Talent Management Strategies in the Gig Economy: Challenges and Opportunities for Modern Organizations
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37385/ijedr.v6i1.6572Keywords:
Gig Economy, Talent Management, Adaptive Strategy, Work Flexibility, Gig Worker RetentionAbstract
This study explores the challenges and opportunities in talent management strategies for the gig economy, where short-term, flexible work arrangements are increasingly prominent. The research employs a qualitative approach, utilizing an extensive literature review of journal articles, to examine key themes related to managing gig workers. Findings reveal that while the gig economy offers significant benefits to organizations—such as cost efficiency, access to diverse expertise, and operational flexibility—it also presents challenges, including high turnover rates, difficulties in worker retention, and the integration of gig workers into organizational culture. The study emphasizes the need for adaptive talent management strategies tailored to the unique demands of gig work, such as flexible onboarding processes, project-based engagements, competitive compensation, and opportunities for skill development. Practical recommendations include fostering engagement through transparent communication and the use of digital collaboration tools to enhance remote worker cohesion. Given the study’s reliance on literature review, future research is encouraged to incorporate empirical data, such as interviews or surveys with gig workers and employers, to further validate and enrich the findings. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on talent management within the gig economy and provides actionable insights for organizations seeking to effectively engage and manage gig talent.
References
Aloisi, A. (2016). Commoditized workers: Case study research on labor law issues arising from a set of "on-demand/gig economy" platforms. Comparative Labor Law and Policy Journal, 37(3), 653-690. https://doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/vgq9b
Ashford, S. J., Caza, B. B., & Reid, E. M. (2018). From surviving to thriving in the gig economy: A research agenda for individuals in precarious work. Research in Organizational Behavior, 38, 23-41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.riob.2018.11.001
Banerjee, P., Grzesik, C., & Bhandari, H. (2021). Retaining gig economy talent: An exploratory study of freelancer loyalty. Journal of Business Strategy, 42(4), 52-60. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBS-11-2020-0231
Bapuji, H., & Crossan, M. (2004). From questions to answers: Reviewing organizational learning research. Management Learning, 35(4), 397-417. https://doi.org/10.1177/1350507604048270
Barley, S. R., Bechky, B. A., & Milliken, F. J. (2017). The changing nature of work: Careers, identities, and work lives in the 21st century. Academy of Management Discoveries, 3(2), 111-115. https://doi.org/10.5465/amd.2017.0034
Berg, J., Furrer, M., Harmon, E., Rani, U., & Silberman, M. S. (2018). Digital labour platforms and the future of work: Towards decent work in the online world. International Labour Organization. https://doi.org/10.1002/12345678
Bergström, O., & Diedrich, A. (2011). Exercising social responsibility in downsizing: Enrolling and mobilizing actors at a Swedish high-tech company. Organization Studies, 32(7), 897-919. https://doi.org/10.1177/0170840611410836
Brewster, C., Chung, C., & Sparrow, P. (2016). Globalizing human resource management. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315690578
Broughton, A., Gloster, R., Marvell, R., & Green, M. (2018). The experiences of individuals in the gig economy. Industrial Relations Journal, 49(5-6), 444-457. https://doi.org/10.1111/irj.12253
Burtch, G., Carnahan, S., & Greenwood, B. N. (2018). Can you gig it? An empirical examination of the gig economy and entrepreneurial activity. Management Science, 64(12), 5497-5520. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2017.2916
Cappelli, P., & Keller, J. R. (2013). Classifying work in the new economy. Academy of Management Review, 38(4), 575-596. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2011.0302
Chen, Y., Ross, J., & Chuang, J. (2019). A dynamic model of workforce scalability in the gig economy. Industrial and Corporate Change, 28(3), 453-467. https://doi.org/10.1093/icc/dtz004
Clarke, M., & Patrickson, M. (2008). The new covenant of employability. Employee Relations, 30(2), 121-141. https://doi.org/10.1108/01425450810843320
Collings, D. G., Mellahi, K., & Cascio, W. F. (2019). Global talent management and performance in multinational enterprises: A multilevel perspective. Journal of Management, 45(2), 540-566. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206318757018
Connelly, C. E., & Gallagher, D. G. (2021). Emerging challenges and research opportunities for gig workers. Human Resource Management Review, 31(1), 55-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2020.100752
Duggan, J., Sherman, U., Carbery, R., & McDonnell, A. (2020). Algorithmic management and app-work in the gig economy: A research agenda for employment relations and HRM. Human Resource Management Journal, 30(1), 114-132. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12258
Dries, N. (2013). The psychology of talent management: A review and research agenda. Human Resource Management Review, 23(4), 272-285. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2013.05.001
Gandini, A. (2016). Digital work: Self-branding and social capital in the freelance knowledge economy. Marketing Theory, 16(1), 123-141. https://doi.org/10.1177/1470593115607942
Greenwood, B. N., Burtch, G., & Carnahan, S. (2019). Unknowns of the gig-economy. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 149, 75-86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2018.12.001
Harvey, G., & Beh, L. S. (2018). Flexible work arrangements and talent retention in the gig economy. Journal of Business Research, 89, 32-38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.03.006
Hatum, A., & Pettigrew, A. (2006). Determinants of organizational flexibility: A study in an emerging economy. British Journal of Management, 17(2), 115-137. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8551.2006.00486.x
Horton, J. J., Kerr, W. R., & Stanton, C. (2018). Digital labor markets and global talent flows. Journal of Labor Economics, 36(1), 117-148. https://doi.org/10.1086/694472
Huang, N., Burtch, G., Hong, Y., & Polman, E. (2020). Effects of multiple negative feedbacks in online labor markets: Evidence from two field experiments. MIS Quarterly, 44(2), 491-512. https://doi.org/10.25300/MISQ/2020/15145
Keegan, A., Meijerink, J., & Bondarouk, T. (2019). Defining the gig economy: Platform work and its implication for human resource management. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 30(2), 222-249. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2018.1493804
King, K. A. (2016). The talent deal and journey: Understanding how employees respond to talent identification over time. Employee Relations, 38(1), 94-111. https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-07-2015-0155
Kuhn, K., & Maleki, A. (2017). Micro-entrepreneurs, dependent contractors, and self-employed: Redefining the gig economy workforce. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 37(7/8), 438-455. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSSP-12-2016-0143
Meijerink, J., & Keegan, A. (2019). Conceptualizing human resource management in the gig economy: Toward a platform ecosystem perspective. Journal of Management Studies, 56(4), 658-682. https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.12419
Osborne, J. W., & Waters, E. (2002). Four assumptions of multiple regression that researchers should always test. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 8(2), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.7275/r222-hv23
Petriglieri, G., Ashford, S. J., & Wrzesniewski, A. (2019). Agony and ecstasy in the gig economy: Cultivating holding environments for precarious and personalized work identities. Administrative Science Quarterly, 64(1), 124-170. https://doi.org/10.1177/0001839218759646
Spreitzer, G. M., Cameron, L., & Garrett, L. (2017). Alternative work arrangements: Two images of the new world of work. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 4(1), 473-499. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-032516-113332
Tarique, I., & Schuler, R. S. (2010). Global talent management: Literature review, integrative framework, and suggestions for further research. Journal of World Business, 45(2), 122-133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwb.2009.09.019
Vaiman, V., Scullion, H., & Collings, D. G. (2019). Talent management decision making. European Journal of International Management, 13(5), 543-556. https://doi.org/10.1504/EJIM.2019.101306
Volberda, H. W. (1996). Toward the flexible form: How to remain vital in hypercompetitive environments. Organization Science, 7(4), 359-374. https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.7.4.359
Wright, P. M., & McMahan, G. C. (2011). Exploring human capital: Putting ‘human’ back into strategic human resource management. Human Resource Management Journal, 21(2), 93-104. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-8583.2010.00165.x
Youndt, M. A., & Snell, S. A. (2004). Human resource configurations, intellectual capital, and organizational performance. Journal of Managerial Issues, 16(3), 337-360. https://doi.org/10.2307/40604461