Future of Alternative Workforce: A Middle East Perspective

Defining what “workforce” consists of can be a difficult task in current times. Crowd workers, freelancers, gig workers – would all of these be considered a part of it? Most managers say “yes” - 87% of respondents of a recent global survey include some external workers when considering their workforce composition. 

In this article, the focus is on the Middle East workforce trends and specifically the ‘human element’ of Workforce Ecosystems – the Employees. The article brings attention to the individuals who aren’t directly employed by the organization yet the business is ever-increasingly more dependent on them. The term that best describes this group of people is “alternative workforce”. 

Last year, the ManpowerGroup reported a 16-year high talent shortage with 3 in 4 employers globally facing difficulties finding the talent they need. A leading industry research estimated an 85.2 million talent shortage of skilled workers by 2030 in three major knowledge-intensive industries – financial and business service, TMT, and manufacturing.

In recent times, we have seen upwards of 30%-50% of an organization composed of alternative workers, with an increasing reliance on them for skills and activities that are high-value and strategically important. 

Organizations need to revisit the way they think of workforce; as an all-inclusive, boundaryless ecosystem where different workers have different needs and contribute in different ways while effectively collaborating to deliver value.