An increase in the number of non-payroll positions for consultants, intermittent employees, and contingent workers is forcing change on companies. Our survey suggests that companies are increasingly using contingent workers in addition to their traditional full-time staff—requiring them to rethink strategies for compensation as well as investments in training and technology.

People were talking about the contingent workforce at SAPPHIRE earlier this month, reports Susan Galer in a recap of the 2020 workforce panel posted at the SAP News Center last week:

Sean Kundu, director of Human Resources and Employment Counsel at the San Francisco 49ers, agreed that contingent workers are becoming an important part of his fast-growing, multi-generational organization. “We’re building a new stadium and trying to find the right talent to join a very diverse team. We’re reaching out to people on social media who enjoy technology and sports, and giving them a chance to see if they like the job.”

Adjusting to a more project-oriented, short-term working experience is central to understanding the workforce of 2020. According to panelist Jacob Morgan, Principal at Chess Media Group, companies and employees need to fundamentally change how they work. “You can’t hire somebody based on where you’re going to be in five or 10 years. It makes more sense to hire employees focused on projects they can do across the company.”

You can read more about the contingent workforce and other discussion points from the 2020 Workforce panel here.