There’s A Template For That – Procurement Tools For The Gig Economy

As the workforce bounces back, the gig economy is expected to boom. So how will this mode of employment suit Procurement? We asked Prometheia Procurement CEO Jody Rowe.

COVID-19 has raised many challenging questions about the way in which we work. It’s causing individuals and companies the world over to review their operating models. The procurement profession is not isolated from this and will need to think about the security of supply chains, how we work, who to work with, what an effective operating model is, what systems to use, the questions are endless…

This changing environment is driving the need for procurement solutions to be flexible and virtual, and to provide simple access.  We need processes and tools which empower all users and ensures continuity of knowledge, especially for the gig economy which requires access at any place, at any time.

We are also under a lot of pressure to make smarter decisions that mitigate risk, leveraging the best consulting knowledge in the business, while still ensuring retention of key personnel.

It’s becoming obvious that we now need to embrace open systems that provide instantaneous connection that enables group collaboration and creates a valued global network and access to knowledge.

The drivers of these changes are simple – it’s down to cost and managing risk. The question is how to get things done whilst keeping overheads down and providing real value? The opportunities of enjoying full-time work at one company for the entirety of your career has greatly reduced. Some industries, such as Oil and Gas, are already acutely aware of the steady shift towards the gig economy, which has been driven by both companies’ and individuals’ needs as people seek improved work-life balance.

Do companies need to maintain a large physical footprint or would they be better reducing their liabilities by gaining access to a diverse, flexible and talented workforce when required? As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, companies have downsized and placed recruitment freezes, yet have still managed to operate effectively. To me, this demonstrates an underutilisation of resource pre-pandemic.

When the rebound from COVID-19 comes, companies will move even more towards the gig economy to meet their needs for short-term contracts and freelance work. With commodity price fluctuations and layoffs continuing, it is likely we will see this kind of marketplace continuing to grow for the foreseeable future. 

In a gig economy, employers have access to a flexible workforce with the appropriate talent available at short notice. There’s no upskilling required as contractors are typically experienced specialists in their field, which can result in projects being completed more efficiently. Contractors often enjoy much greater flexibility in terms of work location, schedule and leave, as well as the excitement and experience obtained moving from one project to another; all of which ultimately adds to their valuable skillset.

Digitisation is paramount for a gig economy to be effective; reliable global access to systems exists and is well-tested. Access to global resources can be sought easily and work can be undertaken anywhere in the world. There are multiple workforce gig economy websites that successfully provide ad-hoc services: you can send a scope, obtain a price and get the work completed.

So why not access procurement in this way?

When you reflect on the way in which we are working in multiple countries – UK consultants working with an Australian client, Australian consultant working with an Indonesian client – you can conclude this new smarter way of working is upon us. Adapting to this change would be pivotal in continuing to deliver value within the Contracts and Procurement function. There’s no denying the function is critical to any business in managing risk, providing strong governance and soundly managing spend.

The answer was to develop a digital platform which provides access to talent across the globe via a flexible and virtual model which provides a cost-effective opportunity to fast track performance, access to procurement professionals that can save time and money, and assistance in managing risk and spend by offering easy-to-use services that can be accessed from anywhere.

And so was born Promitheia Procurement: A comprehensive online procurement tool that provides business with the opportunity to purchase procurement templates and work with online professionals to design any business procurement function to meet their unique requirements.