Professional contractors demand increased work flexibility from recruiting and staffing firms

The evolution of the workplace has created a new balancing act for employers and recruiting and staffing professionals. Millennial professionals, especially those in the creative and information technology fields, are looking toward the changing workplace as a sign that they need to be entrepreneurs. They are optimistic and idealistic that even if they are unable to get traditional employment, they will be ok because they are empowered by technology and a different way of thinking, reports The Miami Herald.

This mindset has led to an increase in the number of workers who are either completely freelance or working for themselves part time. More and more workers are looking at non-traditional employment options with the help of the digital evolution.

A new survey from oDesk has found that 72 percent of freelancers who have “regular” jobs are looking to quit and work entirely for themselves. According to Staffing Industry Analysts, 61 percent of those respondents are planning on quitting their job in the next year or two.

“We believe that the barriers of Industrial Age work simply don’t make sense for businesses that want to get more work done, or for workers who are demanding more freedom,” said oDesk CEO Gary Swart, according to the source. “No one today wants to be confined to a cubicle. As independent professionals embrace this freedom, hours worked on oDesk have increased eightfold since 2009.”

The study has found that this expansion in the idea of freelancing for a living is partially coming from the expansion of the work-life balance movement. Workers are looking for greater flexibility, which is now possible because of mobile technology.

“They are willing to trade traditional work experience for something that provides more freedom and flexibility,” said Swart. “They don’t want to be confined to a cubicle.”

As a staffing and recruiting professional, don’t for a minute believe that this will negatively impact business. With the right strategies and recruiting software, you can capitalize on this new trend. Businesses still require the work to get done, even if workers are not flocking to the corporate world. With the changes to the workplace, many organizations are now relying on these freelance workers or contingent forces to get things done. Capitalize on this need of workers and hiring managers by using staffing software to identify, place, payroll, and manage the right freelance worker for the job.