The big picture: The Roosevelt Institute advocates for a fundamental shift from contract-based work to traditional employment to safeguard the social aspects of labor. This perspective challenges the prevailing gig economy model.

Why it matters: Staffing and HR leaders must consider how this push could reshape workforce planning, talent acquisition strategies, and the legal landscape surrounding worker classification.

Between the lines:

• The report critiques how Coase's theories influenced modern employment structures.
• It introduces "transaction benefits" as a missing element in future of work debates.
• Advocates for policies that prioritize stable, traditional employment over contingent models.

Staffing & HR impact: A move towards "coworkers" could reduce demand for contingent staffing, impacting agency margins and requiring HR to re-evaluate benefits and engagement for a more permanent workforce. Compliance around worker classification would intensify.

The bottom line: Expect continued debate and potential policy pressure to redefine the employer-employee relationship.