She teaches businesses about the gig economy

Marianne Olsson has previously written the following books: Successful Consultant and The consultancy book to consultants and consulting firms. With her new title, Marianne now primarily targets Swedish employers and potential clients of consulting firms, offering valuable tips on how they can navigate a labor market shaped by the gig economy.

The gig economy is something I've been advocating for a long time. In my view, everyone is a gig worker, even if they don't realize it, Marianne says. She describes how workers today focus more on the content of the job than on the type of employment arrangement, and that employers should therefore embrace this model by taking into account the type of employment or work arrangement the candidate is interested in. The idea for the new book came from a desire to help clients take advantage of the opportunities offered by the gig economy. Simply seeking out talent and employees who want a job is far too narrow an approach to the challenges associated with the talent supply today. I want to help companies capitalize on the opportunities presented by digitalization and the gig economy and help ensure that more people in the labor market are given opportunities, Marianne continues.

How can freelancers approach their personal development?
It’s a way to continually grow in your career; it offers a different kind of flexibility and allows you to work in a variety of industries. This way of working is on the rise because it both suits and appeals to many people who enjoy new challenges and want to grow through their assignments. This means that clients who read my book are also potential interim managers—not just later in their careers, but as a way to reach new career milestones.

All companies face challenges when it comes to securing talent today. Marianne believes that to find the right fit for their organization, companies should think more broadly. I see that many organizations today need to gain a better holistic view of needs and resources. A tip for all organizations is to have the procurement department and hiring managers work more closely together—or why not be even bolder and merge them? Just think of the impact you could create together, both in the short and long term. She believes that many companies today are missing out on important and valuable talent because they are limited to a specific type of employment. After all, someone might be interested in staying with a client for a long time, even if they’re working on a gig basis. By not limiting themselves to a specific employment arrangement, employers suddenly gain access to a wider range of skills.

What was the main motivation for writing a book for employers and clients?
Many employers are on board, following the gig trend and dealing with the challenges of securing talent for their organizations, but they may need to win over internal stakeholders to reap the benefits of the gig economy. Those who begin to embrace the gig mindset become more agile, resulting in a more flexible organization.

To drive home her point, Marianne turns the question back on them and asks what Interim Search’s average time to fill a position is. The answer is that it usually takes five days, and she nods in agreement. –Exactly! You get a match in terms of skills, but also in terms of time. In a typical recruitment process, it can take two months before you even get a name to work with, whereas your most common process takes five days.

When it comes to client companies’ development and adaptation to a new labor market, Marianne believes that many industries continue to operate as they always have, within the same organizational structures that have always existed; she returns to the idea that procurement and HR should collaborate. If the procurement department and the HR department’s recruiters don’t communicate, the organization misses out on internal value creation. Many organizations have likely recognized the opportunity but haven’t been able to get the rest of the organization on board. And it takes time to change old structures. With this book, I hope to inspire companies to work smarter.

We talked earlier about talent acquisition. Is hiring temporary staff the modern way to ensure a steady supply of talent in a company?
I firmly believe that talent acquisition strategies will evolve over time. Unfortunately, many companies lack a strategy today. One tip is to develop one and identify both short-term and long-term needs, as well as how difficult the role is to fill. If the need is short-term, you shouldn’t hire. Furthermore, it’s wise to hire consultants for hard-to-fill roles, rather than leaving positions open, which slows down the organization’s work. Many organizations that currently only offer permanent employment are missing out on highly talented employees who would certainly like to join and work long-term with an employer.

Marianne argues that startups are best positioned to thrive in a transformed labor market, as they can organize themselves according to the gig economy model from the outset and build a flexible dream team. I believe we’ll see a steady increase in the use of external expertise. New companies that don’t have a legacy or culture based on how things were done in the past get it right from the start and adapt to their growth in collaboration with gig workers.

When would you say companies need to hire on a contract basis? 
At the risk of sounding cliché—always. Every organization is undergoing change. Some may be working on their corporate culture, while others are digitizing their services. There are so many benefits to the gig economy for a company’s talent acquisition today. That’s my goal with this book—to help more people see the opportunities.

Marianne's Tips for Consultants Seeking Clients

• Encourage the recruitment/HR department to collaborate with the consulting procurement team
• Develop a talent acquisition plan and keep it up to date
• To ensure that an interim assignment has a long-term impact, make sure to include a thorough handover and knowledge transfer as part of the deliverables.
• Always ask yourselves: Should we hire a contractor or a full-time employee?

Interim Search Reviews ”The Gig Economy for Businesses”

We have been following the development of the gig economy for a long time and see that a growing consulting market will dispel old myths about the talent pipeline. More people will discover the opportunities The consulting role ensures that your company is never without key expertise. For companies that want to be part of the shift toward a more flexible labor market and stay at the forefront Compared to competitors, ”The Gig Economy for Businesses” is a brilliant read.

-Stefan Granqvist, CEO of Interim Search

For more about Hiring a consultant? Read our seven tips for first-time clients.