Brilliant! I spent four years working for business talent group, an agency that curated ex McKinsey and other highly qualified “unicorn” types of knowledge workers and placed them on projects on demand. I negotiated MSAs with Fotrune 100 companies and scoped projects with teams of fractional talent you couldn’t easily find in traditional systems. Ironically, I remember thinking back in those days (pre Covid) I could never do what these independent consultants did, because of the constant hustle and uncertainty, but since then the world has slowly changed to accommodate these new ways of working. First it was Covid, which freed up a lot of the geographic constraints around these fractional talents. I remember one guy who would halve his rate if the client would let him work from his second home in Costa Rica. Then, now with AI, you’re absolutely right that companies that plan and design their operating system around these autonomous and fractional pods of talent and make it easy for them to join their initiaitves, while giving everyone the autonomy to slide in and out of these different modalities, will win the best talent.
I am now back in full time corporate because the kind of work I do, with a clear sales target and a full time team that supports it, does not lend itself well to this still emerging multi-modular workforce. But this is absolutely the way of the future for knowledge work. Early adopting system designers will win.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience, Sharon! And yes, I think it’s a design question for both companies as well as workers to find the set-up that fits best. It’s still early days, which comes with friction, but also the upside of being early.
I think this piece is really accurate, there is a very very long transition ahead through portfolio approach, and corporate that supports and help the employee in this regard will get huge talent in the organization. I like the idea of 20% "free time".
Thanks, Ramon! Yeah, the next few years will be interesting. I would’ve agreed with a very long transition but seeing how fast AI is advancing, I’m starting to wonder how quickly the disruption will shake up things.
This is a fascinating article — I love how it unpacks the tension between traditional employment models and the rise of portfolio careers. It’s compelling to see evidence that embracing fractional roles, side hustles, and outcome-based evaluation isn’t just a perk but a strategic advantage.
From my experience, the biggest challenge isn’t just policy — it’s mindset. Organizations that understand work as a spectrum of contribution, not a fixed 40-hour box, attract people who are capable, motivated, and versatile.
I agree with the data and the argument that for many, the traditional work model is no longer relevant. We are demanding so much more from ourselves, and a single role compressed into 40+ hours no longer aligns
But I'd add one thing: this is framed largely as a company infrastructure problem. I think it's bigger than that. It's a sovereign infrastructure problem. The moment you introduce real geographic flexibility, a UK contract with time working in France, Bali, or New York, you run into tax residency rules, permanent establishment risk, social security frameworks that don't travel, and benefits structures that are almost entirely nationally siloed. Some companies can and do solve for this, but it's expensive, slow, and requires a level of legal, tax and HR sophistication that most company's simply don't have yet.
Philip's story is a good illustration. The roadblocks in legal, HR and procurement aren't always dysfunction. Sometimes there are regulatory complexities that no internal policy change can fix on its own.
I appreciate that this level of geographic independence is only relevant for a relatively small segment of talent. Most people want flexibility in a simpler sense: autonomy, balance, outcomes over presence. That's very achievable for company's to provide today, and probably where the real opportunity sits
That's true Nima, sovereign infrastructure is going to be a sticky one for sure. But we have been making changes for technological advances as well. For example, sovereign data is emerging as a new concept.
So I feel it’s about adapting to the new changing work preferences. It is going to be slow for sure. But just like employers, the countries who incentivize this correctly, prioritize the infrastructure for it would emerge with better people and economies. Bali is a good example here.
Totally agree and the countries that get ahead of this will absolutely attract better talent and the economic case will make itself. I guess slowly happening
Totally on board with that. Having lived and worked in five different European countries, I can confirm it’s a nightmare and that there’s still so much room for improvement there too. Our article focused more on organisations and what they need to do (and can do) to adapt to a shifting labor market. Bringing the whole system or policy dimension into it probably would’ve turned the article into an entire book. 😉
Truly an excellent read. I’m speaking to a company right now that I WISH I could send this too; they’re looking for a full time perm role and despite them saying I’m the perfect talent for the role, they want to work traditionally within a structure they know and trust and not open minded to an alternative path. Frustrating beyond belief!
Thanks, Kejal! I hear you and I think many of us have been there, which is exactly why we wrote this article. There are more innovative companies out there, but it’s not the standard yet. Hopefully that shifts in the next few years…
Awesome post. Thank you for bringing attention to this problem. The old guard is still rooted in industrial style thinking. The Information age has brought more optionality, but also more leverage. You can do both.
We have built companies for distrust and competition. Everything is a remnant of a management style based on how armies are built: to be used against others.
It is because of this design that companies struggle to accommodate new working models, such as freelance or fractional work. In military jargon, it would be something like a mercenary. You need them, but you don't quite trust them, and you view the relationship as something purely transactional.
That's insightful Kike! I agree we (companies) need a deep rethink and even psychological reset to go from a scarcity to an abundance mindset in general.
Yes! 100% to everything you’ve said. I’ve been screaming into the void about portfolio careers and the need to fundamentally restructure what work looks like: benefits, retirement, compensation.
The side hustle generation has a thing or two to teach us!
Thanks, Alex, great to hear this resonates with a fellow portfolio careerist. I’m really curious to see how it unfolds over the next few years, but let‘s definitely keep shouting about it! 🙂
This is exactly the kind of conversation we need to be having. It's time we retire the 40-hour work week. Keeping it alive is less and less justifiable as every other model outperforms it. We need to fight our own inertia before we crash into reality.
Absolutely loved this read! I'm seeing the workforce change significantly, and traditional companies aren't sure how to keep up. Will be interesting how this all plays out in 5-10 years.
Brilliant! I spent four years working for business talent group, an agency that curated ex McKinsey and other highly qualified “unicorn” types of knowledge workers and placed them on projects on demand. I negotiated MSAs with Fotrune 100 companies and scoped projects with teams of fractional talent you couldn’t easily find in traditional systems. Ironically, I remember thinking back in those days (pre Covid) I could never do what these independent consultants did, because of the constant hustle and uncertainty, but since then the world has slowly changed to accommodate these new ways of working. First it was Covid, which freed up a lot of the geographic constraints around these fractional talents. I remember one guy who would halve his rate if the client would let him work from his second home in Costa Rica. Then, now with AI, you’re absolutely right that companies that plan and design their operating system around these autonomous and fractional pods of talent and make it easy for them to join their initiaitves, while giving everyone the autonomy to slide in and out of these different modalities, will win the best talent.
I am now back in full time corporate because the kind of work I do, with a clear sales target and a full time team that supports it, does not lend itself well to this still emerging multi-modular workforce. But this is absolutely the way of the future for knowledge work. Early adopting system designers will win.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience, Sharon! And yes, I think it’s a design question for both companies as well as workers to find the set-up that fits best. It’s still early days, which comes with friction, but also the upside of being early.
I think this piece is really accurate, there is a very very long transition ahead through portfolio approach, and corporate that supports and help the employee in this regard will get huge talent in the organization. I like the idea of 20% "free time".
20% free time has been a game changer for Google and many tech companies - many more should try it for sure.
Thanks, Ramon! Yeah, the next few years will be interesting. I would’ve agreed with a very long transition but seeing how fast AI is advancing, I’m starting to wonder how quickly the disruption will shake up things.
This is a fascinating article — I love how it unpacks the tension between traditional employment models and the rise of portfolio careers. It’s compelling to see evidence that embracing fractional roles, side hustles, and outcome-based evaluation isn’t just a perk but a strategic advantage.
From my experience, the biggest challenge isn’t just policy — it’s mindset. Organizations that understand work as a spectrum of contribution, not a fixed 40-hour box, attract people who are capable, motivated, and versatile.
Thanks, Charles, glad you enjoyed it!! And yes, totally with you, after all it’s also a mindset change that needs to happen…
I agree with the data and the argument that for many, the traditional work model is no longer relevant. We are demanding so much more from ourselves, and a single role compressed into 40+ hours no longer aligns
But I'd add one thing: this is framed largely as a company infrastructure problem. I think it's bigger than that. It's a sovereign infrastructure problem. The moment you introduce real geographic flexibility, a UK contract with time working in France, Bali, or New York, you run into tax residency rules, permanent establishment risk, social security frameworks that don't travel, and benefits structures that are almost entirely nationally siloed. Some companies can and do solve for this, but it's expensive, slow, and requires a level of legal, tax and HR sophistication that most company's simply don't have yet.
Philip's story is a good illustration. The roadblocks in legal, HR and procurement aren't always dysfunction. Sometimes there are regulatory complexities that no internal policy change can fix on its own.
I appreciate that this level of geographic independence is only relevant for a relatively small segment of talent. Most people want flexibility in a simpler sense: autonomy, balance, outcomes over presence. That's very achievable for company's to provide today, and probably where the real opportunity sits
That's true Nima, sovereign infrastructure is going to be a sticky one for sure. But we have been making changes for technological advances as well. For example, sovereign data is emerging as a new concept.
So I feel it’s about adapting to the new changing work preferences. It is going to be slow for sure. But just like employers, the countries who incentivize this correctly, prioritize the infrastructure for it would emerge with better people and economies. Bali is a good example here.
Totally agree and the countries that get ahead of this will absolutely attract better talent and the economic case will make itself. I guess slowly happening
Totally on board with that. Having lived and worked in five different European countries, I can confirm it’s a nightmare and that there’s still so much room for improvement there too. Our article focused more on organisations and what they need to do (and can do) to adapt to a shifting labor market. Bringing the whole system or policy dimension into it probably would’ve turned the article into an entire book. 😉
Fair point and five countries is quite the field research! You're right, the policy dimension would be a book in itself!! 😅
Truly an excellent read. I’m speaking to a company right now that I WISH I could send this too; they’re looking for a full time perm role and despite them saying I’m the perfect talent for the role, they want to work traditionally within a structure they know and trust and not open minded to an alternative path. Frustrating beyond belief!
Thanks, Kejal! I hear you and I think many of us have been there, which is exactly why we wrote this article. There are more innovative companies out there, but it’s not the standard yet. Hopefully that shifts in the next few years…
Awesome post. Thank you for bringing attention to this problem. The old guard is still rooted in industrial style thinking. The Information age has brought more optionality, but also more leverage. You can do both.
Indeed Max, you can create a custom web of projects that works for you :)
We have built companies for distrust and competition. Everything is a remnant of a management style based on how armies are built: to be used against others.
It is because of this design that companies struggle to accommodate new working models, such as freelance or fractional work. In military jargon, it would be something like a mercenary. You need them, but you don't quite trust them, and you view the relationship as something purely transactional.
That's insightful Kike! I agree we (companies) need a deep rethink and even psychological reset to go from a scarcity to an abundance mindset in general.
I've been searching for voices talking into this, really wonderfully written and insightful - thank you!
Thank you, Alice, for your thoughtful comments! I’m glad it was insightful! 🙂
Thank you Alice. Are you building a portfolio lifestyle yourself?
Yes! 100% to everything you’ve said. I’ve been screaming into the void about portfolio careers and the need to fundamentally restructure what work looks like: benefits, retirement, compensation.
The side hustle generation has a thing or two to teach us!
Thanks, Alex, great to hear this resonates with a fellow portfolio careerist. I’m really curious to see how it unfolds over the next few years, but let‘s definitely keep shouting about it! 🙂
This is exactly the kind of conversation we need to be having. It's time we retire the 40-hour work week. Keeping it alive is less and less justifiable as every other model outperforms it. We need to fight our own inertia before we crash into reality.
Thank you Rudiano! Indeed, the 40 hour workweek is a remnant of the industrial age, and we need to really get out of the inertia as you say
Absolutely loved this read! I'm seeing the workforce change significantly, and traditional companies aren't sure how to keep up. Will be interesting how this all plays out in 5-10 years.
Thank you, Carrie! Yeah, I’m with you there, it’s certainly going to be an interesting couple of years. 🙂