Oxford Economics worked with SAP Fieldglass to survey 800 executives about labor trends, focusing on the use and management of the non-payroll workforce and its impact on business and financial performance. The research covered 16 industries and more than a dozen countries. Among the top findings:

• Forty-four percent of workforce spending is on the external workforce, including non-payroll workers such as contractors and freelancers, and services providers like consulting firms and marketing agencies.
• The external workforce is very important to the way companies operate and achieve competitive advantage. It is a key enabler of business performance (55%), helps companies improve their overall financial performance (62%), and helps them compete in a digital world (47%).

Read the report: External Workforce Insights 2018: The Forces Reshaping How Work Gets Done

Read the executive summary.