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Why Companies Are Moving from Fixed Roles to Flexible Expertise
INTERVIEW – PART ONE
Outstaffing and Flexible Staffing in 2026:
From Cost Savings to Competitive Advantage
INTERVIEW – PART TWO
Outstaffing and Flexible Staffing in 2026:
In the first part of our conversation, we explored why traditional hiring models are becoming less effective in today's business environment and
how companies are shifting toward more flexible ways of building teams.
In this second part, Artem Furs looks beyond
the hiring process itself. He explains the business advantages of flexible staffing, addresses some
of the most common misconceptions about outsourcing and outstaffing, and shares his perspective on how workforce models are likely
to evolve over the next few years as AI, changing skill demands, and business uncertainty continue to reshape the way organizations work.
how companies are shifting toward more flexible ways of building teams.
In this second part, Artem Furs looks beyond
the hiring process itself. He explains the business advantages of flexible staffing, addresses some
of the most common misconceptions about outsourcing and outstaffing, and shares his perspective on how workforce models are likely
to evolve over the next few years as AI, changing skill demands, and business uncertainty continue to reshape the way organizations work.
Artem Furs is a recruitment and HR consulting expert with over 15 years of experience in talent acquisition and flexible staffing. He has worked with global companies including Accenture, EY, Danone, and PepsiCo.
Artem Furs,
Account Director at Gitmax
Account Director at Gitmax
In the first part of our conversation, we explored why traditional hiring models are becoming less effective in today's business environment and how companies are shifting toward more flexible ways of building teams.
In this second part, Artem Furs looks beyond the hiring process itself. He explains the business advantages of flexible staffing, addresses some of the most common misconceptions about outsourcing and outstaffing, and shares his perspective on how workforce models are likely to evolve over the next few years as AI, changing skill demands, and business uncertainty continue to reshape the way organizations work.
In this second part, Artem Furs looks beyond the hiring process itself. He explains the business advantages of flexible staffing, addresses some of the most common misconceptions about outsourcing and outstaffing, and shares his perspective on how workforce models are likely to evolve over the next few years as AI, changing skill demands, and business uncertainty continue to reshape the way organizations work.
Artem Furs is a recruitment and HR consulting expert with over 15 years of experience
in talent acquisition and flexible staffing.
He has worked with global companies including Accenture, EY, Danone, and PepsiCo.
in talent acquisition and flexible staffing.
He has worked with global companies including Accenture, EY, Danone, and PepsiCo.
Artem Furs,
Account Director at Gitmax
Account Director at Gitmax
The first one is speed. Companies can access the right expertise much faster than through a traditional recruitment process.
The second is flexibility. They can scale teams up or down depending on project stage, budget, workload, or market conditions.
The third is access to rare talent. In many technical areas, especially AI, data, cloud, DevOps, and cybersecurity, the strongest experts may not be actively seeking permanent roles. Flexible staffing gives companies another way to work with this talent. The fourth is lower operational risk. If a company is testing a new product, entering a new market, or building a temporary project team, it does not always make sense to immediately create permanent headcount (and most HRs will agree it could take you a lot of time and patience to negotiate the matching FTE*) And finally, flexible staffing helps companies stay focused. Instead of spending months trying to hire every specialist internally, they can keep their core team focused on strategy and delivery while external experts close specific gaps.
The second is flexibility. They can scale teams up or down depending on project stage, budget, workload, or market conditions.
The third is access to rare talent. In many technical areas, especially AI, data, cloud, DevOps, and cybersecurity, the strongest experts may not be actively seeking permanent roles. Flexible staffing gives companies another way to work with this talent. The fourth is lower operational risk. If a company is testing a new product, entering a new market, or building a temporary project team, it does not always make sense to immediately create permanent headcount (and most HRs will agree it could take you a lot of time and patience to negotiate the matching FTE*) And finally, flexible staffing helps companies stay focused. Instead of spending months trying to hire every specialist internally, they can keep their core team focused on strategy and delivery while external experts close specific gaps.
– What are the biggest advantages companies gain from flexible staffing models beyond cost savings?
The first one is speed. Companies can access the right expertise much faster than through a traditional recruitment process.
The second is flexibility. They can scale teams up or down depending on project stage, budget, workload, or market conditions.
The third is access to rare talent. In many technical areas, especially AI, data, cloud, DevOps, and cybersecurity, the strongest experts may not be actively seeking permanent roles. Flexible staffing gives companies another way to work with this talent. The fourth is lower operational risk. If a company is testing a new product, entering a new market, or building a temporary project team, it does not always make sense to immediately create permanent headcount (and most HRs will agree it could take you a lot of time and patience to negotiate the matching FTE) And finally, flexible staffing helps companies stay focused. Instead of spending months trying to hire every specialist internally, they can keep their core team focused on strategy and delivery while external experts close specific gaps.
The second is flexibility. They can scale teams up or down depending on project stage, budget, workload, or market conditions.
The third is access to rare talent. In many technical areas, especially AI, data, cloud, DevOps, and cybersecurity, the strongest experts may not be actively seeking permanent roles. Flexible staffing gives companies another way to work with this talent. The fourth is lower operational risk. If a company is testing a new product, entering a new market, or building a temporary project team, it does not always make sense to immediately create permanent headcount (and most HRs will agree it could take you a lot of time and patience to negotiate the matching FTE) And finally, flexible staffing helps companies stay focused. Instead of spending months trying to hire every specialist internally, they can keep their core team focused on strategy and delivery while external experts close specific gaps.
– What are the biggest advantages companies gain from flexible staffing models beyond cost savings?
I remember the biggest misconception over the last 10 years is that flexible staffing means disengaged, low-performing workers. In reality, strong outstaffing models provide qualified, well-integrated specialists who share business goals and context with internal staff. Another misconception is that outsourcing and outstaffing are the same thing. They are not. In classic outsourcing, the client often delegates a project or function (the entire work) to an external vendor. In outstaffing, the specialist usually works directly with the client’s team, processes, and management structure, while the provider handles sourcing, contractual setup, payroll, or administrative support. Some companies also think flexible staffing is only for short-term or non-critical work. That is outdated.
Today, many companies use flexible models for serious technical work: product development, AI implementation, infrastructure, cybersecurity, data engineering, and other business-critical areas. As always, the key points are the quality of selection, communication, and management. That is the base. If these are weak, even your permanent hiring will fail. If not, flexible staffing can become a truly effective extension of the company’s internal team.
Today, many companies use flexible models for serious technical work: product development, AI implementation, infrastructure, cybersecurity, data engineering, and other business-critical areas. As always, the key points are the quality of selection, communication, and management. That is the base. If these are weak, even your permanent hiring will fail. If not, flexible staffing can become a truly effective extension of the company’s internal team.
– What misconceptions do businesses still have about outsourcing or flexible staffing?
I remember the biggest misconception over the last 10 years is that flexible staffing means disengaged, low-performing workers. In reality, strong outstaffing models provide qualified, well-integrated specialists who share business goals and context with internal staff. Another misconception is that outsourcing and outstaffing are the same thing. They are not. In classic outsourcing, the client often delegates a project or function (the entire work) to an external vendor. In outstaffing, the specialist usually works directly with the client’s team, processes, and management structure, while the provider handles sourcing, contractual setup, payroll, or administrative support. Some companies also think flexible staffing is only for short-term or non-critical work. That is outdated.
Today, many companies use flexible models for serious technical work: product development, AI implementation, infrastructure, cybersecurity, data engineering, and other business-critical areas. As always, the key points are the quality of selection, communication, and management. That is the base. If these are weak, even your permanent hiring will fail. If not, flexible staffing can become a truly effective extension of the company’s internal team.
Today, many companies use flexible models for serious technical work: product development, AI implementation, infrastructure, cybersecurity, data engineering, and other business-critical areas. As always, the key points are the quality of selection, communication, and management. That is the base. If these are weak, even your permanent hiring will fail. If not, flexible staffing can become a truly effective extension of the company’s internal team.
– What misconceptions do businesses still have about outsourcing or flexible staffing?
Well, modeling the future from the middle of 2026 suggests the workforce will be more hybrid and skills-based [1].
For sure, companies will still need strong, and sometimes extraordinary (peculiar), internal teams, but they will become more selective about which roles must be permanent and which expertise can be brought in flexibly.
I want to believe we will see less strict structures and more dynamic talent ecosystems. I remember we used to discuss such a prediction in 2017 at Danone and in 2020 at EY, but still.
A company may have a core team responsible for its main products, corporate culture, and long-term knowledge, and around it a flexible layer or a database of verified external specialists whom you can pick for specific projects or technologies.
And as we see these days, AI will also make the difference between average and strong specialists more visible. The best professionals will be those who combine deep technical expertise, business understanding, communication skills, and the ability to work with AI tools effectively, and no matter if you are from IT, Finance, Sales, or HR, self-education of AI tools will be crucial and, for a huge number of people, painful.
For companies, the main challenge will be not just hiring people but orchestrating work: understanding which skills they need, when they need them, and which workforce model best fits each business goal. And when I am saying “them,” I mean Hiring Managers & HR, working as a team, hand in hand [2], so the business should be more involved in these topics than ever, and they can no longer push the whole responsibility onto the HR department's shoulders if they want to be successful.
In this environment, outstaffing will not be just a cost-saving tool but a service in the best traditions of PMBOK's Iron Triangle (Time, Cost, Scope); it will become a strategic way to gain expertise, reduce time-to-market, manage uncertainty, and keep the business flexible.
For sure, companies will still need strong, and sometimes extraordinary (peculiar), internal teams, but they will become more selective about which roles must be permanent and which expertise can be brought in flexibly.
I want to believe we will see less strict structures and more dynamic talent ecosystems. I remember we used to discuss such a prediction in 2017 at Danone and in 2020 at EY, but still.
A company may have a core team responsible for its main products, corporate culture, and long-term knowledge, and around it a flexible layer or a database of verified external specialists whom you can pick for specific projects or technologies.
And as we see these days, AI will also make the difference between average and strong specialists more visible. The best professionals will be those who combine deep technical expertise, business understanding, communication skills, and the ability to work with AI tools effectively, and no matter if you are from IT, Finance, Sales, or HR, self-education of AI tools will be crucial and, for a huge number of people, painful.
For companies, the main challenge will be not just hiring people but orchestrating work: understanding which skills they need, when they need them, and which workforce model best fits each business goal. And when I am saying “them,” I mean Hiring Managers & HR, working as a team, hand in hand [2], so the business should be more involved in these topics than ever, and they can no longer push the whole responsibility onto the HR department's shoulders if they want to be successful.
In this environment, outstaffing will not be just a cost-saving tool but a service in the best traditions of PMBOK's Iron Triangle (Time, Cost, Scope); it will become a strategic way to gain expertise, reduce time-to-market, manage uncertainty, and keep the business flexible.
– Looking ahead, how do you see workforce models evolving over the next three to five years?
Well, modeling the future from the middle of 2026 suggests the workforce will be more hybrid and skills-based. For sure, companies will still need strong, and sometimes extraordinary (peculiar), internal teams, but they will become more selective about which roles must be permanent and which expertise can be brought in flexibly.
I want to believe we will see less strict structures and more dynamic talent ecosystems. I remember we used to discuss such a prediction in 2017 at Danone and in 2020 at EY, but still.
A company may have a core team responsible for its main products, corporate culture, and long-term knowledge, and around it a flexible layer or a database of verified external specialists whom you can pick for specific projects or technologies.
And as we see these days, AI will also make the difference between average and strong specialists more visible. The best professionals will be those who combine deep technical expertise, business understanding, communication skills, and the ability to work with AI tools effectively, and no matter if you are from IT, Finance, Sales, or HR, self-education of AI tools will be crucial and, for a huge number of people, painful.
For companies, the main challenge will be not just hiring people but orchestrating work: understanding which skills they need, when they need them, and which workforce model best fits each business goal. And when I am saying “them,” I mean Hiring Managers & HR, working as a team, hand in hand, so the business should be more involved in these topics than ever, and they can no longer push the whole responsibility onto the HR department's shoulders if they want to be successful.
In this environment, outstaffing will not be just a cost-saving tool but a service in the best traditions of PMBOK's Iron Triangle (Time, Cost, Scope); it will become a strategic way to gain expertise, reduce time-to-market, manage uncertainty, and keep the business flexible.
I want to believe we will see less strict structures and more dynamic talent ecosystems. I remember we used to discuss such a prediction in 2017 at Danone and in 2020 at EY, but still.
A company may have a core team responsible for its main products, corporate culture, and long-term knowledge, and around it a flexible layer or a database of verified external specialists whom you can pick for specific projects or technologies.
And as we see these days, AI will also make the difference between average and strong specialists more visible. The best professionals will be those who combine deep technical expertise, business understanding, communication skills, and the ability to work with AI tools effectively, and no matter if you are from IT, Finance, Sales, or HR, self-education of AI tools will be crucial and, for a huge number of people, painful.
For companies, the main challenge will be not just hiring people but orchestrating work: understanding which skills they need, when they need them, and which workforce model best fits each business goal. And when I am saying “them,” I mean Hiring Managers & HR, working as a team, hand in hand, so the business should be more involved in these topics than ever, and they can no longer push the whole responsibility onto the HR department's shoulders if they want to be successful.
In this environment, outstaffing will not be just a cost-saving tool but a service in the best traditions of PMBOK's Iron Triangle (Time, Cost, Scope); it will become a strategic way to gain expertise, reduce time-to-market, manage uncertainty, and keep the business flexible.
– Looking ahead, how do you see workforce models evolving over the next three to five years?
The way companies approach hiring is undergoing a fundamental shift. Rather than planning years ahead, businesses are increasingly prioritizing speed, adaptability,
and access to the expertise they need right now.
As Artem explains, this doesn't mean permanent hiring is disappearing. Instead, organizations are becoming more intentional about when to build internal capabilities and when to bring
in specialized expertise to move faster and respond to change.
and access to the expertise they need right now.
As Artem explains, this doesn't mean permanent hiring is disappearing. Instead, organizations are becoming more intentional about when to build internal capabilities and when to bring
in specialized expertise to move faster and respond to change.
[1] Deloitte 2026 Global Human Capital Trends: 7 out of 10 business leaders say their primary competitive strategy for the next three years is to become faster and more agile. The report also notes that long planning cycles and predictable execution are no longer sufficient in today's business environment.
[2] Deloitte 2026 Global Human Capital Trends: Deloitte argues that markets, technologies, and stakeholder expectations shift in real time, making the ability to sense change, experiment rapidly, and continuously adapt a core competitive advantage.
[3] Based on field observations
[4] Research on skill-based hiring: Analysis of AI roles in the UK shows that employers are increasingly removing university degree requirements, while AI skills continue to command a significant wage premium.
[5] Based on Gitmax's experience recruiting senior and specialized talent.
[6] PwC 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer: AI-exposed junior roles are seven times more likely to require traditionally senior capabilities such as leadership. Rather than replacing human judgment, AI is increasing demand for leadership, decision-making, and other high-value skills.
[7] LinkedIn Work Change Report: By 2030, 70% of the skills used in most jobs are expected to change. Since 2022, the rate at which professionals add new skills to their LinkedIn profiles has increased by 140%, underscoring the growing importance of continuous upskilling.
[8] Deloitte – Skills-Based Organization: Deloitte argues that organizations are shifting from making workforce decisions based on job titles to making them based on skills. Traditional job structures are becoming less effective as the primary way to organize work and talent.
[2] Deloitte 2026 Global Human Capital Trends: Deloitte argues that markets, technologies, and stakeholder expectations shift in real time, making the ability to sense change, experiment rapidly, and continuously adapt a core competitive advantage.
[3] Based on field observations
[4] Research on skill-based hiring: Analysis of AI roles in the UK shows that employers are increasingly removing university degree requirements, while AI skills continue to command a significant wage premium.
[5] Based on Gitmax's experience recruiting senior and specialized talent.
[6] PwC 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer: AI-exposed junior roles are seven times more likely to require traditionally senior capabilities such as leadership. Rather than replacing human judgment, AI is increasing demand for leadership, decision-making, and other high-value skills.
[7] LinkedIn Work Change Report: By 2030, 70% of the skills used in most jobs are expected to change. Since 2022, the rate at which professionals add new skills to their LinkedIn profiles has increased by 140%, underscoring the growing importance of continuous upskilling.
[8] Deloitte – Skills-Based Organization: Deloitte argues that organizations are shifting from making workforce decisions based on job titles to making them based on skills. Traditional job structures are becoming less effective as the primary way to organize work and talent.
In Part 2, we'll dive deeper into the practical side of flexible staffing; examining the advantages it offers beyond cost savings, the misconceptions businesses still have about outstaffing, and how workforce models are likely to evolve over the next three to five years.
In Part 2, we'll dive deeper into
the practical side of flexible
staffing; examining the advantages
it offers beyond cost savings,
the misconceptions businesses
still have about outstaffing, and how workforce models are likely to evolve over the next three to five years.
the practical side of flexible
staffing; examining the advantages
it offers beyond cost savings,
the misconceptions businesses
still have about outstaffing, and how workforce models are likely to evolve over the next three to five years.
Agile Development
- For instance, when a tech startup needs to release a minimum viable product (MVP) quickly to test the market, Agile is often the preferred methodology. It allows the development team to release functional software in short cycles, gather user feedback, and make rapid improvements — much like an athlete honing their performance with each training session.
Waterfall Development
- Waterfall is often used in large-scale projects where requirements are well understood from the beginning and where changes midstream could lead to costly delays. Think of industries like aerospace or government contracting, where thorough documentation and adherence to strict guidelines are crucial. Just as a marathoner prepares meticulously for every mile, Waterfall teams spend significant time in the planning stages to ensure smooth execution.