What Skills Gap?

The Hidden-in-Plain View Solution for Your Talent Shortage

You’ve probably read several articles citing different reasons for the talent shortage. But the problem is, all of those reasons are beyond our control. For example, some claim the talent shortage is caused by companies with unrealistic skill expectations or low pay. Some point to workforce trends such as entrepreneurial millennials and the wave of retiring baby boomers. And some allege it’s due to an economy that’s still recovering from the Great Recession.

Whatever the cause, the reality is we can only compete for talent as far as our budget allows. We can’t control people’s career choices. And we certainly can’t control the economy.

But there is an overlooked element we all can control. And when you take control of it, you can easily fix your talent shortage—and many times, do it faster and at a savings.

After 15+ years in the recruiting industry, and now leading the Enterprise team at Upwork, I’ve helped many large clients fill talent gaps. Over the years, I noticed a common blind spot that causes companies to unknowingly perpetuate their talent shortage. But once I ask them a simple question, they quickly identify a resolution for many of their talent shortage issues. This works for any sized company, and across all industries.

The solution for your talent shortage is so deceptively simple, it all boils down to…

The Three Variables of the Hiring Equation

In its most simplistic terms, your success in engaging the ideal talent comes down to satisfying three variables: Skills + Price + Location. The thing is, you can’t control skills because the worker must be qualified to do the work well. And you usually can’t control price (i.e. pay) because of budget limitations.

The only variable you have control over is location—that is, where the work gets done. I do understand that today, for some types of work, removing location is impossible. However technology is continuing to unlock virtual potential in almost every industry.

If you limit the workspace to a specific building, you constrict the talent pool to your locale. But if you allow work to take place from anywhere in the world, then the globe becomes your talent pool. This opens you up to a vast amount of high-quality talent that will likely fall within your budget.

Work is not a place. It's something you do. Without limits

Not only can remote talent get the work done well, depending on their time zone, their work day may continue after your team goes home. Imagine how this could positively affect your productivity and ability to compete.

The Internet is the New Workspace

For many, today’s work is done digitally. Documents are shared in the cloud or emailed…meetings routinely occur via live video…and water cooler talk happens in a instant messaging tool. It’s becoming such that the new workspace has no walls. You don’t need a physical location, you just need a internet connection and the right person to do the work when you need it done—whether they’re in Iowa or India.

That’s why once you take location out of the hiring equation, you eliminate most—if not all—of your talent shortage problems. Companies see this benefit the most from the so-called gig economy. By engaging freelancers, you can access top talent, scale up and down as needed, innovate faster, and remain competitive.

Get More Work Done—Faster

When a leading university wanted to offer a new online learning technology called MOOC (massive open online course), it seemed like an overwhelming task. A single professor was assigned the project, faced a tight deadline with a limited budget, and had no team.

Unable to find resources within the campus, the professor brought on skilled freelancers through Upwork Enterprise, an end-to-end contingent workforce solution. By bringing on highly experienced talent when needed, they built and deployed the e-learning platform in just three months and within budget. He says “I definitely view...the Enterprise platform, as being just a very natural way for innovators…to be able to tap a whole other set of skill sets.”

Companies that aren’t distributed can’t possibly say they hire the best people... the world is a big place.” Tom Preston-Werner / Founder, GitHub

Distributed or remote teams are also a great solution beyond project work. From accounting firms to tech startups, more companies thrive by eliminating workspace walls completely. One tech company’s team of 60 programmers, content editors, and support staff is located across 12 countries. They’re fully distributed, meaning everyone—including the CEO—works virtually.

The company also relies heavily on freelancers for specialized skills and projects. Since the company launched in 2005, they have worked with over 120 freelancers in 29+ countries. The CEO likes sourcing talent through global marketplaces because, “It’s an amazing way to find really talented people all around the world who can scale your organization in a flexible way. We've found that on Upwork, many of the developers are ahead of the curve.”

What Talent Shortage?

Regarding the talent shortage, let’s stop focusing on why we have one. Instead, let’s focus on the simple way to fix it. It starts by taking what you can control—location—out of the hiring equation. Once you do, you’ll see how much incredible talent is truly available at your fingertips.

Technology makes it easier for individuals and teams to collaborate, even when they’re scattered all over the globe. Even finding talent is easier through full-service contingent workforce solutions like Upwork Enterprise. On a single platform, you can source, engage, pay, and check project statuses. It’s never been easier to get work done.

If you’re having trouble filling a project or job need, ask yourself: does the work have to get done within our company’s walls? If the answer is no, then start searching for the right talent everywhere.

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Eric Gilpin is the senior vice president of enterprise sales at Upwork. With over 15 years of recruiting industry experience, Eric’s unique perspective on the evolution of the industry has been featured in CNBC, Forbes, CBS MoneyWatch and at industry-leading events including Staffing Industry Analysts’ Executive Forum and the American Staffing Association’s Staffing World.