May/June 2019

At the time of this writing, 33 states and the District of Columbia have legalized the medical use of marijuana, and 10 of those states plus DC have passed laws decriminalizing recreational use. This creates myriad challenges for employers, especially when facing an already-shrinking talent pool.

Diversity has become increasingly important in this era of technology and globalization. As a result, many companies are making an effort to achieve cultural diversity in the workplace. It's not just to reflect the society in which we live, but to enjoy the improved outcomes, thought processes and the potential financial rewards it brings.

With leading firms projecting revenue increases of 10% to 15% through a mix of organic growth and strategic acquisitions, industrial staffing has reaffirmed its position as the industry's biggest segment in 2019. But despite the good news, this is no time for complacency.

At the 2019 Staffing Industry Analysts Executive Forum, SIA President Barry Asin and Charted Path founder Mike Cleland led a session on their book, Breaking Through: Leadership Disciplines from Top-Performing Staffing Firms. This issue of Staffing Industry Review contains excerpts from the session.

With more than 800,000 Americans working as drivers via Uber and Lyft in a given year, the "gig economy" has clearly established a foothold in today's economy. And although the concept may still seem novel, what if the massively flexible, on-demand nature of the gig economy could be expanded to the broader world of work?

Some would consider leaving a steady, well-paying job with decent benefits a pretty stupid move. When your children and spouse are also on that company's health plan, it's just plain crazy. But I did it. It was the scariest thing I ever did, and I don't regret it one bit.

Seventy-six percent of human capital leaders were planning to invest in a growth strategy that included hiring contingent workers this year, according to a survey of C-suite and human capital leaders around the world conducted by Randstad Sourceright.

As staffing firms look for ways to boost growth, one avenue to consider for qualified owners is becoming certified as a diverse-owned supplier.

    Ariba and Fieldglass VMS coming together Procurement software provider SAP Ariba and contingent workforce vendor management system SAP Fieldglass will no longer operate as separate entities, according to an article in TechTarget. The announcement came at the recent SAP Ariba Live conference in Austin, Texas.

Facebook Job-Ad Settlement Facebook reached a settlement in legal actions over how it targets employment, housing and credit advertising on its platform, the American Civil Liberties Union reported.