Johann van Niekerk, co-founder and CEO, Outsized.

How do businesses build effective project teams in times of uncertainty? The answer often lies outside of traditional hiring practices. By tapping into the rich reservoir of independent talent, companies can transform how they navigate unforeseen challenges and seize opportunities.

Independent talent strategies harness the experience, specialised skills and fresh perspectives of skilled professionals. They can also significantly enhance a team’s ability to adapt and thrive in five significant ways.

1. Increased agility and speed

Agility and speed are primary advantages of integrating independent professionals into project teams. Traditional onboarding can take between two months to a year for an employee to reach full productivity, involving multiple steps such as interviews, evaluations, and lengthy notice periods. Using pre-vetted, independent talent can reduce this entire process to just 13.5 days.

By having a pool of ready-to-engage professionals, companies can respond swiftly to market changes while maintaining a solid operational backbone. This is because independent professionals usually bring specialised skills and experience, allowing them to integrate quickly and contribute immediately. This approach not only accelerates time to productivity but also reduces overall onboarding costs.

Organisations that have embraced agile methodologies report being five to ten times faster, with a 30% increase in efficiency, customer satisfaction and engagement. This speed and flexibility are essential for maintaining a competitive edge in a rapidly changing market.

2. Closing expertise gaps

Approximately 70% of corporate leaders report a critical skills gap within their organisations, negatively affecting business performance. This gap is particularly pronounced in the financial services and tech sectors where skills gaps persist. One of the ways organisations are filling these gaps is through alternative hiring processes such as independent talent.

This infusion of external expertise can also bridge critical knowledge gaps, allowing teams to tackle complex problems with confidence. By integrating these specialists into teams, companies can enhance their overall project execution, leading to better outcomes and higher levels of client satisfaction.

3. Fresh perspectives and innovation

Out-of-the-box thinking is an often-overlooked perk of hiring independents When external professionals join a team, they bring diverse experiences and unique viewpoints that can challenge existing assumptions and drive innovation.

The main reason for this “innovation effect” is that many independent professionals come from varied backgrounds and industries, which equips them with a broad spectrum of knowledge, ideas, and techniques. By cross-pollinating these insights into their projects, teams can develop more creative solutions and stay ahead of industry trends.

4. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) opportunities

Diverse teams are more adept at problem-solving and generating creative solutions, which leads to better project execution and higher quality results.

Incorporating independent professionals can help to enrich team dynamics and create varied perspectives- which is ultimately good for project outcomes. By integrating independent talent from diverse backgrounds, companies can foster an inclusive environment that promotes equity and drives business success.

Research also supports the notion that diverse teams outperform homogeneous ones. A study by McKinsey & Company found that organisations with higher diversity levels are more likely to achieve better financial performance and innovation outcomes.

5. Energy and motivation

Independent professionals are typically entrepreneurial and highly motivated, focusing on delivering high-quality results efficiently. This can energise project teams and enhance overall productivity. Agile teams, driven by a shared vision and clear goals, often outperform traditional teams in terms of speed and efficiency.

For example, McKinsey research indicates that agile transformations can lead to a 30% improvement in employee engagement, which is crucial for maintaining high productivity and motivation. Independent professionals can significantly contribute to this enhanced engagement, driving better project outcomes.

The bottom line is that incorporating independent talent offers multiple benefits from improved agility to enhance innovation and diversity. By leveraging the specialised skills and fresh perspectives of independent professionals, organisations can navigate unforeseen challenges and capitalise on new opportunities with greater confidence and efficiency.