COVID-19 will drive contingent work, organizational complexity, Gartner says

Dive Brief:

As the COVID-19 pandemic resets workplace protocols, organizations may have to rethink strategic goals, according to a June 8 Gartner report. An increase in contingent work, employee monitoring and organizational complexity will shape people strategy in the near future, it said.
According to the report, 32% of organizations are "replacing full-time employees with contingent workers as a cost-saving measure" and 16% are using technology more frequently to monitor productivity. Examples of monitoring include "virtual clocking in and out, tracking work computer usage, and monitoring employee emails or internal communications/chat. [...] others monitor employee engagement and well-being to better understand employee experience," the report said.
Garter also said it expects an increase in telework; an expanded role for employers in promoting well-being; a focus on employee experience and inclusiveness; transparency, agility and flexibility in internal processes; and an acceleration of M&A and nationalization of companies, similar to what happened after the 2007 financial crisis.

Dive Insight:

HR leaders may play a vital role in refocusing companies' workforce planning, management and experience strategies. They can make adjustments for a remote environment going forward, according to recent research.

A Gartner report published April 14 found that almost half of the organizations represented in a survey of HR leaders said 81% or more of their employees were working remotely. Before the pandemic, 30% of employees worked remotely at least part of the time, and 41% said in the future they are likely to work remotely, at least some of the time, according to the report.

Many tech companies, including Facebook, are planning for a remote workforce. Almost all of Facebook's employees are working from home amid the pandemic. CEO Mark Zuckerberg suggested in a May 21 town hall that half of its workforce could be working from home in the next five to 10 years. Research also shows that many HR professionals prefer to work from home themselves: Results of a Fishbowl survey released May 26 found that more than half (55%) of the 17,650 professionals surveyed in different industries said they would choose to work remotely.

As for contingent work, its popularity was rising even before the pandemic, and that trend appears likely to continue, as employers look for more flexibility. Gartner's report on future work trends also highlighted the importance of transparency, employee experience and inclusiveness. As employers look to prepare for a return to work in physical locations, or enhancing remote work environments, putting employees first will yield the best results, experts say.