The Future of the Workforce: Efficiency through a Shared Workforce Model

As businesses evolve, particularly in responsive service sectors, there’s much to be gained by embracing a shared workforce. Traditional employment models may no longer be the most efficient way to manage talent, especially when both businesses and workers can benefit from a more fluid, decentralized approach to employment. I believe that every worker should have the ability to maximize their income, and in service-based industries, that means minimizing downtime and maximizing billable hours.

Much like the service companies themselves, which earn more when billing clients, workers in these industries should have the ability to increase their own earnings by seeking continuous, predictable work. The inefficiencies come when workers are not actively billing but still draw wages, leading to unbillable labor costs that strain the company’s overhead.

The old ways of employing technicians, where companies manage full-time staff waiting for jobs, are inefficient in a modern, dynamic world. The future lies in allowing workers to build both equity and income simultaneously. Workers should own their own businesses and be contracted by service companies to perform jobs, ensuring compliance with state regulations. This approach allows workers to be more entrepreneurial while increasing the overall efficiency of the service industry.

A Shift to Gig Economy Efficiency

One of the most striking examples of this model working at scale is the rise of Uber. The traditional taxi industry was plagued by inefficiency: drivers sat idle, waiting for fares, while cars occupied expensive spaces. Uber revolutionized the system by allowing drivers to take charge of their own schedules, accepting work on-demand, and minimizing idle time. As a result, Uber drivers became more efficient, completing more rides and generating higher incomes while the company itself scaled rapidly.

By adding complementary services like UberEats, Uber further boosted driver efficiency. Instead of having large amounts of downtime between rides, drivers could now deliver food orders, keeping the work constant and reducing idle time. According to Uber’s data, over 50% of Uber drivers in major U.S. cities also use UberEats, increasing their earnings and making better use of their work hours.

This concept of maximizing time and job availability also applies to service businesses. At scale, predictable job flow leads to a significant rise in productivity. When workers can contract with multiple companies, the entire labor force is more balanced. Service companies benefit from not having to carry full-time employees during low-demand periods, while workers have a steadier, higher income due to more consistent billing hours.

Building Equity and Income Together

A key shift in this future workforce model is that workers not only increase their income through higher efficiency, but they also build equity in their own businesses. They would no longer be confined to working exclusively for one company, waiting for the next job to come in. Instead, they can contract with multiple service companies, spread their availability across a broader network, and build a profitable business for themselves.

This is not just about generating more billable hours—it’s about fostering an entrepreneurial spirit that allows technicians to control their own futures. Imagine a network of workers, each running their own small business, collectively servicing hundreds of companies. This would create a far more balanced workforce, where no one worker or company is burdened with all the overhead and downtime. It’s a win-win: service companies make more, and workers enjoy higher incomes and the chance to build lasting equity.

Conclusion

The future of the workforce, particularly in service industries, is all about efficiency, flexibility, and ownership. By moving toward a shared workforce model, where workers contract with multiple companies and minimize downtime, we can unlock new levels of productivity. The gig economy has already demonstrated how scaling a workforce can lead to higher efficiency and profitability, and service industries should take note.

As we look ahead, it’s clear that empowering workers to own their own businesses while maintaining a steady stream of contract work will benefit everyone involved. Service companies will operate more efficiently, workers will enjoy greater income and equity opportunities, and the industry as a whole will become more responsive, adaptable, and successful.