A few of the factors driving this change:
The Freelance Workforce. We've read and heard much about how this group of workers with in-demand, creative or highly specialized skills prefers to be engaged, continually challenged, and on the cutting edge. As we all continue to become more mobile and better networked (both literally and figuratively), this will become the norm rather than the exception. If you haven't assessed this part of your talent inventory, it will be more critical than ever in the future.
Becoming the workplace of choice is about creating an environment that motivates workers to bring their most innovative talents and skills to your company. It's about creating workforce strategies that allow you to reap the benefits of the changes noted above. Think about it. If you have the right skills, you can fire up your product cycle and quickly react to changes in the marketplace. What investor or CEO wouldn't want to get in on that?
For human resources this means taking "employer of choice" initiatives and turning them into "workplace of choice" initiatives. It may be subtle to some, but sometimes even just using a different term changes the conversation immensely. How about instead of "We want to be your employer of choice," which sounds final, formal and restrictive, we start by saying, "We want to allow you to experience the full potential of your skills here at XYZ Company. Tell me about your ideal workplace." See the difference?
It also means better managing your workplace to accommodate these changes without exposing your company to undue risk. Going out and hiring everyone as independent contractors isn't the answer (ask FedEx). However, creating ways to better manage your talent inventory and sustain a consistent level of talent throughout your organization will be critical to future success. Sounds like a full time job, right? Can anyone say "Chief Talent Officer?"