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As global labor markets cool down but economic concerns persist, employers are rethinking the traditional 9-to-5, full-time employee workforce model and leaning on flexible talent strategies, according to a recent survey.
ManpowerGroup’s latest Employment Outlook Survey of more than 40,000 employers across 42 countries, including over 6,000 from the U.S., found that temporary workers now handle 24% of specialized, short-term tasks. For comparison, permanent employees handle about 39% of such tasks.
Flexible talent could play an increasing role as organizations manage workforce planning in an uncertain economy, the report found. Nearly half of those surveyed plan to maintain current staffing levels this quarter, signaling a move toward long-term workforce redesign rather than short-term cuts.
A changing landscape
According to Ger Doyle, regional president, ManpowerGroup North America, it’s a stable market overall, but still with much indecision driven by “macro” factors.
“U.S. employers are embracing flexible talent models to stay competitive in a shifting economy,” Doyle says. “As hiring slows, the focus is on agility, tech readiness and creating workplaces that attract and retain top talent.”
The research found that 41% of employers cite attracting qualified candidates as their biggest obstacle; at the same time, 39% see work/life balance as the most
