The landscape of team building and workforce management is rapidly evolving.

Last week, WayFair laid off 13% of their workforce - 1650 individuals - on the heels of being asked to work harder by the CEO (source: CNN). It’s just the 3rd week of 2024, and there have already been at least 9,500 layoffs in the tech sector (source: Layoffs.fyi).

These layoffs are not isolated incidents, but part of a broader trend affecting the tech industry, where companies of all sizes are reassessing their staffing needs in response to changing market dynamics and reversing the surge in hiring during the Covid 19 pandemic (source: Bloomberg).

Disruption is here - organizations and talent need to adapt to the new world.
This new reality underscores the need for a fluid approach to team building. It’s time for organizations to embrace dynamic, embedded team pairing. Unlike traditional staffing solutions, team pairing gives access and support to highly curated, talent vetted talent. Through team pairing, organizations can realize rapid and measurable progress, working side-by-side with qualified practitioners, without committing to an endless runway of needs and favorable economics that can shift quarter to quarter.

Combining the flexibility of gig economics with the reliability of a vetted talent pool allows companies to scale their teams efficiently, avoiding the pitfalls of overstaffing that lead to disruptive layoffs.

Before going forward, if you're asking yourself "What is team pairing?", here's a scenario you might identify with: Imagine your customers or viewers are pressuring your product team to improve accessibility because they have visually impaired users. You could pay an enormous amount of money to a company specializing in digital accessibility to conduct an audit and outline recommendations. You could hire an expert full-time - even though you know there won't be a need for this full-time resource a year from now once you've built out your aria labels and keyboard shortcuts. Or you could engage team pairing and bring a temporary expert on to knowledge transfer with your team, outline key areas of impact, and teach your engineers how to test for accessibility vulnerabilities. When the need has been fulfilled, the engagement ends. Simple as that.

Benefits of team pairing:

• ‍‍Move quickly, not carelessly
• Reduce cost and internal effort on talent management
• Throttle teams up or down as needed
• Maintain momentum while evaluating long term needs
• Ensure compatibility through expert talent curation

Move quickly, not carelessly
Working with a team pairing partner can speed up the time between recognizing the need for talent and filling it. By working together - similar to an agency engagement - ensure there’s been adequate discovery of your existing team structure, immediate goals, long-term ambitions, and culture dynamics. This up-front time pays off with sharper candidates from day one - no more sifting through countless resumes and 5-point interview frameworks.

Reduce cost and internal effort on talent management
Hiring and managing a traditional workforce is a substantial investment. From recruiting, benefits, and insurance, to potential severance costs, these expenses often overshadow the actual value they bring to the organization. Team pairing significantly reduces the costs and efforts associated with traditional hiring processes. It eliminates the need for extensive hours spent in recruitment, the complexities of layoffs, and the risks of negative publicity. Invest in growth and innovation rather than the burden of conventional employment practices.

Throttle teams up or down as needed
In our world, things change quickly. The ability to adapt is key. This is particularly true for organizations in the tech and software sectors, where needs can emerge and shift with little notice. Team pairing allows for agile scaling, enabling teams to expand swiftly or downsize without the risk and negative impact of layoffs or project delays. This flexibility ensures that your workforce is always perfectly aligned with your current needs, ensuring efficiency and adaptability in the face of change.

Maintain momentum while evaluating long-term needs
More than a stopgap solution, team pairing is a strategic approach to hiring. It recognizes that hiring full-time talent is a critical, ongoing process for many organizations. This model allows for the continuation of vital projects without delays typically associated with the recruitment process. It provides an organic growth opportunity, where temporary team members can seamlessly transition to permanent roles if it suits both parties. This 'try before you buy' aspect benefits both the talent and the employer, ensuring a good fit before making a long-term commitment.

Ensure compatibility through expert curation
Ensuring compatibility in team dynamics is akin to developing a symbiotic relationship with a trusted agency partner. It's about going beyond just matching skills to needs; it involves a shared understanding and expert curation of talent. Work with a partner like Matic Teams to get solid, strategic talent aboard at your organization. Leveraging our experience and expertise, Matic Teams conducts thorough discovery to understand the unique requirements of your organization. Only meet talent that not only fits the technical needs but also aligns with the culture and ethos, ensuring a harmonious and effective integration.

When you need to scale your workforce, a digital agency like Matic Teams is uniquely positioned to provide the expertise you need to find the perfect people—and fast—without compromise.

As the tech industry continues to evolve, the need for flexible, efficient team building solutions becomes increasingly critical. Matic Teams stands ready to meet this need, providing dynamic team pairing that helps organizations stay agile, competitive, and humane in their approach to talent management.
‍Get in touch if you'd like to discuss how your organization can transparently grow and adapt a fluid approach to talent.
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To the talent out there affected by the layoffs - stay positive and resilient! Matic began due to unexpected career events. Great things come from difficult beginnings. If you're looking for support towards independent contracting reach out any time and let's talk about it.
~Josh, Matic Digital CEO

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