Career trends here to stay
The world of work is changing. This comes with both positives and negatives. Similar to other great historical periods of change (like the industrial and agricultural revolutions), across the world we are having to rethink how we work and what skills are going to be relevant in the new world. In this article we share some of the career trends being seen globally and some of the pros and cons you’re likely to experience.
The trends you’ll enjoy
More flexibility
Technology is now allowing people to leave the notion of one desk all week behind. Working from home or even remotely while travelling is becoming increasingly easy and accepted. With video conferencing software, instant communication and increasingly globalised companies, this is a trend that is set to rise.
Regular retraining and upskilling options
As jobs shift and the tasks that employees are required to perform change, organisations and education providers are realising that they need to step up their game in delivering innovative and flexible retraining and upskilling options. You are likely to see a number of different modes of learning that will make it easier than ever to learn new skills.
Greater diversity
Organisations are well and truly connecting the dots that a great diversity of workers provides a rich tapestry of perspectives that can help to boost culture and productivity. This is not a fad that will pass. You will continue to see an increasingly diverse employee base in most organisations that will help to empower a new generation of voices to share unique perspectives.
Increased pathways into career change
The idea of one career for life is out the window. As the workforce becomes more accustomed to people pivoting and trying new things, it is going to become more accessible than ever for people to make career changes. This will both be due to more flexible reskilling options and also a greater acceptance from employers that career changers bring unique and valuable perspectives into their new career.
The trends that will challenge you
Lowered stability
As organisations get access to an increasingly global workforce and look to streamline their process and lower their overheads the move towards part-time and contracted workers is on the rise. Organisations are taking longer than ever to commit to full-time workers and are taking advantage of employee relationships with no strings attached in contract and part-time roles. This is being seen with an increase in Australians who are experiencing underemployment where they can find enough work to make ends meet even with multiple part-time or contract roles.
Expected overtime
Technology is already making it difficult to switch off after work. As communication technology becomes more seamless (and probably addictive) it is likely that unless organisations create strict policies, the expectation to work longer hours and always be contactable will continue to increase.
The pressures of constant innovation
What is blockchain and do I need to care? Keeping up with the current rate of technological change and how it will impact your job will become an increasingly large part of your regular work load. It is likely that your need to stay up-to-date with advances in technology will increase and it may start to feel like there is pressure on you to constantly be learning and innovating. This is great, but it might also be really challenging.
Oversupply of qualified applicants and mismatch of supply and demand
As some jobs are invented and others disappear there is going to be a mismatch in the skills of employees and the demands needed by employers. This is already starting to become a serious issue in many countries and is likely to rise. If you want to think about future-proofing your skills and career path, it is worth spending some time reading reports on skills of the future. We even created a future-proof job series that highlights jobs set to rise into the future: https://blog.careerhq.com.au/surprising-jobs-future/
The cost of retraining/education
While short courses and innovative educational solutions are set to skyrocket into the future, the price of specialised degrees could continue to rise. In Australia, the cost of university and other tertiary degrees continue to rise making it a large investment to retrain and/or upskill.
Loss of entry level jobs
As computers improve and start to seamlessly perform manual tasks, the lowering of entry level jobs is set to rise. Whereas in the past entry level workers would have performed these tasks, fewer positions in this space will be available.
Don’t fear – just keep learning and you’ll be fine
It’s easy to get caught up in worrying about how technology is going to impact your job and industry. The best antidote to this is to just keep learning and to keep and open mind to how you can work with these changes to make your job even more effective. This problem solving and adaptability will make you a great asset to any organisation.