In 2024, enterprises navigated a volatile talent landscape due to skill disruptions, workforce shifts, and growing pressure to adopt a skills-first approach. In response, several organizations have started to adopt skills intelligence platforms to build more agile, data-driven talent strategies. Despite budget constraints and evolving HR tech priorities, providers have accelerated innovation. They enhanced their AI-powered skill inference engines, strengthened integrations across the talent ecosystem, and expanded consulting-led offerings. These efforts reinforced their position as strategic partners in enterprise-wide talent transformation. In this report, we examine the skills intelligence platform landscape and assess 29 providers’ capabilities. The report offers a comprehensive market overview and highlights providers’ key differentiation areas. It helps enterprises select the best-fit partners for their evolving needs and enables providers to benchmark themselves against their competition. Scope All industries and geographies Contents In this report, we: Examine the skills intelligence platforms’ landscape Position the providers on Everest Group’s PEAK Matrix® framework as Leaders, Major Contenders, and Aspirants Assess providers’ skills intelligence platforms’ capability across market adoption, portfolio mix, value delivered, vision and strategy, platform capabilities, flexibility and ease of deployment, engagement and commercial models, and implementation and customer support Compare providers’ key strengths and limitations

In 2023 and 2024, the contingent talent and strategic solutions industry experienced a notable growth deceleration due to macroeconomic uncertainties and a pervasive global economic slowdown. This economic downturn intensified cost pressures on enterprises across sectors and prompted organizations to reassess their staffing strategies and resource allocation practices. Enterprises encountered tight budgets and increased operational challenges, compelling them to evaluate their workforce needs more strategically, leading to a more cautious approach to hiring contingent talent. Despite these challenges, the fundamental imbalance between talent supply and demand remained a significant issue due to the ongoing talent shortage of niche skills. In this report, we examine key market trends that have shaped the contingent talent and strategic solutions industry during this turbulent period and how these trends have influenced contingent talent and strategic solutions providers’ strategies and investments. The report also explores strategic adjustments that contingent talent and strategic solutions providers have made to the increasing digital adoption, evolving skill landscape, AI emergence, and anticipation around green skills. It also analyzes proactive measures staffing providers took to enhance their service offerings and become enterprise strategic partners. Scope Industry: contingent talent and strategic solutions Geography: the US and UK This report analyzes and draws insights from year-round coverage of over 50 US and more than 25 UK contingent talent and strategic solutions providers Contents In this report, we examine: The contingent talent and strategic solutions market overview Key market trends Major investment themes for providers The contingent talent and strategic solutions provider landscape in the US and the UK Membership(s) Contingent Staffing Sourcing and Vendor Management

In 2023, the UK contingent talent and strategic solutions market faced challenges shaped by a complex mix of economic, political, and global factors. The broader economic context was dominated by high interest rates, which continued to suppress business sentiment despite the easing inflation compared to 2022. Unlike the US, where talent shortages were common, the UK saw high unemployment, pointing at the persistent mismatch between job openings and the available skills in the workforce. Additionally, stagnant productivity further weakened the talent market. Although the contingent talent and strategic solutions market fared better than the permanent staffing sector, the segments experienced an overall slowdown. Only providers with diversified portfolios, focusing on strategic solutions, managed services, and other strategic investments, were able to effectively navigate these challenges. As we look forward to 2024-25, there is cautious optimism for the UK economy. The new government offers hope for modest growth, which could positively influence the contingent talent and strategic solutions market, though a full recovery in business confidence may take time. This report examines the contingent talent and strategic solutions landscape’s dynamics in the UK and its impact on the UK contingent staffing market in 2023 under the lens of IT and business and professionals staffing. It provides a market overview and analyzes the areas where providers differentiate themselves based on the comprehensive Everest Group PEAK Matrix®. Scope Industry: contingent talent and strategic solutions Geography: UK Skills coverage: IT, business and professionals Contents The report analyzes the performance of various UK contingent talent and strategic solution providers and examines: The UK contingent talent and strategic solution provider landscape 17 UK IT contingent talent and strategic solutions providers and classifies them into Leaders, Major Contenders, and Aspirants on Everest Group’s proprietary PEAK Matrix® framework 16 UK business and professionals contingent talent and strategic solutions providers and classifies them into Leaders, Major Contenders, and Aspirants on Everest Group’s proprietary PEAK Matrix® framework Providers’ capability assessment on seven dimensions: market adoption, portfolio mix, value delivered, scope of services offered, innovation and investments, delivery footprints, and vision and strategy Each contingent talent and strategic solution provider’s key strengths and limitations Membership(s) Contingent Staffing Sourcing and Vendor Management

Skills intelligence platforms give insight into workforce capabilities, predict future skill needs, and uncover untapped talent pools, empowering organizations to foster a culture of continuous learning and match employees with opportunities that optimize their potential. The emergence of new technologies and platforms presents challenges for HR and Talent Acquisition (TA) leaders striving to adopt a skills-first approach. In this report, we provide 22 skills intelligence providers’ detailed, fact-based snapshots and highlight their capabilities. Each profile represents the company and product overview, product vision and planned product enhancements, recent deals and announcements, and key clients and partners. It also provides a detailed overview of the platforms’ capabilities across various dimensions, including skills ontology, TA, and talent management, to understand the extent of support provided. The report will assist buyers in assessing providers’ capabilities and empower providers to benchmark themselves against their competitors and highlight their offerings. Scope All industries and geographies Contents In this report, we provide 22 skills intelligence platform providers’ profiles and include: Product and company overview Product vision, functionalities, and planned enhancements Recent deals and announcements Key clients and partnerships Membership(s) Contingent Staffing Contingent Workforce Management Human Resources Recruitment IT Talent Excellence

In today’s rapidly evolving talent landscape, it’s essential for enterprises to have a workforce strategy that allows them to identify, develop, and deploy the right skills at the right time. This is making “skills” a central theme for enterprises when it comes to their overall talent strategy. Watch this webinar to explore the role of skills across key areas throughout the talent lifecycle and how to overcome challenges from traditional talent practices through a skills-first approach. What questions did the webinar answer? What are the challenges that enterprises face while embarking on the skill-based transformation? What are the different categories of platforms available in the market? What are the key considerations for enterprises while undergoing a skill-based transformation?

The US industrial staffing and strategic solutions market faced a downturn in 2023 due to reduced consumer demand, lower production activity, and pressures on costs and margins amid an economic slowdown. Additionally, recent labor regulations further disrupted the industrial staffing sector. Despite the overall market deceleration, there are growth opportunities in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, renewable energy, and e-commerce. These segments are expected to drive future demand for industrial staffing, especially in high-skilled and in-demand roles. Successful providers in this market are investing in developing capabilities in these resilient segments, focusing on enhancing associate benefits, safety training, upskilling opportunities, adopting digital staffing approaches, offering onsite solutions, and more. This report explores the industrial contingent staffing provider landscape’s dynamics in the US and its market impact in 2023. It provides the market’s overview and analyzes how different industrial contingent talent and strategic solutions providers can be differentiated using the comprehensive Everest Group PEAK Matrix®. Scope Industry: contingent talent and strategic solutions Geography: US Skills coverage: industrial Contents The report analyzes the performance of 21 industrial contingent talent and strategic solutions providers in the US and examines: Their key strengths and limitations and classifies them into Leaders, Major Contenders, and Aspirants The providers’ capabilities on seven dimensions: market adoption, portfolio mix, value delivered, scope of services offered, innovation and investments, delivery footprints, and vision and strategy Membership(s) Contingent Staffing Sourcing and Vendor Management

The COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing phases in the market for talent – the Great Rehire, the Great Resignation, and the Great Reset – have compelled organizations to upgrade their hiring processes. Adding to this challenge is the significant talent supply gap in key labor markets, particularly for niche and in-demand skills. To address these challenges, organizations must adopt alternative talent acquisition and management strategies, leverage technology and data-driven decision-making, and develop agile solutions to meet changing demands. By embracing innovative talent practices, organizations can position themselves for growth in this competitive market. This report is the second in a two-part series on the smart trends and innovative talent practices emerging from this volatile business and talent period. (You can access the first report, which covers predictive workforce intelligence for data-driven decision-making, here.) In this report, we examine two additional emerging talent practices that organizations are adopting: agile talent acquisition practices for volatile conditions and removing barriers to the contingent workforce. Scope All industries and geographies Contents In this report, we: Examine key challenges that organizations face in the current talent environment Assess foundational elements and benefits of two agile and flexible Recruitment Process Solutions (RPO) solutions: Project RPO and low-tech tech-enabled hiring Analyze foundational elements and benefits of leveraging contingent workforce Suggest a roadmap to implement these solutions Membership(s) Recruitment Contingent Workforce Management Sourcing and Vendor Management

The US contingent talent and strategic solutions market slowed in 2023, as enterprises faced cost and margin pressures amid the economic slowdown. Notably, while the economic downturn had adverse effects on US staffing providers, a substantial gap in talent supply-demand persisted, driven by the need for specialized skills in rapidly growing industries, technology interventions, and a heightened need for managed services. Enterprise expectations from contingent talent providers also increased, extending beyond transactional engagements to a growing interest in strategic solutions and managed services. This report examines the US professional contingent staffing provider landscape and assesses its impact on the market in 2023. It focuses particularly on contingent talent and strategic solutions in IT, engineering, and business and professional skills. Using Everest Group’s PEAK Matrix® assessment, the report identifies areas where providers are distinguishing themselves and discusses how providers are navigating the challenging yet opportunity-laden market landscape. Scope Industry: contingent talent and strategic solutions Geography: US Skills coverage: IT, engineering, and business and professional skills Contents The report analyzes various contingent talent and strategic solution providers’ performance and examines: The US contingent talent and strategic solutions provider landscape US Contingent Staffing Provider PEAK Matrix® Assessment: classification of 30 US IT contingent talent and strategic solutions providers, 23 US engineering contingent talent and strategic solutions providers, and 24 US business and professionals contingent talent and strategic solutions providers into Leaders, Major Contenders, and Aspirants Everest Group’s provider analysis: US contingent talent and strategic solutions providers’ capability assessment on seven dimensions: market adoption, portfolio mix, value delivered, scope of services offered, innovation and investments, delivery footprints, and vision and strategy Remarks on each provider’s key strengths and limitations Membership(s) Contingent Staffing Sourcing and Vendor Management

In this report, we examine the vital role of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATSs) within the contingent staffing industry. From being centralized systems of record to evolving into indispensable technology platforms, ATSs have undergone a remarkable transformation. Our research explores the evolution of staffing ATSs, analyzing their intricate interconnections with other platforms in the staffing technology ecosystem, such as Candidate Relationship Management software (CRM), payroll software, and Vendor Management Systems (VMS) We highlight the key trends driving the staffing ATS market and delve into the essential features and functionalities that distinguish a native staffing ATS platform. Tailored specifically to contingent staffing providers, our analysis provides actionable insights for both established industry leaders and emerging firms. By focusing solely on ATSs serving contingent staffing, we provide targeted recommendations and strategies to optimize staffing operations. In this report, we examine the staffing ATS market landscape, identify key differentiating factors for selecting an ATS provider, and profile predominant participants in the industry. Whether staffing providers seek to enhance their existing staffing technology infrastructure or explore options for ATS adoption, our report serves as an indispensable guide to navigate the terrain of staffing ATSs. Scope Industry: staffing ATS Geography: global Contents In this report, we examine: Staffing ATS market overview Key differentiating factors for a staffing ATS Predominant staffing ATS provider profiles Membership(s) Contingent Staffing Sourcing and Vendor Management

In the ever-evolving landscape of talent acquisition, organizations increasingly rely on innovative solutions to streamline their recruitment processes and identify the best-fit candidates. Leading this technology revolution are skills intelligence platforms – sophisticated software systems that harness the power of skills ontology, AI, and skills data and insights. These platforms revolutionize talent acquisition by offering comprehensive tools and capabilities to enhance sourcing, screening, and hiring activities. By leveraging advanced algorithms and data-driven skills insights, skills intelligence platforms empower recruiters and hiring managers to make smarter decisions, build stronger talent pipelines, and ultimately, drive organizational success. However, the dynamic nature of this market and emerging technologies pose challenges for recruiters and hiring managers attempting to adopt a skills-first approach. To help enterprise leaders address these challenges, Everest Group has expanded its research into skills intelligence within talent acquisition and the technology landscape. This research will be presented in a series of three viewpoints: Introduction to the skills intelligence technology landscape The skills intelligence technology landscape: focus on talent acquisition The skills intelligence technology landscape: focus on talent management In this viewpoint, the second report in the three-part series, we focus on skills intelligence in talent acquisition. The report highlights the capabilities of skills intelligence platforms for talent acquisition use cases and the provider landscape offering these capabilities. It also offers frameworks for enterprise readers to select and implement the appropriate skills intelligence platform within their organizations. Scope All industries and geographies Contents In this report, we: Explore why enterprises need skills intelligence in talent acquisition Discuss skills intelligence platforms as revolutionary tools in talent acquisition Examine the skills intelligence platforms landscape and providers offering talent acquisition capabilities Highlight key enterprise considerations Membership(s) Recruitment Human Resources Contingent Workforce Management IT Talent Excellence Contingent Staffing Sourcing and Vendor Management