Contractors, in their guise as the centrepiece of what has been termed the global ‘contingent workforce’ are now firmly on the radar of the global elite following this year’s World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.
Manpower Group Chairman and CEO Jeff Joerres told WEF delegates in no uncertain terms that those seeking to flourish in today’s uncertain economy would not be able to do so without the contingent workforce. That put contractors firmly on the map, and in the minds, of the world’s business and government leaders.
Of course Manpower wants global leaders to start thinking about how they must use a labour force that just so happens to be conveniently supplied by, erm, Manpower. But underneath Joerres’ rhetoric is some thought leadership that is both sound and deserving of broader consideration.
Manpower’s view of the ‘human age’ neatly encapsulates what most contractors intuitively understand: that in the knowledge economy ‘talent’, in the form of human beings, has replaced capital and raw materials as the source of competitive advantage. ‘Talentism’, says Manpower, is the new capitalism.
There’s a way to go on this front. After all, the world’s capitalists haven’t spent the last couple of centuries trying to replace as many workers as possible with machines and robotics for nothing.
But in a world where virtually anything can be quickly copied and improved, including highly complex production line machinery, the human brain shows an inconveniently high level of uniqueness. Talent can be imitated up to a point, but not in sufficient volume for it to become commoditised.
So, how is all this navel-gazing relevant to contractors? Well, whereas commentators discuss the theories of the human age in forums such as WEF, contractors are busy getting on with the realities and proving the human age is already here.
Where this year’s WEF has made a difference is by highlighting the contingent workforce as possibly the only viable solution that enables organisations to respond to threats and opportunities in today’s volatile economy. And they can offer their skills on a ‘just-in-time’ basis, bringing organisations “fast time-to-value”. That basically means contractors get in there, contribute from the outset, and get the job done according to specifications and schedule. As such, they’re incredibly advanced “value-creation machines” that offer organisations outstanding returns on investment.
The contingent workforce also offers economies struggling to be agile and competitive with a ready-made solution. As such, countries that nurture contractors and the contracting sector are ensuring they remain, or will become, competitive. Sadly, for all David Cameron’s talk at Davos of his pro-business agenda, there is little evidence yet that the coalition government he leads truly recognises, let alone plans to nurture, the UK’s world-leading contingent workforce.
Published: Monday, January 30, 2012
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