Novare Executive Search Launches Digital Platform for Gig Economy
May 26, 2021 – Today, a growing number of workers are opting for alternative employment models over traditional, full-time, permanent roles. Part-time, contingent, contract, temporary, freelance, independent contractor, on-demand online and platform working – call it what you will, they are all on the rise. Businesses and those who work for them want choice, flexibility and alternative ways of working that build resilience for less predictable futures. Stockholm-headquartered Novare Executive Search recently made an investment in the gig economy with the launch of GigAssembly, a digital meeting place for consultants and companies.
“With a growing gig economy and a changing labor market, it is important that we, as one of Sweden’s leading players in the HR industry, adapt and expand our offering,” said Sohaila Bagger-Sjöbäck, founder of GigAssembly.
Get Our Latest Report! The New Private Equity Talent Blueprint
Recruiting world class leadership is the No. 1 priority for private equity firms and their portfolios in the wake of COVID-19. As a result, a transformative shift is happening in PE recruiting – with an emphasis on new drivers, including culture, diversity & inclusion, and engagement. According to this latest global private equity research report from Hunt Scanlon, these are just some of the new levers private equity talent leaders are pulling on to unleash higher levels of leadership performance. Their aim: To find new and sustainable ways to enhance value, growth, results, and returns.
Some are calling this new era in private equity talent a ‘platinum period’ for PE recruiting. In this special 2021 Global Private Equity Talent Leadership Report, Hunt Scanlon examines how executive recruiters and PE talent leaders are designing a new set of talent blueprints to recruit, assess, and extract value from existing and incoming leaders. If you are a PE managing director, operating partner, talent leader or executive recruiter specializing in private equity, this report is designed specifically for you. A special thanks to our Co-Sponsor: JM Search! Buy your copy today!
With GigAssembly’s platform, companies can independently search for professional and quality-assured consultants through a user-friendly digital tool. “Thanks to Novare’s established position in the recruitment industry, GigAssembly has access to a wide network, which means that our digital investment is unique in the market,” said Fredrik Hillelson, founder and CEO of Novare.
Initially, GigAssembly will mainly focus on competencies in HR, finance, administration, marketing and sales, but the long-term plan is to expand the network over time and become Sweden’s leading platform for finding professional consultants, Novare says. GigAssembly also has Novare Interim & Recruitment behind it, which can support during recruitment processes, as well as meet specific requests or requirements profiles.
“We already have a wide network of both professional consultants and clients, and via GigAssembly we want to make it easier to connect expertise with demand,” said Ms. Bagger-Sjöbäck. “Just because it is fast and digital, you do not have to compromise on quality. All consultants presented in the platform have registered with BankID and undergone a background check via Valida. We can also offer various additional services linked to quality assurance to customers who request extra support in the recruitment process.”
Related: Gig Jobs Continue to Gain Traction
Novare, founded by Mr. Hillelson in 2001, consists of a number of firms with expertise in human capital management. Novare Executive Search offers a wide range of leadership services including executive search, management assessment, board recruitment and personal due diligence. It has operations in Sweden and global coverage with offices in countries across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific.
State of the Gig Economy
Since the fallout of COVID-19, Carl Kutsmode of TalentRise says some areas of the gig worker market have tightened significantly, as increased competition from laid-off or furloughed employees has swamped talent pipelines across the country. “Yet in other pockets of the freelance economy, the availability of strong, niche technical resources has become somewhat scarce, as in-demand talent has been quickly snatched up,” he said. If your organization is reliant on gig workers with niche skill-sets, the need to construct a robust pipeline of freelancers has never been greater. Mr. Kutsmode said that regardless of service offering or vertical, companies should begin to engage with these workers and forge positive relationships with them in advance of actual need.
Gig Economy Continues to Grow at Blistering Speed
Working nine to five for a single employer bears little resemblance to the way a substantial share of the workforce makes a living today. Millions of people pull together various income streams and work independently, rather than in structured payroll jobs. This is hardly a new phenomenon, yet it has never been well measured in official statistics — and the resulting data gaps have prevented a clear view of a large share of labor-market activity.
John Thacker, partner at Beecher Reagan Advisors, said that the gig economy has created opportunities for individual consultants to pursue independent project work, providing them with a more flexible work schedule. “In addition, digital platforms have emerged enabling a virtual marketplace for consultants to select project work without having to source or sell that work,” he said.
“It is important for talent acquisition departments to have a way to track potential freelancers and know when these workers could be ready for their next assignment,” he said. “Upon identifying appropriate contract resources, employers need to strategize on how best to infuse this new talent into their workforce quickly, effectively, and with a positive candidate experience.”
Organizations need to make these individuals feel appreciated and part of the team upon being hired. “The best consultants are hired for their expertise, and their reputations should come with a certain level of trust that they will get the job right,” said Mr. Kutsmode. “Rather than micromanaging their time, it is best to award these individuals the flexibility, time and resources they need to accomplish their work. By utilizing this approach, you’ll be able to maximize the contractor’s ability to achieve their project deliverables on time and within a mutually agreed-upon budget.”
Related: Massive Shift to Contract Employment Underway
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media