Collaboration in the Gig Economy is a unique annual event hosted by Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) that seeks to unite technology, talent solutions, and suppliers in a collaborative forum to drive strategies for evolving the workforce. Every year, the event focuses on the innovations and advances in the staffing industry. What promises to make the 2022 gathering different and more poignant is that it marks the first return of the conference since the pandemic. And let’s face it, everything has changed: our societies, our lives, our normal, and the very nature of work. Because of that, the topics and discussions in this year’s GigE will be some of the most relevant and important as we look toward the future of work.
As SIA explains in its introduction to the 2022 Collaboration in the Gig Economy, “Staffing Industry Analysts’ (SIA) unique conference is designed for all players in the talent supply chain and is your opportunity to connect with enterprise contingent workforce human resources and procurement hiring managers, staffing firms, suppliers to staffing firms, recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) companies, vendor management system (VMS), managed service provider (MSP), suppliers to enterprise companies and talent & staffing platform companies during this live, collaborative conference experience.”
This year’s event covers more than 20 sessions on the most pressing topics affecting the global talent ecosystem, with primary concentrations on staffing and talent platform technologies, key issues in the gig economy, and leading in a new world of work.
Embracing Our New Normal
Looking at the first day agenda, SIA and other thought leaders have clearly been preoccupied with uncovering the trends and potential solutions to propel us forward in an era that will look distinctly different from predictions that made sense before the outbreak of COVID-19. There exist innovative approaches within the workforce solutions industry that can help rebuild a thriving talent ecosystem for our “new normal.” Because we have also explored these themes in our ebook “New Talent Strategies for Our New Normal,” we are excited to learn more from others at the conference, which promises to be a bonanza of insight, shared perspectives, and forward-thinking strategies.
Although every session will influence industry leaders as we forge a new path into the future, these are some of the meetings we’ll be watching closely.
September 21, 2022: Day One Highlights
Innovation and Opportunities in the Gig Economy and Beyond: What’s New and What’s Next?
Barry Asin and Brian Wallins
The past several years have unleashed rapid societal changes, investments in innovative business ideas and a revolution in the relationship between workers and work. Drawing on cutting-edge SIA research our expert speakers will share the latest trends, opportunities and innovations that will shape the future of contingent/gig work, staffing and workforce solutions.
Workforce Convergence and Transformation
Heather McGowan
The global pandemic not only changed where work takes place, it altered where work fits in our lives. The combination of a shift in leadership, from Boomer and GenX to GenX and Millennial, and the entrance of Generation Z into the workforce, is altering the fundamental values around work. In the developed world, notably the US and Canada, labor shortages show no signs of abating and are shifting the power from employers to employees. In this VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) world, leaders can no longer be unquestioned experts driving productivity with fear, they must be curious and humble learners guiding self-propelled talent.
How Implementing a Staffing Platform Can Help You Stay Competitive
Rohan Jacob
In the past two years, talent and staffing platform technology has transformed the staffing industry. Some verticals, like healthcare, have felt that shift more acutely, while others are still on the brink of meaningful adoption. But all verticals are now starting to see how this technology can impact things like revenue, candidate and client experience and overall agency success.
Optimizing a Total Talent Acquisition Approach
Dawn McCartney, Shelisa Payne, Sameer Penakalapati, Mark Zolkos
With over half of temporary workers suddenly working from home, the pandemic has highlighted the need for organizations to think more creatively and flexibly about how to engage with their workforce. As remote work becomes readily accepted, a whole new array of talent options are on the table for forward thinking organizations. These include freelancers, consultants, outsourced services, offshore workers and much more.
Leading in the New Remote and Hybrid Normal
Ger Doyle, Tyler Hagood, John Schroeder, Vidhya Srinivasan, Scott Stenclick
With experience through more than two years of workforce disruption, it’s clear that the workplace of today and tomorrow will never go back to the way it used to be. How are leading-edge organizations adjusting and adapting their talent strategies and relationship with their workforce to drive their business into the future, encourage collaboration and grow the next generation of leaders?
The Next Generation of IT, Marketing and Professional Talent/Staffing Platforms
Kevin Chen, Chris Cho Kate Duchene, Doug Hanson, Vinda Souza
Staffing and talent platforms for knowledge workers have grown most rapidly around remote and offshore work, with primarily an independent contractor model. Today there are signs that change is in the air and professional skills staffing from IT to marketing and beyond are being targeted for platform disruption. Our panel of experts and practitioners discusses what the future is likely to be in this dynamic and highly skilled segment of the gig economy.
Building the Staffing Firm of the Future
Ashley Holahan, Jonathan Stokoe, Alan Stukalsky, Ursula Williams
Staffing executives know that they need to drive some form of digital transformation to succeed into the future. However, actually making that change can be a complex process with many potential missteps. It helps to have a clear vision. What is the staffing firm of the future going to look like? And what role do recruiters and salespeople play in that future? Join us for expert views on the future of staffing firms both large and small!
Digital Transformation for Staffing Firms: Lessons from the Trenches
Simon Curtis, JoAnne Estrada, Jason Leverant, John Nurthen
Nearly every staffing firm today wants to undergo some form of digital transformation. If history is any guide the odds of success are not much better than rolling dice. In this session, our panel of experts who have been there and have the battle scars discuss what works, what doesn’t and how to accelerate digital transformation to meet this moment of increasing tech innovation and complexity.
Gig Economy Shark Tank
And of course, the fan favorite Gig Economy Shark Tank: Technology Innovation Competition.
The gig economy is full of innovators and disruptors seeking to stake their claim in the evolving workforce solutions ecosystem. With the ongoing influx of venture capital and private equity money, the interest in the space is significant. In this session, we will hear from a variety of technology-based innovators as they pitch our "sharks" with the goal of being selected as the Gig Economy Shark Tank award winner! Plus, those companies who make the cut will get bragging rights and publicity in SIA publications and platforms. For attendees, this is a great way to get a sense of the latest potential disruptors as well as the possibilities for innovation in the talent supply chain.
More to Come
Stay tuned as we cover our highlights for day two of GigE in our post next week. Also be sure to stop by and see us at the event.
Image courtesy of Dallas Omni Hotel
