WHY NOW
Workforce Reimagined
Unlocking the Power of Blended Teams
Traditional workforce models are failing. Women and caregivers are leaving. AI is disrupting. Independent work is rising. The solution? Blended teams. And now we have the data to prove it.
The American workforce is at an inflection point
212,000 women left the workforce in 2025, driven by unaffordable childcare and RTO mandates.
70 million, nearly 40% of the American workforce, are freelancers, contractors, or gig workers.
By 2027, 50% of the U.S. workforce will be independent.
Women are 1.5x more likely to need to change jobs by 2030 because they are overrepresented in occupations with higher exposure to automation.
CEO & Founder
Lions & Tigers
Why This Study
As workforce models rapidly shift, leaders are sensing that blended teams are making a real impact, but the proof has been mostly anecdotal.
As a long-time partner to enterprise and public sector clients, we’ve seen organizations not just “trying out” flexible talent but building around it. What was missing was data to validate what leaders are experiencing every day.
That’s why we partnered with Read the Room Advisors, experts in behavioral insight and workforce psychology, to conduct a rigorous study including a survey of 500+ professionals across industries. Together, we set out to:
- Capture the evolving role and perception of blended teams
- Quantify their impact on business outcomes
- Provide leaders with evidence to guide future workforce strategy
“In a world where disruption is constant, leaders who re-architect work around flexibility and expertise will outpace those still optimizing for headcount.”
Paul Estes, Best Selling Author – Gig Mindset
The Data Is In: Blended Teams Work
Specialized Skills = Competitive Edge
79% say access to hard-to-find expertise is the top benefit.
Quality Over Cost
87% rank quality as the #1 KPI for blended teams.
Built for Speed & Innovtation
86% cite faster delivery and 83% report innovation as core advantage of blended workforces.
97% say losing access to blended teams would disrupt business outcomes.
The Value Compounds Over Time
Leaders with 3+ years using blended teams see a +21% higher rating of strategic advantage.
The longer a company employs blended teams, the more vital they become.
Organizations with longer tenure using blended teams report greater confidence in the model, more executive integration, and a sharper focus on quality, innovation, and speed.
“The data reveals a powerful arc. We’ve arrived at a workforce era where blended teams are an integral and accepted aspect of current versus future work.”
—Pam Cohen, PhD, Read the Room Advisors
Why It Matters
Blended teams are not a stopgap.
They are:
- A lifeline for women & caregivers
- A growth lever for leaders navigating AI disruption
- A model that taps into the growing independent workforce
The future of work is already here. It isn’t AI vs. people. It’s technology & people working side by side in blended teams.
The 2025 Blended Workforce Survey
Fielded by Read the Room Advisors on Behalf of Lions & Tigers.
Read the Room Advisors is a forward-thinking consultancy that uses predictive analytics to transform insights into actionable impact. Their unique approach combines qualitative data with predictive modeling to align strategies with next-level outcomes, helping navigate complexity and advancing measurable results.
