March 19, 2012
While reliance on consultants may be a logical outgrowth of the recession, don't be surprised if the trend toward a strong contingency workforce outlasts the recovery. The recent explosion of business technology means you now need access to a range of independent contractors, consulting firms, managed services and other experts for a variety of unpredictable demands that may strain even the most skilled full-time staff. Many, therefore, are finding that it makes sense to supplement their team with a pool of experts with specific skills that can be called upon on an as-needed basis.
Early in the recession, in the wake of widespread IT layoffs, there was a spike in demand for independent IT consultants. On the surface it appeared to be a natural function of reduced budgets -- hire the temps for now, and when the economy rebounds, ramp up the full-time staff. What people failed to see at the time, but is apparent now, is that we were also at the cusp of a major upheaval in business technology characterized by terms like "consumerization of IT," the "social enterprise." These changes are driven by factors such as the introduction of new flexible technologies, the ability of any group of two or more people to communicate in real time, and globalization, to name a few.
