Lean agile teams

Idle time in a project defeats the idea of lean agile teams. An internal gig pool is viewed as a better way that is starting to take hold.

There is a growing concern about idle time in traditional scrum execution. There is an ingrained expectation that in a Scrum, the members of the team should be fully dedicated to the current sprint. The question has arisen many times by scrum masters :  'What should the idle members do during the sprint?'

For instance, testers assigned to a scrum are idle if they have to wait till developers complete their work. This type of lapse happens behind the scenes and are usually not addressed in the scrum standups.

Value and Benefits of an Internal Gig Pool

The value and benefits of an internal gig pool are compelling.  Apart from increased productivity, here are some of the other key benefits : 

• increase internal mobility
• increased agility and competitiveness
• promote retention
• create a more flexible and agile workforce
• faster turnaround
• minimized skills gaps
• reduced need for recruitment
• lower employee turnover
• remote workers engagement
• reduced cost
• higher employee earnings
• potential new source of revenue and
• Increased employee happiness.

Over and above these :
a)  employees gain exposure to up skilling opportunities, learn new skills, expand their networks, learn more about the company and have a chance to try new roles
b)  managers get an extra set of hands and a fresh perspective 
c)  the company gets a boost with internal mobility and retention, as employee mobility is enabled and
d)  workers can widen their networks and exposure to leadership.

 

Internal Gigs and Technology Strategy

There is a treasure trove of hidden talent inside most organizations. Decision-makers generally don't know who they are, where they are or what skills and competencies they have.

To develop a technology strategy that recognizes the value of people skills, an up-to-date skills inventory is essential for the organization to plan the way ahead.

Having an accurate skills inventory that is always current, enables senior decision-makers to determine a better technology strategy for the business. This in turn sets the direction for other managers to determine a local strategy that is consistent with that of the business.

From this, objectives and goals can be defined that set the stage for tracking progress and generating the types of KPIs that offer better insight into the velocity of the business as a whole in meeting its goals.

As KPIs reveal the progress, the strategy can be adapted along with revised objectives and goals. The cycle repeats as change impacts the business of the organization.

The method can be driven through the entire branch or organization as a whole where managers can monitor progress at the team level and refine their goals and skills needs.

Reimagine the Future of Gig Work

The trend to gig work is undeniable.
Many workers are quitting their full-time jobs and turning to the gig work primarily because of flexibility. They can choose their work hours, the types of work to perform, and even the clients with whom they prefer to work. Gig workers are happier with their jobs overall compared to non-freelancers.

Employers, on the other hand, are scrambling to reshape their people-skill base. While they can now tap into  a large network of talent and service providers without having to employ them full-time, having an internal gig component in the workforce offers a much better alternative.

The lure  for organizations to set up an internal gig component, is the exceptional benefits that can accrue from adopting an HR strategy that accommodates internal gig work and employee mobility.

Companies realize that people have been moving to gig work and, because of this, attrition has been growing. With greater recognition of employee needs they are beginning to realize that people can be encouraged to stay longer and become more loyal. Progressive companies are now heavily investing in this initiative.

A strong incentive to stay employed is platform ratings and reviews that take time to build and can impact the amount of work gig workers get.

The internal talent marketplace is one area where businesses have been looking for inspiration in building a future-ready workforce.

By adopting a process that includes an internal gig component, the organization will be able to maintain teams that are always ready to handle change as new technologies emerge!  World-leading organizations are currently looking to add an internal gig component to their HR strategy.

The mantra 'If you can't beat them, join them' is appropriate!  
Smart organizations are seizing this moment to explore new solutions and approaches they have never heard of before.

Want to participate in this exciting development? Start by getting a FREE skills inventory that will position you to jump ahead of the competition NOW!

Join the Initiative

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