The 2025 CWS Summit North America is right around the corner.
From September 8 to 9, workforce leaders are heading to the Omni Dallas Hotel in Dallas, Texas - to catch up, swap insights, and rethink how they manage extended teams.
DZX is proud to sponsor this year’s event. With rapidly changing regulations, tight labor markets, and game‑changing technologies in play, now’s the time to rethink contingent workforce strategies.
For a preview of what DZX is up to at the event, check out our full slate of activities here - including our booth information, 1-1 meeting details, football lounge event and more!
What We're Watching at CWS 2025
As organizations rethink how they manage contingent talent, the trends shaping the future are coming into sharper focus. From compliance and AI to total talent strategy and agility, here are the shifts we’ll be watching closely at this year’s summit.
Compliance Complexity is Accelerating
In 2024 alone, more than 20 U.S. states introduced or expanded pay transparency laws, forcing companies to rethink how they communicate compensation for both full-time and contingent roles. At the same time, new IRS and DOL guidelines on worker classification are making it riskier to engage 1099 workers without the right guardrails in place.
Add to that:
- Over $6.5 million in fines issued in the last year due to co-employment violations.
- A 30% increase in global companies citing compliance as their #1 contingent workforce challenge.
We’ll be checking out the conference sessions Choice, Compliance & Cost Savings: Advance Your Workforce Program With Smarter Talent Solutions and Contingent Workforce Compliance: What You Need to Know Now, to learn how leading programs are embedding compliance into their operating models without slowing down hiring velocity.
AI and Automation are Changing Talent Engagement
A recent Deloitte survey found that 71% of HR and procurement leaders are now exploring AI or automation to improve how they manage contingent labor. And it's not just for sourcing.
Top applications we’re seeing:
- AI-driven resume screening cuts time-to-fill by up to 35%
- Self-service portals improve onboarding speed by 2x
- Predictive analytics help identify talent needs before they arise
But AI is only as good as the strategy behind it. We’re eager to attend the sessions AI-Powered Workforce Solutions: Smart. Scalable. Innovative and AI in Action: How Workforce Leaders Are Using AI, to learn the best practices to incorporate AI into your talent management workflows.
Total Talent Strategy is Becoming the Norm
According to the Everest Group, 63% of large enterprises are now investing in total talent initiatives - up from just 38% in 2021. The lines between full-time, part-time, freelance, and contract workers are blurring fast.
What’s changing:
- Integrated workforce planning is replacing fragmented hiring practices
- HR and procurement are collaborating more closely than ever
- Companies that adopt total talent strategies report 18% higher workforce ROI on average
At CWS, we’re excited to see real-world examples of how organizations are unifying their MSP, RPO, and internal teams under one strategic vision.
A few CWS sessions to highlight around this topic are Total Talent Management: Strategies for Unified Workforce Planning and Total Workforce Management Strategy: Aligning HR, Procurement, and Finance.
Agility is Non-Negotiable
Market uncertainty continues to be the norm. A recent SIA report found that 74% of organizations expect to increase their use of contingent labor over the next 12 months as a way to stay flexible.
Why agility matters more than ever:
- Business priorities shift faster than traditional hiring models can support
- Specialized roles, especially in tech and healthcare, are needed for short bursts
- Contingent talent now accounts for nearly 42% of the total workforce in large enterprises
We’re watching closely for new models that support both rapid scale-up and scale-down, while keeping compliance and quality intact.
We’re excited to check out the sessions Navigating What’s Next: From Static Models to Agile, Integrated Ecosystems and Unlocking Direct Sourcing 2.0 - Strategy Meets Speed to learn how to balance agility with quality of hire.
Why this Matters now
Companies are being pushed to operate in a world that is faster, leaner, and more complex than ever before.
- Economic headwinds mean teams need to do more with less
- Widening skills gaps are making it harder to find the right talent quickly
- Operational complexity is rising as organizations expand across geographies, worker types, and systems
This moment requires more than tactical fixes. It calls for a strategic, forward-thinking approach to workforce design.
At DZX, we help our clients build programs that are:
- Fully compliant, globally scalable, and customized to unique business needs
- Designed for agility and driven by data
- Powered by the right mix of people, process, and technology
Where to Find DZX at CWS
We’ll be at Booth #200 throughout the event and would love to connect with you.
- Meet our team of workforce experts
- Explore client success stories across industries
- Learn how we’re helping companies simplify and scale their workforce strategies
- Be entered into our daily raffle to win fun prizes
Want to skip the wait?
Grab some time in advance to chat with our team 1:1.
Ready to gear up for some football?
Check out our invite-only Kickoff Suite event on Sept 7 from 7-10pm CT to catch some football and network with fellow attendees.
We’ll also be hosting a roundtable session during the event with more details coming soon.
