Now more than ever before, the workplace is a vibrant collaboration of varying demographics, including employees from all walks of life, age groups and backgrounds. While the new face of the average workforce presents the potential of new ideas, it also brings about new challenges which you must handle. Identifying these individual challenges with the modern workforce is the first step in creating unified employees.
In the 1990s the workforce was changing from the permanent or tenured pension-holder that was either working a career in a union shop or climbing the corporate ladder within a stable and secure company. Some 25 years later the world has changed again. The days of employment and payroll benefit packages are now fading, being replaced again by per diem work and contracts for projects.
Demographics of the workforce are changing and the age of workers is a factor. Other factors are gender and diversity in the workplace. What other challenges do employers face in the changing workforce? An ongoing study, The National Study of the Changing Workforce (NSCW), by the Families and Work Institute, gives some insight into the challenges of the changing workforce.
The Age Gap
Different generations have different ways of looking at work. Those closer to retirement may view work as the traditional 9 to 5 work day while those in a younger generation may look at work differently, where they arrive later, work off hours or even offer remote services. The age gap can prove challenging if you do not handle it correctly. This new face of the modern workplace can potentially cause rifts with employees, or it can work out to your advantage, if you utilize each individual’s strong points.
The face of the changing workforce finds the growing multi-culture workforce is more diverse than ever. Companies are expected to be more empathetic toward aging employees, gender issues, and cultural sensitivities while adjusting their workforce.
It’s Not Just a Man’s World
Just a few decades ago, if you entered any office you’d likely see Caucasian males as the majority of workers, outside of the occasional female secretary or assistant. Times have significantly changed and it is no longer just a man’s world. Women make up nearly an equal percentage in the workplace (depending on your industry), and both men and women come from different backgrounds. Having diverse employees is an excellent change as it can bring about new ideas thanks to each employee coming from varying walks of life.
The increasing female workforce has put pressure on their counterparts according to the National Study of the Changing Workforce. The study finds married men in the workforce working longer and harder than single men. Married women are juggling work, family and all that goes with the territory and expect their partners to put in equal time
Generational Population is Primary Change in Workforce
Baby Boomers, a large portion of the working population are the oldest working segment. As baby Boomers enter retirement the workforce is slowing. Excellent health care and a health conscience society are allowing many baby boomers to work longer before retiring.
The labor force of 1950 rate of 62 million increasing to 141 million in the year 2000 with expectations of increasing to 192 million by 2050. The rate of 1.6 per year between 1950 and 2000 is expected to decrease to .6 between 2000 and 2050.
Today’s workforce is a distant cousin to the one from 25 years ago. Those in their 40s have seen it all and have lived through two changes already. The young people coming in for the first time have no attachments, no prior experiences, and no commitments. So any kind of change is simply part of the new landscape they are seeing for the first time. Tomorrow’s workforce won’t be attached to companies. They will be fluid, moving from project to project. They will be smart, and fast. The question, can today’s companies keep up with them.
About nexus IT group
nexus IT group is a specialized IT staffing agency who recruits top tech talent across the US. If you have an immediate IT opening, or are a job seeker looking to advance your IT career, you’ve come to the right IT staffing firm, contact nexus IT group. We have access to highly skilled, top talent most can’t easily get in front of, so let our recruiting team show you why so many firms trust and love our staffing agency.
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