Grace Blue APAC Partners with Cavalry Freelancing
June 26, 2019 – Grace Blue APAC has formed a partnership with Cavalry Freelancing in an effort to help organizations hire effective contingent workforce and skilled contractors who would be ready to take up mid- and senior-level marketing roles.
About one in four CXOs in the APAC region have said that a contingent workers make up about 30 percent of their total workforce. The search firm expects this percentage to rise. “Hiring the right freelance resource is crucial in this day and age of the gig economy,” said Grace Blue. “The key lies in getting high-quality and skilled professionals who are reliable and available – at the right price.”
Australia-based freelance recruitment platform Cavalry will be expanding to Singapore and Greater China with this partnership with Grace Blue.
“The ad industry is evolving like never before and businesses in this sector are looking at new ways to differentiate and keep up with a rapidly changing and expanding technology and media landscape,” said Dave Bentley, CEO and founder of Cavalry.
Grace Blue is now venturing into providing organizations access to skilled leaders who are instrumental in building flexible teams.
“We already know that the success of projects has a direct correlation to strong leadership and team structure,” said Jean-Michel Wu, CEO APAC of Grace Blue. “Once senior roles are in place, a common language for our clients has been how to build flexible teams where talent complements each other and integrates seamlessly.”
As the market for an efficient and highly skilled contingent workforce continues to expand, especially in the APAC region, companies such as Grace Blue and freelance recruitment platforms such as Cavalry are looking for symbiotic partnerships that would help them penetrate this new emerging market, said Mr. Wu.
Grace Blue is a global executive search agency specializing in the advertising, marketing and communications sectors. The firm has placed senior talent in this space globally, including CEOs, presidents, chief creative officers, heads of planning, chief financial officers and chief marketing officers.
Sidestepping Talent Gaps
According to a report released by CareerBuilder and Economic Modeling Specialists International, hiring temporary and contract employees can help businesses sidestep talent gaps and remain nimble. The study said that more companies will be tapping into this labor segment, with temporary employment expected to add 173,478 jobs from 2016 to the end of 2018 – an increase of 5.9 percent.
“Today, nearly three million people are employed in temporary jobs, and that number will continue to grow at a healthy pace over the next few years as companies strive to keep agile in the midst of changing market needs,” said Kyle Braun, president of CareerBuilder’s staffing and recruiting group. “Opportunities are opening up in a variety of occupations and pay levels, and this is a trend we’re seeing in a wide range of industries and company sizes.”
Massive Shift to Contract Employment Underway
By 2025, most workers (70 percent) and employers (68 percent) agree that a majority of the workforce will be employed in an “agile capacity” (i.e. contractor, consultant, temp worker or freelancer), according to a study released by Randstad US.
A separate report by CareerBuilder found that 47 percent of employers reported that they planned to hire temporary or contract workers this past year, up slightly from 46 percent last year. Of these employers, 58 percent plan to transition some temporary or contract workers into full-time, permanent roles.
“Temporary employment benefits both sides of the labor market,” said Mr. Braun. “Hiring temporary and contract workers helps companies stay flexible and adapt quickly to changing market demands. For workers, it opens doors for those who want to utilize various skills, build relationships with different organizations and explore career options.”
These figures coincide with similar findings by The Execu | Search Group. Its “Hiring Outlook: Strategies for Adapting to a Candidate-Driven Market” report found that 26 percent of hiring managers surveyed planned to increase hiring of temporary employees last year.
In addition, an Adecco study, “Definitive Guide to Building a Better Workforce,” found that 67 percent of companies use contingent labor to enhance their workforce and close talent gaps. The study surveyed 536 C-suite executives across the U.S. regarding the types of talent they need, skills that are most difficult to find, how they are using contingent labor and progressive recruiting methods to enhance their workforces, employee retention techniques and more.
The report found that 80 percent of employers agree that the U.S. skills gap is a real challenge, and it provides insights into how different companies conceptualize and address this gap in talent. Part of the reason for the increased use of temporary workers: Companies are having difficulty finding quality talent.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Andrew W. Mitchell, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
