Bold statements and remarkable views on employment
Microeconomics studies how individual economic agents make decisions regarding the allocation of goods and services within an economy. Supply and demand play a crucial role in this process. Everyone remembers the COVID-19 context. As demand stalled, millions of microeconomies faced the threat of temporary or permanent collapse.
The pandemic, along with other global phenomena (the 2008 economic crisis, waves of inflation, wars, etc.), has contributed to the fact that the traditional commitment between employer and employee is no longer a given. Flexibility on the part of both the contractor and the client has never been more crucial than it is today. A new generation of business leaders, the baby boomers of the “project economy,” are taking a more pragmatic approach than ever before. They increasingly “weigh the costs and benefits” of a freelance project manager in a
The pandemic, along with other global phenomena (the 2008 economic crisis, waves of inflation, wars, etc.), has contributed to the fact that the traditional commitment between employer and employee is no longer a given. Flexibility on the part of both the contractor and the client has never been more crucial than it is today. A new generation of business leaders, the baby boomers of the “project economy,” are taking a more pragmatic approach than ever before. They increasingly “weigh the costs and benefits” of a freelance project manager in a temporary role against that of a permanent employee, where the word “permanent” sometimes carries an ambiguous connotation.
The end of employment?
In 2013, the word “pandemic” was still a term from world history. Wars on European soil and their impact on the economy were a vague memory. Yet, the French economic journalist Jean-Pierre Gaudard already preached “La Fin du Salariat,” the end of employment.
He argued that “This economic and social organizational form, inherited from the stable and hierarchical industrial society, is giving way to an open world. This world is characterized by access to knowledge for hundreds of millions of people and the proliferation of technologies. The relationship of subordination and protection on which wage labor was based clashes with both economic realities and social aspirations. ‘Proprietary’ systems are being disrupted by the new economy of sharing and giving. Networking is replacing the self-sufficient enterprise. The democratic idea fuels the demand for individual independence while urging competition.“
Ten years have passed since then and Gaudard’s vision seems more relevant than ever.
Who gets to choose?
Some companies have simply resolved the “employment” versus “freelancer” dilemma by offering a choice. For example, Engenius, a Hasselt-based company specializing in placing technical project staff in the construction and infrastructure sector, gives its employees the freedom to work as either an employee or a freelancer. Source
A choice often influenced by the stage of life they are in.
The management observes that many technical profiles and engineers display a certain degree of entrepreneurial spirit. The business leaders in question want to encourage this. They aim to make it easier for their employees to choose because they believe that pushing the workforce to opt for a single fixed status is outdated. They also lead by example; both business leaders have held freelance status for over ten years.
Highly skilled freelancers
In this regard, it might be interesting, as a business leader, to take a look at ‘The Handbook of Research on Freelancing and Self-Employment.’ Professor Andrew Burke, Chair of Business Studies at Trinity Business School, asserts, “Today, developed economies would be far less entrepreneurial and innovative and ultimately, would be more sluggish if their firms did not have access to highly skilled freelancers.“
In the Forbes.com article “Future Of Work: Self-Employment Trends And Evolving Career Landscapes Unveiled With Steven Cristol“, we learn that “To take advantage of the new project economy, companies need a new approach to project management: They must adopt a project-driven organizational structure, ensure that
In the Forbes.com article “Future Of Work: Self-Employment Trends And Evolving Career Landscapes Unveiled With Steven Cristol” (https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelgale/2023/08/29/future-of-work-self-employment-trends-and-evolving-career-landscapes-unveiled-with-steven-cristol/), we learn that “To take advantage of the new project economy, companies need a new approach to project management: They must adopt a project-driven organizational structure, ensure that executives have the capabilities to effectively sponsor projects and train managers in modern project management.“
Asking the right questions
The business leader who will consider launching a new recruitment round in the future will undoubtedly face some new questions. Do I need people whose presence in the long term, in permanent employment, is indispensable for the stability and prosperity of my company? Is my company (increasingly) subject to the laws of the “project economy,” and how can I position myself most adaptively or “agile” with the right staff? How can I best motivate my employees? By offering them security or by igniting their ambition? Those who suffer from decision fatigue may not appreciate the ever-expanding range of possibilities. However, those who seek the best match for the best results with entrepreneurial ambition, who advocate a “no-nonsense” ethic to let everyone grow into a better version of themselves, will welcome these new perspectives with open arms. And rightly so.
