The majority of tech companies (75%) are considering gig workers for their open positions in 2024, as against 61% last year, reports The Economic Times, citing research from Deloitte. Demand for freelance technology professionals has surged as companies seek niche skills, especially for global capability centres (GCCs) and business process management (BPM), while keeping the cost variable in a cautious hiring market. Meanwhile, data from talent platform Flexing It shows a similar trend, with more than 30% year-on-year increase in the number of freelance projects in the tech sector. Flexible talent allows the newly set-up GCCs to bring in skills that will otherwise take a long time to develop, while helping the rest of the tech sector to bypass the hiring freeze, said experts. 

"The adoption of the gig workforce is on the rise, with a notable 14% increase in the number of organisations considering this model," said Vamsi Karavadi, director, human capital consulting, Deloitte. "Organisations are seeking to tap into specialised skills, attain financial benefits and access a flexible talent pool that facilitates scaling up or down based on business requirements.”

“Concerns that organisations previously harboured regarding risks and the availability of qualified talent are diminishing." Karthik Sridharan, CEO of search firm Flexiple, said, "Many tech companies are bypassing hiring freezes with freelancers."

While the demand for gig workers is growing, companies are cautious in identifying the roles suitable for this model, said experts.