According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, some of the occupations with the highest projected growth in employment through 2024 include accountants, software developers, and nurses -the healthcare industry actually hired the largest portion of contingent positions in 2016. We need workers who can bring specialized expertise to the table. Automation will redefine the value placed on certain skills and create new roles that independent professionals can fill. As they become more refined, the need for skilled, flexible labor will increase. Today, for example, marketing automation tools can considerably improve productivity by automating ad buying, quickly and efficiently distributing email-marketing campaigns, and basing customer communication off of buying history and trends.ĭespite these changes, automation enables industries to grow. Thanks to a combination of automation and the digital revolution, the nature of jobs and work is continuing to change at a rapid rate. Traditional “office work” as we know it only started in the late 19th century as workers shifted from farms to factories. It’s a centuries-old practice that is now returning with the technological revolution. Independents have the specialized skills needed to quickly and efficiently complete a project, are able to work offsite, and can assist in niche areas such as software engineering, product management, or application development.Īutomation will redefine jobs and drive independent workforce demand. More than 4 out of 10 independents have a 4-year college degree or higher and 20% have advanced degrees. This segment of the population provides high-quality work, deep industry knowledge, and is highly educated.
The independent workforce, in particular, offers many benefits that companies will find valuable as they redefine job roles. Independent professionals can fill these high-skilled roles. Automation eliminates the need for many low-paying offshore jobs, allows companies to reshore labor and production, and increases the need for high-skilled activities, according to a recent policy report from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. economy, in conjunction with our rapidly growing independent workforce, can greatly benefit from automation in three key ways.Īutomation will bring labor and production back to the U.S.Īlong with the growth of a flexible, independent workforce, automation will reduce the incentive for companies to use low-wage labor overseas. In fact, 51% of global executives say their organizations plan to increase the use of flexible and independent workers in the next 3 to 5 years, according to Deloitte. The U.S. In the independent workforce, automation may actually increase demand for flexible workers who have skills and agility that machines are unable to provide.