What to Expect in The Age of Human Cloud

Sometimes it’s cheaper to hire contractors and consultants when the need arises rather than having all the work done in-house. If you can outsource the task, why hire a full-time employee in the first place?

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You have made use of the human cloud without even knowing it: Anytime you ever called an Uber or a Lyft; you were taking advantage of this digital platform.

The human cloud is the online solution for companies looking to tap into an endless pool of freelancers. There, you can outsource menial tasks for a few bucks an hour or find a professional legal consultant who will cost you a few hundred dollars per hour.

What Exactly is The Human Cloud?

The human cloud is an online arrangement where an intermediary helps freelancers find work, complete it, and get paid for it in full.

The intermediary also ensures that the client receiving the work is happy with what they are getting and that they complete the work on time. The client can monitor and manage the work as it is being done, giving them more control over how the final product comes out.

All of this is carried out through a digital platform operated by the intermediary. Human cloud platforms can take one of three shapes:

#1 Crowdsourcing 

A digital model where a job or task gets broken down into smaller tasks, and then different individuals take care of different tasks.

What the client gets is an outcome, but they can’t manage the job itself. In return, they pay a cheap price seeing as different freelancers bid to carry out the “micro-tasks.”

A perfect example of this model is Amazon Turk.

#2 Online Work Services 

Similar to crowdsourcing in the sense that a client buys an outcome and doesn’t oversee the work process itself.
The difference is that the platform itself oversees the service provided by the freelancer which is not the case in crowdsourcing.

#3 Online Staffing Platforms 

These allow clients to hire and manage freelance workers. In this model, clients and workers develop a full work dynamic, which includes having a legal relationship with one another.

How is The Human Cloud Changing Things?

The human cloud is having a profound impact on the workplace. By giving employers access to freelance workers from all over the globe, it is eliminating skill shortages and making it easy for employers to find the right workers for the right job.

Seeing as any individual with a laptop and WiFi connection can join the human cloud, this digital platform is creating a global meritocratic community. Within that community, people get rewards for the quality of their work.

Gender, race, and location have little to no impact on an individual’s livelihood.

Speaking of creating a global community, the human cloud is also responsible for creating a diverse ecosystem. For example, the site Upwork enables American companies to hire low-cost labor from countries such as India to perform tasks like copywriting and coding for their sites.
As a result, these companies end up building a pool of talent all over the globe, a pool that not only becomes a valuable asset but that also enables the company to have work carried out 24/7.

What are The Benefits of The Human Cloud?

By now, you understand what makes these digital platforms so appealing. Let’s inspect why both employers and contingent workers should make the most of this technological revolution.

What Do Employers Stand to Gain?

1. With so many freelancers available at their fingertips, companies no longer have to worry about their staffing requirements. Instead, employers can work on a project, and whenever the need arises for a specific set of skills, they can just dive into the human cloud to get what they need.
2. Seeing as they avert traditional employment processes, companies no longer have to worry about the associated costs.
3. Besides the reduced cost of employees, employers also don’t have to worry about overhead costs, including office space and electricity bills. A company that runs on virtual teams can remain lean.

What Do Freelancers Stand to Gain?

1. For some individuals with a full-time job, the human cloud is an opportunity to get a little extra cash on the side, something to supplement their main gig and make it easier to pay the bills.
2. Other freelancers enjoy the freedom and mobility afforded to them by the cloud. Not only do they get to set their own hours and be their own boss, but they can do the job from anywhere on the planet.
3. Freelance workers don’t have to worry about being obsolete because they never get trapped in a single job, performing the same task. 

Rather, freelancers have to keep updating their skill set to stay relevant in the marketplace and to keep looking for the newest trends and the hottest skills that employers are looking for.

How Can Employers Make The Most of The Human Cloud?

Just like any tool out there, the human cloud can be very helpful if used the right way. It can be of little use, even harmful, if not managed well. So, here are a few helpful tips:

• Companies should use the full power of the cloud, cloud storage, and cloud computing. Besides making the work more manageable, this will allow companies to scale their operations should they ever need to.
• Finding the right hire can be difficult. Employers have to vet the candidates well. They should start with tasks that will not disrupt their usual operations. Companies will test the waters and see if the employee in question would be a good fit.
• Also, odds are that the human cloud will shape future work policies just as that of st cloud humane society, and the companies that prepare ahead are the ones that will thrive. 

Ergo, companies should strategize and plan, which will require senior management to work with HR and other managers to prepare the legal and corporate framework that’ll be able to accommodate this change.

In Sum

Like any new technology disrupting the current state of affairs, the human cloud has many supporters but several detractors too.

The trick is to know what this platform has to offer and how to maximize its benefits.

Companies need to adopt a versatile mentality willing to try new ideas to always stay ahead of the curve.

Ashley Wilson is a digital nomad writing about business and tech. She has been known to reference Harry Potter quotes in casual conversation and enjoys baking homemade treats for her husband and their two felines, Lady and Gaga. You can get in touch with Ashley via Twitter.