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In this insights interview, industry advisor Bruce Morton and Worksome’s Erika Novak sat down to dissect a fundamental structural shift in the global labor market. The takeaway was clear: the era of treating human labor like a supply chain commodity is ending. We are entering the age of Workforce Orchestration.
The 60% Shift: Why TA is Reclaiming the Strategy
A decade ago, 90% of contingent labor programs were managed by Procurement. Today, 60% sit within Talent Acquisition. This isn't just a change in reporting lines; it’s a recognition that the "independent workforce" is a strategic human asset, not a line item.
As organizations mature past the fear of co-employment, TA is reclaiming its seat at the table. Bruce notes that procurement, while excellent at cost-saving, was often ill-equipped to handle the unbelievable growth and complexity of the independent workforce, especially when paying for outcomes rather than hours.
"Enterprises realized they were dealing with human beings. Procurement, being naturally risk-averse, wasn't built for the complexity of the modern talent ecosystem." — Bruce Morton
Solving the "Staffing Hangover" Through Deconstruction
Many organizations are currently suffering from a "staffing hangover", flat growth and frozen headcounts that have left managers with more work than people. The solution discussed in the interview is Work Deconstruction. Instead of trying to fill a rigid "role," orchestration involves projectizing work and breaking it down into individual tasks. This allows leaders to force work into three specific buckets:
- Automation: Can AI handle this entirely?
- Human-Assisted AI: Can a human with the right tools do this 10x faster?
- Human-Centric: Does this require high-level empathy or specialized problem-solving?
"It is inefficient to hire full-time employees for fractional tasks. We need to move away from 'one system to rule them all' and start offering business partners a menu of options for how to get work done." — Erika Novak
The Race to Become the "Orchestrator"
The discussion highlighted a missing link in the modern C-suite: the Chief Work Officer. Currently, companies have Heads of People and Heads of Procurement, but no one sits in the middle to decide the method of work.
Orchestration is about coordinating these elements "surreptitiously," achieving the desired business effect by focusing on the work first, then finding the right talent (or technology) to execute it.
"Orchestration is the planning and coordination of elements to produce a desired effect... often surreptitiously. It’s about achieving the outcome almost under the radar by focusing on the work first." — Bruce Morton
Key Takeaways for TA Leaders
- The "We Need to Talk" Conversation: Initiate strategic dialogues with Finance. Don’t talk about headcount; talk about corporate goals and how orchestration allows for agility without the overhead of permanent roles.
- Adopt the Service Menu: Move away from being an "order taker." Position TA as a strategic partner that offers a menu of platforms and talent pools (Freelancers, ICs, SOW, and FTEs).
- Find Your Workforce Business Partners: Stop hiring based on traditional backgrounds. Look for "influential and inquisitive" individuals who can help functional heads design work rather than just fill seats.
Watch the Full Insights Interview
How Worksome Enables Orchestration
Moving from a siloed procurement checkbox to true workforce orchestration requires the right infrastructure. Worksome is built to give TA leaders the visibility, compliance, and automation needed to manage an external workforce with total transparency.
