Name: A new kind of job market
Uploaded: 2013-01-28T16:14:00Z
Duration: 12 min 3 s
Description: Plenty of people need jobs with very flexible hours -- but it's difficult for those people to connect with the employers who need them. Wingham Rowan is working on that. He explains how the same technology that powers modern financial markets can help employers book workers for slivers of time.

Plenty of people need jobs with very flexible hours -- but it's difficult for those people to connect with the employers who need them. Wingham Rowan is working on that. He explains how the same technology that powers modern financial markets can help employers book workers for slivers of time.

A new kind of job market

Millions of people with unpredictable schedules struggle to find work, while employers often lack access to flexible, local staff when needed most. Today’s labor market still relies on outdated classified ads, even as Wall Street traders enjoy real-time, sophisticated marketplaces. By applying the technology and principles behind modern financial markets, governments could create regulated e-marketplaces where anyone can trade skills, services, or spare hours. Research suggests such platforms could spark up to 100 million pounds in new daily economic activity in the UK alone.