Regardless of the economic conditions, organizations' most important work must go on, even as their leaders face reduced budgets for two most likely sources of execution: full-time employees and big consulting firms. There are also many capabilities now needed — some not until recently — to successfully navigate new challenges and opportunities.

Leaders are increasingly compelled to create a flexible workforce. A flexible workforce shifts traditional full-time hiring paradigms, like talent acquisition, toward talent access. This helps leaders variabilize traditionally fixed costs. It also offers a more flexible, nimble way of accessing external resources beyond monolithic traditional consulting engagements.

Blog post setting up the discussion: The Big Trend in Workforce Planning? Flexibility​. 

Catalant's technology-enabled Expert Marketplace allows business leaders to access the skills and expertise they need to execute strategic work. Executive teams and strategy offices leverage Catalant's marketplace of 65,000+ independent consultants, industry experts, and boutique firms for (1) "new to us, but not new to the world" initiatives, (2) staff augmentation, and (3) traditional deliverable based engagements. Catalant has raised $100M in funding from General Catalyst, Highland Capital, and Salesforce Ventures, among others.