The world of work continues to evolve – quicker than it ever has before – and competitive organizations are increasingly investing in the power of a contingent workforce to become more agile in these disruptive times. As employers everywhere are using more forms of contingent workers, it’s likely that your organization is also getting on board with the same transformation.

According to McKinsey, up to 30 per cent of an organization's workforce in the U.S. is made up of contingent workers, with employers having unprecedented access to a talent pool of 42 million of them. And while the rise of a flexible talent provides many benefits, it also leaves employers grappling with the hurdles of managing the many complexities that come with these types of workers. For answers, organizations committed to a more strategic approach to contingent talent management are turning to a Managed Services Program or Managed Services Provider (MSP) as an effective resource.

If you’re considering investing in a Managed Services Program or are interested in learning how an MSP can help optimize contingent workers to drive real business value across your organization, the following insights will help you make an informed decision.

They go by many different titles: contingent workers, gig employees, freelancers, consultants and contractors, but regardless of naming, they all serve the same purpose in providing organizations with flexible, skilled staffing solutions to help employers quickly respond to market changes and demands.

In an effort to save on cost, better manage talent and regain control over their recruits, organizations have become increasingly more comfortable taking on some or all of the contingent worker engagement process for simple or frequent openings within their organizations.

The practice of engaging contingent workers directly is known as direct sourcing, and while it's true that direct sourcing can save organizations money, the opposite can also be true if the company doesn’t have the proper resources in place or a formal program to manage the process.

The digital transformation is not only changing the way companies do business, it’s also changing the way they use talent to get it done.