The first steps are always the hardest, and whether you are a business adopting an open talent approach or a freelancer joining an on-demand marketplace, it’s no different. Let alone adopting an HR on-demand practice.

Who remembers how scary their first attempts at driving, or cycling, or even skateboarding were?

All of these steps into the (then) unknown were initially shocks to our systems and what was then normal to us.

Looking back, we chuckle at how these simple changes, now commonplace for most, caused such anxiety and consternation at the outset.

The Mindset Shift to …

Humans are hardwired to be anxious or fearful about change in general. Even when we are totally convinced of the positive impact of the change itself, we still need to push ourselves to overcome the initial negative feelings. To work out appropriate strategies for doing so, sometimes even beyond the initial change period becomes critical.

Many swimmers prefer staying closer to the pool edge, as example, regardless of how long they have been comfortable in the water.

Working properly through initial change is crucial to set up longer term success, and to ensure the greatest maximum benefit for any opportunity.

As 2020 ushered in broad-based application of remote working (not optional for most employers), these open talent components proved their respective benefits and advantages to any remaining disbelievers.

As a result, there is now tremendous interest from companies to wade even deeper into open talent marketplaces, on the back of the successful application of remote working.

We are seeing more and more companies venturing in the HR on-demand space.

An open talent marketplace makes business sense – why should HR on-demand be any different!

Talent infusion

One of the logical next steps for any company that has tried and benefited from remote and on-demand talent work, is to look at infused talent. This is where solid core internal teams draw on external specialists to help with specific issues or matters, on-demand.

Typically, these external skills are available through freelancer platforms like One Circle, which is a niche platform for the HR community.

The core HR team feels much stronger and in a better place to support the business with unlimited access to specialist HR expertise from around the world at the click of a button.

A better model

One Circle offers more than 400 HR specialists from around the world, all freelancers and independent consultants who are available to support on projects.

This pool of talent price their skills fairly, at open-sourced rates based on their quality, value and experience, not on a substituted hourly wage.

One Circle clients don’t just enjoy the satisfaction of an open sourced rate that assures quality, but also minimal time sourcing such skills. The pool of talent for any project is curated based on the nature of the requirements.

Every consultant in the One Circle community is there after passing through a process of personal verification. In other words, every consultant is who they say they are.

An escrow payment system, whereby funds remain in trust until the delivery of work to client satisfaction, is a critical feature. This means anyone wanting to ride this bicycle for the first time, has the training wheels in place to prevent any nasty falls! This is how One Circle payment process works.

Ready for a bicycle ride.

One Circle is not in the matchmaking business, but rather focussed on helping companies use open talent systems to get things done, and turbocharge projects using on-demand talent, without blowing up budgets.

When there is trust on both sides of platforms this facilitates nimble consultant and project selections so that all parties get on with the business of business!

A future about specificity.

The world of work will never again be as narrowly defined as it was for the last decades – open talent marketplaces will be the norm as these give companies the flexibility to get the precise skills needed for specific gigs.

With platforms like One Circle around, there is no need to sift through mountains of LinkedIn profiles to find a share plan expert, only to discover that all the ones with the skills are out of reach.

Other players in the gig economy like Verblio and Topcoder also subscribe to this approach to enhance benefits for both sides of the equation. Freelancers get top quality projects at fair prices and the clients get consistent quality outcomes.

De-risking the process

This approach for HR on-demand de-risks things significantly. Success isn’t dependant or connected to individuals from a crowd any more, but instead driven by communities of quality talent on platforms that are scalable in accordance with needs.

Of course, there may be situations where a company’s needs are such that sourcing one person for a one-time project is preferred, but in most cases with open talent this is not the case.

Rather, the need is for teams to scale productivity consistently, and platforms that provide access to a community of curated talent represent a better option.

Whichever way clients choose to engage with freelancers, the best arrangement is one where both parties feel they’ve won.

Clients must receive great value outcomes and the consultant gets a fair payment.

Here’s a bit more about ‘what we actually do’

The first step is never easy.

Take comfort in the knowledge that platforms have been developed to ensure nobody falls over, or gets hurt, when taking initial steps into the open talent pool.

The benefits of which will catapult companies into the stratosphere of productivity!

Ready to experiment? let us know what’s on your mind.