State of the Workforce: 2017
Category:
Future Of Work
Product managers and project managers are two of the most important roles in every technology company and are crucial to the future of tech. Yet they are often conflated and misunderstood. In this article (Part I in a two-part series), Johnny Chao -- Product Management Vertical Lead at Toptal, and a career product manager -- outlines the similarities and differences between each role, as well as the core skill sets that allow product and project managers to excel.
Social responsibility is increasingly front-of-mind for employees as they consider where to build their careers. This article explores how skills-based volunteering can not only serve as a strong employee retention strategy in response to this greater desire for social impact, but also democratize highly skilled talent to help a broader range organizations and communities.
Why use enterprise tools when consumer technology gives workers what they want, when they want it? Alvaro Oliveira, VP of Talent Operations at Toptal, explores the tools and processes that best allow companies to operate remotely and securely.
In a competitive global economy, acquiring the right talent quickly is mission critical for companies—and hiring external or freelance talent has become key for success. According to Forbes, "Attitudes in companies of all sizes toward freelancers are changing, as more hire high-caliber external consultants and creatives to add to the brainpower of their teams." State of the Workforce is the most comprehensive look at the pace of industry transition to a freelance and virtual workforce reality.
Often associated with gaming, virtual reality has the potential to drive the future of a wide range of industries. This article outlines how virtual reality will change the face of healthcare, manufacturing, and journalism.
As talented employees move between companies with increasing regularity, businesses are faced with a challenge: how to consistently retain their best and brightest. This article explores the use of continual employee education as a retention strategy that benefits both talent and employers.
Digital Transformation captures countless trends and emerging technologies, but what are the main forces driving it and how are companies responding? In this article we explore the recent evolution of product development within enterprise IT, the leading companies driving new trends, and a deeper case study of one company that adeptly navigated with guidance from on-demand talent.
While often overlooked, the data warehouse enables companies to reveal valuable insights concealed within their vast data troves. In this article, domain expert Josip Saban shares foundational principles and applications that are essential knowledge for all modern managers.
As agile talent and distributed teams grow in prominence, what are the implications for the future of work? Toptal surveyed over a thousand business leaders to learn how organizations are preparing for a new era of employment.
In Part II of our Product Managers vs. Project Managers series, Johnny Chao explores situations in which companies should seek a Product Manager, Project Manager, or hybrid of both.
Technology is a democratizing force, and improving global access to tech education is a priority for organizations like Mozilla, IBM, and the United Nations. With its inaugural Scholarship for Women being awarded to a worthy candidate in Ghana this year, Toptal is proud to join the growing worldwide effort to help talented individuals and communities gain access to the tools and resources they need.
Digital innovation is critical to an organization’s long-term competitiveness and success. This article explores the keys to driving digital innovation, focusing on a case study in the healthcare space.
As the number of skilled professionals turning to agile work increases, explore how the Talent Economy differs from the Gig Economy, how it offers up a very different mix of benefits and challenges, and why it could mean the end of traditional employment.
Major economic forces are shaping the Future of Work. Toptal sits down with executives from Seattle to hear their perspective on topics impacting companies across the US, including the talent gap and the looming threat of disruptive innovation.
On-Demand talent delivers transformative benefits, yet many companies and managers struggle to adopt this powerful resource. In this article, Paul Estes, a senior technology executive, shares how such talent has revolutionized his personal and professional life, and his advice for those aspiring to tap its potential.
Academia and the tech sector are in a war for top technical talent. As well-funded tech companies continue to poach professors and graduate students, each sector faces crucial questions that may dictate their future relationship and long-term success. This article explores strategies that Bellevue College has employed to attract and retain top technical faculty.
Although employee tenures are decreasing, innovative companies embrace the trend as an opportunity to maximize impact. In this article, Andy Anderson, a Toptal Client Partner, shares perspective on how such companies view - and capitalize on - employee attrition.
Online communities shape the relationship between a company and its distributed workforce. They also foster connections between workers, enriching both their professional and personal lives. In this article, David Abramovich, the Online Community Leader at Toptal, shares fundamental steps to successfully cultivate this critical ingredient that increasingly impacts the future of work.
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