Managing the Talent of Independent Contractors in Australia

Alternative forms and new arrangements of work are growing rapidly throughout the world, yet many of the institutions, the way we manage, and expectations of work remain firmly entrenched in traditional notions of standard employment. While most agree that work increasingly comprises an array of non-standard and often dynamic arrangements, we also simultaneously accept the homogenizing language of human resource management (HRM) where productivity, creativity, and the value of the workforce is encapsulated within notions such as commitment, engagement, and talent management — and the belief that these can only be found and developed within the traditional arrangements of work. Further, while there is an increasing literature questioning the value of such concepts, even for the traditional worker, we remain grounded in the belief that an organization leverages the most from a workforce where HRM practices can be applied (see, for example, Capelli, 1999; Connelly and Gallagher, 2004; Bolton and Houlihan, 2007).