On this episode of The Open Talent Report, Connor Heaney talks to Christoph Niebel, former Global President of Pontoon Solutions and C-level leader at the Adecco Group. For the last 20 years Christoph has been partnering with Global 2000 HR and External Workforce leaders to make change that matters. He is known for pushing boundaries and sparking innovation in talent management and workforce solutions. At the heart of Christoph’s philosophy lies a commitment to reimagining the nexus between work and talent. He champions a shift from traditional employment paradigms to leading work, emphasising the importance of unlocking the potential within organisations and individuals alike. In this episode, Connor & Christoph discuss: 2:55 Should the external workforce sector be called an industry? 5:13 MSPs – the default option? 7:11 Are MSPs the future? Could they be done a different way? 11:44 Christoph’s story 20:41 The journey from an individual contributor to leader – was it difficult? 26:00 Fetishisation of failure 28:13 Work-life balance 35:56 Can platform work be regulated? Can more be done to help low choice, no choice gig workers? 43:14 AI and its impact on jobs 54:32 Has the staffing sector had its big bang moment? If it’s ripe for disruption, what does that look like? 1:00:27 Labour market shortage – how can it be solved for? 1:07:58 Remote work – good, bad, ugly or indifferent? 1:11:24 Future of work predictions Connect with Christoph: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophniebel/  Connect with Connor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hrmconnorheaney/     Visit CXC's website: https://www.cxcglobal.com/