By Hannah Richardson, SVP Global Strategic Services

The global landscape of employment is undergoing a seismic shift. This is evidenced by the trends highlighted by Professors Michael Dickmann and Benjamin Bader in the RES Forum paper, Vision 2030 - the future of talent mobility. The future of gig workers is poised to disrupt and redefine traditional employment models, driven by technological advancements - specifically employment platforms - as well as the enormity of societal change. Together these macro trends are influencing global work patterns and employee expectations, whilst redefining employee purpose and meaning in their work. Gen Z especially seek flexible arrangements that integrate with their lifestyles, opportunities to continuously develop new skills and fair pay for fair work. They also require a leadership that cares about more than just profits.

A significant trend is the rise of remote work. This shift has led to a more dispersed and flexible global workforce, challenging traditional employment models that many multinational enterprises (MNEs) have previously relied upon. As organisations adapt to this new reality, the concept of gig work is gaining traction, particularly with talent that wants empowered choices around not only when and where they work, but also the type of work they elect to do. Variety and learning new skills are especially important.

What is Gig Work?

Gig work can be characterised by short-term or project-based assignments and is expected to become a cornerstone of modern employment. According to Statista in 2017, there were 57.3M gig workers in the USA. By 2028 there will be 90.1M gig workers. This means that more than half of the US workforce will be employed in the gig economy. This trend is particularly pronounced among highly educated and skilled workers from developed markets. This talent group seek variety in the projects or work they undertake. They also seek flexibility of when and where they work and require opportunities to build new skills and progress their career development. These workers are increasingly seeking non-traditional employment patterns and, as a result, corporates need to be ready to fulfil the demand. Recent data from Gartner shows there will be 85 million unfilled jobs by 2030 - a global labour shortage - propelled by a global skills mismatch, with 23% of existing roles not existing within the next 5 years.

Technology and digital tools play a crucial role in this workforce transformation. The expansion of digital platforms facilitates the connection between gig workers and potential employers, making it easier to find and manage short-term projects.

Risks and opportunities

The gig economy offers significant advantages for organisations. It allows them to maintain a global workforce that can be scaled quickly and, therefore, remain competitive. This agility is particularly valuable in a rapidly changing macro-environment that is heavily influenced by events often outside of an organisation’s control: geopolitical shifts; societal change; environmental events; economic impacts; and the on-going acceleration of technological advancement. By adopting gig work models into a corporation’s global workforce, companies can access a diverse pool of talent without the long-term commitments typically associated with traditional employment.

However, this shift towards a non-traditional employment model is not without risk. One primary concern is the need for robust global compliance frameworks to manage gig workers effectively. Additionally, there are implications for employee benefits and protections, which need to be addressed to ensure a fair and sustainable gig economy.

The future of Gig Work

Historically, Global Mobility (GM) has focused on long-term expatriate assignments, but the future may see a rise in international gig work. This new form of mobility will be driven by highly skilled professionals who seek the flexibility to live and work in different countries on a short-term basis. Such mobility offers numerous benefits, including exposure to diverse work environments and the ability to build a global network. We already see many corporations implementing governance frameworks to enable self-elected international moves, primarily as a talent retention strategy. This demonstrates a clear shift away from both traditional employment and mobility models towards a new dynamic future of work.

MNEs need to think about how they blend traditional assignment strategies and solutions with the new evolving needs of the business and its global talent to promote and support a globally mobile workforce that is underpinned with robust governance and compliance frameworks. This includes providing support for international and domestic gig workers, such as assistance with visa, work permit compliance, accommodation, local cultural integration.

In conclusion, the future of gig workers represents a paradigm shift in the global workforce. As the gig economy continues to grow, it will reshape traditional employment models, offering both opportunities and challenges. Organisations that are ready and embrace this shift to manage gig workers will be well-positioned to thrive in the dynamic global market.

The key to success lies in balancing the top priorities of the business. According to Gartner’s 2024 CEO survey, the top three priorities are: growth, technology and workforce. GM leaders need to consider how they build flexibility and create the right structure to ensure that gig workers are attracted and valued. As we look ahead, it is clear that the gig economy will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of work and continue to evolve and disrupt traditional employment practises, be they domestic or international. The question we must all consider is, are our organisations ready for this global workforce paradigm shift? If not, we must take steps to prepare ourselves, or risk being left behind.

RES Forum research

This piece was written for the RES Forum research paper Vision 2030 – the future of talent mobility. Set for release in January 2025, the paper looks ahead to the world of international and cross-border work in 2030. As well as a comprehensive industry-led piece of research, the paper also explores three potential visions of life and work in half a decade’s time. These scenarios were created following numerous conversations and represent our best estimate of what it might be like to live and work in 2030. In response to these visions, we gathered a selection of perspectives from across the RES Forum community. This piece is one of a selection of pieces to be released alongside the research paper.