Technology “changes the nature of jobs,” as U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross remarked at the World Economic Forum in Davos. In fact, it has, in no small way, changed the way work gets done in our digital economy.
It has fueled the multi-channel workforce of freelancers, contingent workers, independent contractors, and other service providers that span well beyond an employer’s permanent staff.
Not only does this new normal create a more flexible workforce, these external workers take on projects and close talent gaps in everything from writing, research, and marketing strategy to engineering, risk management, analytics, and legal work. In fact, consumers today may be surprised to learn that the adjuster who handles their insurance claim is as likely to be a contingent worker contracted by the company as a full-time employee.
To manage this growing multi-channel workforce with greater agility, businesses need, as recommended in the IDC FutureScape: Worldwide IT Industry 2018 Predictions report, to assess the scope and strength of [vendor] ecosystems as closely as [they] do their in-house capabilities.* Organizations will be buying that ecosystem or network of providers, not just the solution.
Businesses can tap the SAP Fieldglass digital network to quickly find, hire, and manage multi-channel workforce
Aligned with this thinking, SAP Fieldglass solutions now offer customers the opportunity to tap into its digital network of providers, an innovative ecosystem that enables organizations to quickly and efficiently find, hire, and manage their multi-channel workforce. Using this network, enterprises can increase their agility and scale their labor force to quickly meet demand, capitalize on new business opportunities, and position themselves to respond to competitive threats.
The digital network also will connect companies to the growing number of emerging online providers that touch every part of an organization’s external talent management and services procurement processes. For instance, an SAP Fieldglass user, with a click of a button, can access solution providers, identify the right external talent via online talent channels, vet the candidates, and onboard and offboard them with the added efficiency of document automation. In tandem with that, over time users will gain access to other solutions for planning and analytics as well as payroll and compliance, invoicing and taxes, time tracking, supplier qualification, human resources management, and learning management.
The Digital Network for SAP Fieldglass Solutions: Transforming How Organizations Engage and Manage the External Workforce
Digital talent channels — including WorkMarket, Catalant, freelance.de, Genesys, MBO Partners, TalentNet, TalonFMS, The Data Incubator, and twago Enterprise — are among the first to participate in the network. These companies provide solutions that augment traditional recruiting channels and accelerate access to specialized talent. SAP Signature Management by DocuSign can also be accessed via SAP Fieldglass to streamline paperwork associated with onboarding new external talent.
This is just the beginning. As the multi-channel workforce continues to gain strength, this network will change the game for our customers by giving them a simpler way to access solutions that enhance how they engage and manage their external talent across multiple sourcing channels. We will continue to expand the digital network by adding more talent channels, broadening the base of accessible talent and improving the efficiency with which they can manage their external workforce.
For more information, follow @sapfieldglass.
Kevin Poll leads the SAP Fieldglass Digital Network strategy.
*IDC FutureScape: Worldwide IT Industry 2018 Predictions,” #US43171317, October 2017, page 8.
