HBR On Strategy · Harvard Business Review

The Strategic Advantage of Tapping Freelancers

·30 min·1 clip

There are 60 million creators making money—and 85 million tech jobs that won't be filled by 2030.

Kurt Nickish interviews John Windsor and Jin Paik about their book 'Open Talent' and how companies can build agile organizations through freelance workforce strategies. They argue that traditional hiring is too slow and expensive for modern business needs, while 60 million creators and emerging tech talent prefer independence. Key insight: employees work on job duties only 35% of time vs freelancers' 100% focus. Freelancers also invest 15% in learning vs companies' 0.3%, making them better positioned for AI-augmented work. The shift is less about gig economy and more about companies moving from fixed to variable talent costs.

As heard by us

A practical case for matching skills to work, not just titles.

The conversation makes a solid case for hiring around skills instead of titles, especially in a digital marketplace where work changes faster than org charts do.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Need to find the right talent faster than traditional hiring can manage?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from HBR On Strategy