Transforming Talent Acquisition: Deloitte's Strategic Partnership with Experfy

In the rapidly evolving landscape of analytics and artificial intelligence (AI), Deloitte LLP has taken a pioneering step to overcome the challenges of the tech talent shortage, particularly in the specialized fields of analytics and AI. This case study explores Deloitte’s strategic alliance with Experfy, a move that signifies a major shift towards an innovative future of work model by embedding Experfy’s on-demand freelance talent into Deloitte’s leading analytics and AI offerings.

Background

The tech talent shortage has been a pressing issue for many organizations, but it hits particularly hard in areas requiring specialized skills such as analytics and AI. Deloitte, a global leader in professional services, recognized the urgency of addressing this gap to maintain and enhance its market-leading position. Balaji Bondili, leading the Deloitte Pixel and Deloitte Open Talent initiatives, identified Experfy, an on-demand consulting and training platform incubated in the Harvard Innovation Lab, as a critical component in Deloitte’s strategy. With over 30,000 vetted experts in AI, IoT, and blockchain, Experfy presented a unique solution to Deloitte’s challenges.

Deloitte’s Strategic Approach to Leveraging Experfy

On June 18, 2019, Deloitte announced its alliance with Experfy, aimed at providing Deloitte with preferred access to Experfy’s elite global analytics community and talent clouds. This partnership was designed to super-charge Deloitte’s analytics and AI capabilities, transforming service delivery by augmenting its team with Experfy’s rigorously screened pool of deep AI specialists.

Nitin Mittal, principal at Deloitte Consulting LLP and U.S. analytics and cognitive offering leader, emphasized the importance of this alliance in accelerating Deloitte’s investments in crowdsourcing and open talent. The collaboration with Experfy was not just a testament to Deloitte’s commitment to innovation but also a strategic move to enhance its existing capabilities significantly.

Impact of the Alliance

The alliance between Deloitte and Experfy has set a new standard for addressing the complex, challenging, and evolving needs in the realm of AI. By drawing on Experfy’s freelance resources, Deloitte has enhanced its ability to meet customer needs promptly and effectively. This flexible, world-class, on-demand talent strategy has empowered Deloitte to provide its clients with the right team to tackle their most daunting analytics and AI challenges.

Harpreet Singh and Sarabjot Kaur, co-CEOs of Experfy, highlighted the alliance as a major opportunity to accelerate the adoption of AI and emerging talent models, scaling Experfy’s AI on-demand talent capability into enterprise-grade talent clouds. This relationship has not only bolstered Deloitte’s service offerings but has also positioned Experfy as a critical player in the enterprise AI landscape.

Lessons Learned and Best Practices

The strategic alliance between Deloitte and Experfy offers several key lessons for organizations looking to navigate the tech talent shortage:

• Innovative Talent Strategies: The importance of adopting flexible, on-demand talent strategies to address specific skill gaps quickly and efficiently.

• Strategic Partnerships: The value of forming alliances with specialized platforms to access a broader pool of talent and enhance service offerings.

• Investment in Crowdsourcing and Open Talent: The necessity of evolving traditional talent acquisition models to include crowdsourcing and open talent for a competitive edge.

• Communication and Alignment: Ensuring clear communication and alignment between the organization’s strategic goals and the capabilities of the talent platform.

Conclusion

The strategic alliance between Deloitte and Experfy represents a significant milestone in the evolution of talent acquisition strategies within the professional services industry. By embedding Experfy’s on-demand freelance talent into its analytics and AI offerings, Deloitte has not only addressed the immediate challenges posed by the tech talent shortage but has also laid the groundwork for an innovative future of work model. This case study serves as a blueprint for organizations seeking to leverage the global workforce to overcome their biggest challenges and seize the opportunities presented by the digital age.