With most of the pandemic’s restrictions eased, the world is finally ready to travel. We hate the feeling of being tied down, and we crave experiences that transcend boundaries. However, this is not traditionally the case with the walled gardens of corporate America. “Outsourcing” used to be considered a dirty word. Freelance is a low-level, needs-based service. And working from home, perhaps a more trendy sick leave.
But today, things are very different. Many corporate giants are proposing indefinite WFH models, with more than 80% of which are hiring a more flexible workforce. What has changed? The desire for freedom and flexibility has always been within us, but a global shaking has shown us that it can actually be done. We don’t need to rely on a single way of working or hire people from one geographic area. While the pandemic may have brought this reality to the fore, many major sectors are already gearing up for decentralization.
For example, cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology eliminate the need for any central authority such as a regulatory bank to oversee their exchanges. Users can trade these technologies through multiple autonomous and fully digital peer-to-peer systems. This reduces reliance on any one entity and distributes power among various actors. While it is still too early for blockchain technology to achieve mass adoption, it is increasingly clear that the concept of decentralization is here to stay.
Ensure flexibility and autonomy
According to this
) Harvard Business Review reports that 77% of the 5,000 knowledge workers interviewed in 2021 said they would prefer to work company work. But 61% of them reported that they would prefer to be allowed to choose when to work in the office and when to work from home, emphasizing that they want to decide what works for them.
So the motivation is not to design and build everything in-house with a rigorous in-house workforce, but to subscribe to channels and oversight that will allow you to do this quickly anywhere with minimal rules. When the company acted on it, it showed it. In the second quarter of 2020 alone, the number of job postings for freelancers increased by nearly 50%. Payment platforms like Wise and Stripe allow for quick transfers around the world, creating a level playing field for freelancers around the world, adding to the convenience.
Even in the digital marketing industry where the Google, Facebook, and Amazon “Big Three” have the tallest walled gardens, there is a small amount of space available for others. Platforms such as StackAdapt and Criteo are increasingly helping brands expand their reach through multi-channel advertising and marketing solutions.
From exclusive agency to broad crowd power
In the field of branding and naming, power Decentralization also begins to thaw exclusivity and rigid structures. Earlier, the specialized and branded services that had a significant impact on business success were only available to a privileged few who could afford quality agency.
Today, with the booming gig economy, multiple brand experts and platforms can serve all types of businesses, regardless of size, budget or location. At my company, Squadhelp, decentralization allows us to leverage the enormous power of the crowd and the collective wisdom of thousands of creatives around the world to help name businesses.
Obviously, even if we can’t do away with walled gardens entirely, the good news is that decentralized structures are being built across multiple sectors. This helps businesses focus on their key priorities, access global and dynamic talent, and meet employee needs for autonomy and flexibility. So being able to run a business anywhere with talent from all over the world is also a major advantage for businesses – an advantage we should strive to maintain.
