Why Companies and Skilled Workers Are Turning to On-Demand Work

Why Companies and Skilled Workers Are Turning to On-Demand Work

Author: Harvard Business Review November 24, 2020 Duration: 24:16
Joseph Fuller, professor at Harvard Business School, and Allison Bailey, senior partner at Boston Consulting Group, say that the Covid-19 pandemic is only accelerating a recent trend of companies turning to digital talent platforms for highly skilled workers. The need for agility and specialized skills has more firms seeking help with projects. Meanwhile, more workers are joining these online marketplaces for the promise of greater flexibility and agency. Fuller and Bailey explain how organizations can strategically employ this on-demand workforce to unlock value. With HBS researcher Manjari Raman and BCG partner Nithya Vaduganathan, they wrote the HBR article "Rethinking the On-Demand Workforce."

Each week, the HBR IdeaCast from Harvard Business Review sits down with experts whose ideas are shaping the world of work. This isn't about abstract theory; it's a conversation focused on practical insights for leaders, managers, and entrepreneurs navigating real challenges. You'll hear from scholars, CEOs, and innovators dissecting topics across management, marketing, and organizational strategy, translating complex research into actionable advice. The discussions get into the nuances of building effective teams, driving growth, making strategic decisions, and understanding the forces transforming industries. By tuning into this podcast, you gain access to the forefront of business thinking, a resource for anyone looking to sharpen their skills and lead more effectively. The consistent, in-depth dialogue provides a valuable perspective that goes beyond headlines, offering a deeper understanding of how to succeed in a competitive landscape. It's a direct line to the ideas that matter, presented through thoughtful conversation designed to provoke reflection and inspire change in your own professional approach.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

HBR IdeaCast
Podcast Episodes
Regrets Are Inevitable. Start Learning From Them. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:52
"No regrets" might be a popular modern-day mantra, but it's virtually impossible to live your life without wishing you could do certain things over. Some people try to ignore these feelings; others wallow in them. But au…
Why Some Companies Thrived During the Pandemic [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:10
Keith Ferrazzi, founder of the consulting firm Ferrazzi Greenlight, led a survey of more than 2,000 executives to study how they reengineered operations during the pandemic. The research identified a kind of extreme adap…
Inside Companies that Get the Purpose-Profit Balance Right [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:05
Purpose has become a corporate buzzword over the past decade. Leaders are embracing the idea that companies can’t just do well financially; they also have to do good for society. But how many organizations are really wal…
The Positives—and Perils—of Storytelling [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:55
Jonathan Gottschall, a distinguished fellow at Washington & Jefferson College, has researched storytelling and its unique power to inspire. But as he spoke at business conferences and grew aware of the popularity of stor…
Need a Reset? Try This One Quick Meditation Session (Bonus) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:02
You've probably heard about the benefits of mindfulness and how meditation can help you achieve it. But you still can't find the inclination to start or the time to practice regularly. In this short bonus episode, Rasmus…
No, Tech Start-ups Aren’t Taking Over the World [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:28
Looking at business news and stock market coverage over the past decade (including a few HBR articles), you'd think that just about every traditional, old-economy company has fallen prey -- or will soon -- to tech-focuse…
Why Companies Should Stop Political Spending Now [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:36
A decade ago, the U.S. Supreme Court changed the rules on how businesses could donate to political campaigns. Since then, hundreds of millions of corporate dollars have been spent on local, state, and federal elections,…
How Companies Reckon with Past Wrongdoing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:58
Sarah Federman, assistant professor at the University of Baltimore, studies how companies handle their historical misdeeds and what that means for employees and customers. From insurance firms that backed slave owners to…
To Get Ahead, You Need Both Ambition and Humility [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:40
We know that great leadership takes not just intelligence and drive but also the ability to get along well with and learn from others. The key, says Amer Kaissi, is to be both ambitious and humble throughout your career.…
We’re Bad at Measuring Inequality—Here’s Why That Matters [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:58
Stefanie Stantcheva, economist at Harvard University, founded the Social Economics Lab to study inequality, our feelings about it, and how policies influence it. She says when we estimate how much money our colleagues ma…