Three Major Trends In The Workplace

The workplace as we know it is changing. Employersup wages and require the loosening of immigrants in
will need to adjust how they conduct business in orderorder to fill the gap.
to better recruit and maintain qualified candidates. TheTrend 2: High Technology
new workplace will likely be different then what wasJobs will become increasing complex. Computers, cell
experienced in the past. The world is moving into aphones, networks, complex robots, machinery, etc... will
faster paced high-tech and human orientatedall be designed for speed and efficiency. The U.S.'s
environment where all hands will need to be on deck.best chance of maintaining business superiority is to
The major labor and cultural trends are defined below.have a highly technologically advanced workplace with
Businesses will have to learn how to be flexible andmaximum productivity and efficiency.
adjust to these changes in the market and workplace.Many blue collar jobs are likely to be lost to the new
They will be forced to change or perish under thetechnology. Those jobs that will remain in the blue collar
crushing weight of a declining educational system, ansector will decline in value (due to oversupply of under
aging population and new advancements. Theskilled workers) while the highly skilled jobs will increase
changes are likely to swing into effect in 2010 whenin value (due to an under-supply of skilled workers).
the problems become more apparent and realized byFor those who have a high level of education and skills
corporate executives.they will no longer be bound by the physical
Those workers who are most likely to be advantagedrequirements of their jobs. Therefore, many of them
by the situation are those that have earned a collegecan work from home, stay home more often or work
degree or who have entered specialized tradenon-traditional hours. More workers will be freed from
schools. The unskilled and underemployed may findtheir traditional 9:00 am to 5:00 pm responsibilities.
that there are few jobs available for them and thoseTrend 3: More Women and Minorities
that are available pay sub-standard wages.Women college graduates are increasing while male
Trend 1: Labor Shortage:college graduates are decreasing. We will also be
"Labor-short companies are increasingly willing toexperiencing the highly skilled second and third
accommodate employees' desire for more flexiblegeneration children of immigrants. These children of
scheduling, evidenced by the growing number of firmsimmigrants will have college degrees and will enter into
offering telecommuting, flex-time, and core hoursthe workforce in jobs not experienced by their parents.
(Challenger, 2000)."It is also possible to find that the Hispanic culture takes
Starting around 2012 the Baby Boomers will be leavingmore gripe on American society. Due to international
the employment market in droves and the wont betreaties with other American countries (i.e. South
enough 25-40 year olds to take their place. EvenAmerican countries) and increases of home grown
though the younger generation should be large it willLatino culture of urban centers many of traditions and
create labor shortages in the market. This may driveculture icons of American culture will become Latinized.