There is an increasing trend of companies onboarding “virtual talent” who can work remotely. Abhishek Agarwal, President – Global Delivery, Judge India, opines India has done quite well when it comes to embracing the remote work culture and has become a hub for virtual staffing in the new normal.
Industry leaders say emerging technologies have benefited both staffing firms and job seekers. While some people believe automation will kill jobs, others think it’s the other way round.
According to Abhishek Agarwal, President – Global Delivery, Judge India, the emergence of new technologies has created a plethora of job opportunities for the people in the IT industry. He said, “The logic is quite simple: the more technologies there are to play around with, the more job opportunities we will have.”
Agarwal said the staffing industry has also benefited from the emergence of such technologies. “Recruiting suitable candidates has become easier and more efficient. While video conferencing has made interviewing convenient and cost-effective, technologies like AI and ML can help sift through thousands of resumes and find the right candidates for the job at hand,” he explained.
Virtual staffing industry has witnessed significant growth
There is an increasing trend of companies onboarding “virtual talent” who can work remotely.
Agarwal opines India has done quite well when it comes to embracing the remote work culture and has become a hub for virtual staffing in the new normal.
In virtual staffing, organisations outsource certain tasks to self-employed individuals, who usually work remotely, at affordable rates. Agarwal reveals international organisations have always looked at India as a great location for outsourcing, and in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the virtual staffing industry has witnessed significant growth.
Agarwal said several organisations have seamlessly transitioned to the remote working model and are doing quite well for themselves. “This decision has especially benefited small-scale startups that do not have to spend unnecessarily on infrastructure; instead, they can spend that money towards the growth of their business,” he added.
Impact on H1B and H4 Visa laws under the new US leadership
US President Joe Biden let the ban on foreign workers’ visas, in particular H-1B, lapse as the notification issued by his predecessor Donald Trump expired, a move which experts believe is likely to benefit thousands of Indian IT professionals.
Sharing further insights, Agarwal said Indian professionals can now go back to the American IT industry as independent contractors or full-time employees. He also said that the diplomatic missions of the US can also offer new worker visas, thereby expanding the talent pool.
“Similarly, spouses of H1B visa holders employed in the US can once again get back to the workforce with the help of H4 Visas. All this simply means more opportunities and a greater, diverse workforce for the IT industry,” he added.
Since we are talking about the outsourcing of the nation’s workforce, it also brings us to the topic of what attracts Indians to join the American workforce? One such issue is “disparity” in work culture.
Highlighting the difference in work culture, Agarwal said in India, employees often overextend themselves due to work pressure or strict deadlines. This leaves little to no room for work-life balance. “In America, people treat this aspect of work-life balance as the most important thing,” he added.
Secondly, Agarwal said the US has more women in leadership positions in the corporate sector compared to India.
“The corporate frameworks are pretty much the same here and there; the major difference is in their implementation. By focusing on implementing the policies and monitoring that they’re being followed properly, we can improve our work culture,” he added.
The Judge Group is a consulting, learning, staffing and search solutions providing company with more than 35 offices in the US, Canada and India and over 4,500 professionals in both temporary and permanent career positions. Its India office has over 220 full-time employees and the headcount is increasing every day as new avenues of business are opening for the company.
