Please Read Chapter 6 And View The Ted Talk From Wingham
350 500 Wordsplease Read Chapter 6 And View The Ted Talk Fromwingham
Please read chapter 6 and view the TED Talk from Wingham Rowan: A New Kind of Job Market. The workplace is evolving and as a manager you will need to understand the organizational structure of your business and how technology, flextime, compressed work week, job sharing or contingent workplace might give your business the competitive edge and appeal to a broader workforce. Wingham Rowan discusses contingent workers; temporary, freelance, or contract workers. What do you think is the benefit to your business to appeal to this type of employee? What type of organizational structure (discussed in the book) do you think appeals to you as a manager and why?
Paper For Above instruction
The modern workplace is experiencing significant transformation driven by technological advances, evolving employee expectations, and economic pressures. The integration of flexible working arrangements—such as flextime, compressed workweeks, job sharing, and contingent employment—has become instrumental in shaping competitive organizational strategies. Wingham Rowan’s TED Talk, "A New Kind of Job Market," emphasizes the growing prevalence of contingent workers, including freelancers, temporary staff, and independent contractors, highlighting the advantages these arrangements offer to both organizations and employees. This paper explores the benefits of employing contingent workers and discusses the organizational structure that best supports such workforce strategies, focusing on adaptive and flexible frameworks that facilitate innovation and agility in the business landscape.
The primary benefit of appealing to contingent workers lies in the increased flexibility and scalability they provide. These workers enable businesses to respond swiftly to fluctuations in demand without the long-term commitment required by full-time employees. For example, during peak seasons or project-based work, contingent workers allow firms to scale their workforce efficiently, reducing costs associated with idle capacity and overstaffing. Additionally, engaging freelancers and independent contractors opens access to specialized skills that may not be available within the existing workforce, fostering innovation and enhancing competitive advantage (Keller, 2018). This flexibility can also lead to improved job satisfaction among core employees, who benefit from a dynamic work environment that offers diverse opportunities and reduced burnout.
From a managerial perspective, adopting a more flexible organizational structure aligns well with the concepts discussed in the course, particularly the network-based and matrix structures. These structures emphasize decentralization, collaboration across functional boundaries, and the use of external talent pools (Daft, 2018). A network organizational structure, characterized by loose, flexible relationships among different entities, supports the integration of contingent workers smoothly into the workflow, ensuring that the organization remains adaptable yet cohesive. Such structures facilitate the rapid deployment of talent, foster innovation through diverse contributions, and enhance the organization’s ability to pivot in response to market changes.
Personally, I am drawn to the matrix organizational structure as a manager because it allows for multiple reporting relationships, encouraging collaboration across different functional areas (Daft, 2018). This dual authority system supports flexibility in project staffing, making it easier to incorporate contingent workers alongside full-time staff. The matrix also fosters a culture of shared responsibility and open communication, which I believe is crucial for leveraging the strengths of a diverse workforce. Moreover, it aligns with the modern emphasis on agility, enabling managers to allocate resources efficiently and respond proactively to evolving business needs, ultimately fostering innovation and growth.
In conclusion, embracing contingent workers provides significant strategic advantages, including workforce flexibility, cost efficiency, and access to specialized skills. The organizational structure that best supports this approach is one that is adaptable, decentralized, and collaborative—such as the network or matrix structures. These frameworks facilitate the seamless integration of contingent workers, promote innovation, and enhance organizational agility. As the workplace continues to evolve, managers must develop strategies that leverage flexible employment arrangements within the appropriate organizational structures to maintain a competitive edge.
References
Daft, R. L. (2018). Organization Theory and Design (13th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Keller, S. (2018). The Rise of Contingent Workforce Strategies. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2018/03/the-rise-of-contingent-workforce-strategies