The work world is changing. The traditional employment model of going to work for a company full-time, and remaining there until retirement, is nearly obsolete. Instead, a new era is emerging in this nation's collective workplace with the "on-demand” workforce taking front and center. And, more than likely, this approach is here to stay.
What's Changed
The sun has been setting on the days of the "paternalistic” organization, offering lifelong employment in exchange for employee loyalty, long before the current recession ever hit us. The recession, however, can be credited with accelerating changes in the work paradigm, as countless businesses were forced to make cost-saving choices and organizational changes to reduce the burden of payroll. The impending recovery, however, won't necessarily translate into systematic rehiring at the pre-recession level, as companies have adapted their structures and processes to the pared-down workforce levels. What these companies need now, to ensure their own economic recovery, is a workforce that can clock in, do the job and then disappear from their labor costs.
Who's Changing
There has been a shift in recent years in the way employees view their commitment to their work lives. Out of necessity, workers have adapted to the reality of creating their own nontraditional career paths. While some seek out part-time jobs because of the scarcity of full-time positions, many workers are combining multiple part-time jobs and project engagements to merely make ends meet. At the same time and as importantly, workers increasingly desire more freedom and flexibility in their work lives in order to meet personal and family obligations.
The Reality and The Upside
Labor experts estimate that by 2019 approximately 40% of the workforce will be independent contractors. This on-demand workforce provides businesses with the talent to get the work done while allowing these employers the flexibility to control costs. For workers, the trend brings opportunities for greater flexibility to meet their personal and family needs; and encompasses long-term part-time jobs, short-term assignments, flexible work hours and job sharing opportunities.
Additionally, the Employment Policy Foundation estimates that within the next ten years there will be a 6 million person gap in the number of college graduates versus the number of college-educated workers needed to cover the expected job growth. This is good news down the road for educated workers with high-demand skills, as those professionals with highly specialized skills and market niches will be in a good position to pick and choose their optimal terms of employment.
It is still unclear how this talent shortage will affect the future creation of full-time job opportunities. In the meantime, workers are well advised to take their careers into their own hands, hone their specialized skills and seek out unconventional opportunities in the impending brave new world of employment.
---
To learn more about "on-demand” workforce and uncover how these resources can support your company's growth contact Gina Kopera with 10 til 2, partner to ISSSC, at CincyStaffing@tentiltwo.com or (513) 403-3197. Any position, from Project Management and Six Sigma to Inventory and Bookkeeping, it can be done "on demand" call Gina now!
ISSSC has the professional development training you need to be competitive in the "on-demand" work world. Courses and certifications in areas such as Lean, Six Sigma, Project Management, ITIL, and Operations & Management are available to help you or your company excel! Visit www.isssc3.com or call 513-834-8332 for a free consultation today.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment