Blended Workforce

What is a blended workforce?

When an organization has a blended workforce, it means that it has employees under different work arrangements, including full-time, part-time, freelance, and more. In a blended workforce, how effectively employees deliver results matters more than where or how they work.

Who makes up the blended workforce?

A blended workforce consists of the following employees:

Full-time employees: These are permanent employees who are on the company's official roster and expected to fulfill the standard working hours defined by their organization.
Part-time employees: These employees usually work fewer than the standard working hours.
Freelancers: These are independent workers who usually engage with multiple organizations at once on a project basis.
Seasonal workers: Those who work seasonally are usually hired during peak business seasons to help manage growing demands.
Contract workers: These individuals are more like consultants who provide their expertise for shorter projects during a specific period of time.

What are the benefits of a blended workforce?

Here are some of the many benefits of having a blended workforce:

Improves organizational productivity, since employees from diverse backgrounds with specialized talent come together
Helps organizations better manage workloads and customer demands at all times
Encourages full-time employees to focus on their core work items, while independent employees can work on seasonal or sudden projects
Helps organizations better combat different workforce-related issues, including attrition, skill gaps, and absenteeism
Saves employers money, since they don't have to spend on full-time employees for short-term project needs

What are the disadvantages of a blended workforce?

One of the key disadvantages of a blended workforce is that each employee may work under different arrangements with varying goals, expectations, and work styles. In this case, creating a shared sense of belonging and accountability can be incredibly challenging for HR teams. Additionally, each type of employment may have varying labor laws, tax rules, contracts, and benefits. Classifying each of them and managing them in a way that aligns with legal requirements can be very demanding.

When should organizations adopt a blended workforce?

Organizations should adopt a blended workforce when their project needs fluctuate based on market demands, seasonal spikes, and other changing business conditions. With a blended workforce model, organizations can easily scale their workforce up or down, since gig workers, freelancers, and contractors aren't full-time employees. Similarly, organizations can gain access to specialized talent, as part-time and gig workers usually possess niche talents that in-house, full-time employees don't have.

How can blended teams collaborate better?

When onboarding, clearly communicate your organization's culture, values, vision, and mission, no matter their employment type. This will help employees stay aligned and work effectively towards common goals. You can also assign full-time employees as mentors to independent workers to build connections and improve engagement. Consider creating an organization-wide channel with all of your employees to keep them updated on company-wide events. To further strengthen connections, conduct monthly brainstorming and knowledge sharing sessions so that employees can get together, collaborate, and share ideas. Have open groups and forums that encourage employees to share their feedback and suggestions freely and seamlessly. At the team-level, KPIs can help them foster joint accountability.

How can organizations keep blended teams engaged?

The first step to keeping blended teams engaged is to make sure that each one of your employees, irrespective of their employment type, are treated equally. When freelancers and gig workers are made to feel like outsiders, it can really lower morale and break down trust. Since the members of your workforce may have varying goals and motivations, it's always good to personalize your engagement initiatives. Run surveys among each group of employees to understand what they value and tailor your strategies accordingly. Recognize good work no matter who it comes from. Help your employees foster good relationships beyond work, too, with fun team-building activities and informal interactions.