver over the coming year, reach out. Head to www.werkling.com to learn more or email Werkling hello@werkling.com to discuss how we help you thrive in FY25.