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Workplace trends

What’s hot in the world of work in 2010 and beyond?

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:56

2010 is no doubt a milestone year for South Africa as we anticipate the arrival of the world for the biggest event ever to be hosted on the African continent, the FIFA 2010 World Cup.

And, while 2009 was all about apprehension and anxiety in the wake of the global economic meltdown, 2010 is all about optimism and possibilities, advises leading professional staffing organisation, Professional Career Services.

As they say; what goes up must come down and then of course go up again. Our economy is exactly the same and after a few ‘boom’ years, it was inevitable that we would hit a few tough years.

The world of work is changing daily at an ever faster pace. In days gone by, companies and recruiters simply placed job adverts in newspapers, but the advent and growth of the internet and with that social media networks has forever changed the way in which talent is sourced and acquired.

With ever increasing competition and the fact that these competitors can provide products and services faster and cheaper, the focus has sharply shifted to the importance of not only finding, but retaining top performing talent; people who bring a little more than just skills and experience to the table.

Twenty years ago, envisaging today’s world may have seemed a little like science fiction, but Lesley Holm, Professional Career Services Divisional Manager, comments, “if we have learnt one key thing it’s always expect the impossible”.

So, Holm looks forward and beyond to highlight the likely top ten workplace trends for 2010 and beyond:

1. The calm before the storm.

As mentioned, what goes down must go up again according to Newton’s Law of Gravity. That means that as we move into economic recovery, top talent that have been holding onto their jobs will suddenly find opportunities opening up and employers can well expect a flurry of resignations and with that an increase in counter offers and remuneration. Employers need to be aware that top performers have options and they need to work a little harder at ensuring they do all that is necessary to retain them.

2. Smart talent investment.

Employers and economists are unanimous in their agreement that if the sudden onslaught of the global economic meltdown had taught business one vital lesson, it is that money management matters. Or better yet, prudent money management. That means that just because we are looking to better economic times ahead, does not mean that companies are going to start spending.

Rather, they are likely to become far more prudent with their spend. Employers are therefore likely to continue their strong focus on sourcing and acquiring top performers, and for this they would spend money. Job hunters need to be aware of this and grasp that it is about much more than just skills and experience, it’s about the added ‘X-factor’ if they are to make it to the top of the job applications pile.

3. Level out the playing field.

The economic volatility of the past two years has seen the global media placing the spotlight on the remuneration of top corporate executives.

And, while they obviously carry an enormous burden in terms of leading and managing their organisations and most importantly, the risk of success or failure of the company and need to be rewarded accordingly, the call for a more levelled out remuneration playing field seems to be loud and clear.

Along with this, is the call for greater transparency and consultative management.

4. Benefits matter.

In today’s world of work, top performers are expected to bring a little something extra to the table, but what extras are employers bringing to the table.

While many of South Africa’s large corporates have introduced exciting and innovative benefits, there are far too many employers who still do not see the value in providing added-value to employees.

These include benefits aimed at improving work-life balance, stress and wellbeing. The next decade is likely to see an increase in demand for these from top performing talent.

5. Visionary leadership.

Along with the need for top performers, the face of the workforce is changing as we see the younger generations (gen X and Y) moving into and up the workforce ladder.

These are just some of the workplace dynamics that has seen a call for a new style of management and leadership. The younger generations demand that their leaders are present and accounted for; that managers lead rather than just manage.

Anyone can be a manager, but it takes a combination of skill and personal attributes such as vision to be a true leader. Continued and even increased investment in management and leadership is therefore likely to become a key part of any workplace strategy over the next decade.

6. Power to the people.

It’s quite simple, society matters. One of the fundamentals of business success is its contribution to and interaction with society.

Let’s not forget that it is society that buys your products and services and allows you to be in business. South African society in particular need for employers to become more involved and to make a greater contribution to the general economic and social wellbeing of society.

7. Outsourcing and flexibility.

The trend to outsource non-essential jobs and to retain a core of key staff is likely to continue into the next decade. This of course not only benefits organisations, but also employees.

The concept of a ‘job for life’ is long gone. While there are still a large portion of ‘die harders’ out there clinging to their positions, the real movers-and-shakers of the world of work are tending towards five to ten year stints.

8. FYI TIC.

Or, rather, for your information, talk is cheap; literally. How did we ever get by without the internet or mobile technology? This has forever changed the world of communication.

Everything can be done faster, more efficiently and literally on demand. Marshall McLuhan first coined the concept of the global village in the mid 1960s and in today’s technology driven world, time and place no longer matter. You can literally do business anywhere, any time.

The world of language too has changed and while we may continue to cling to language as we were taught, the next decade is likely to see a drastic revolution in the use of the English language.

9. It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.

With Face book, Twitter and a myriad other social networks appearing faster than unwanted mushrooms on your lawn after the rain, one thing is for sure; they’re here to stay.

While employers are scramming to ban and block the social networks on their systems, the next year and beyond will see them forced to embrace these as critical business and marketing tools.

Don’t forget that most mobile phones now have internet connectivity, so just because employees can’t use your network system to access their favourite sites, does not mean that they’re not doing it. If you can’t beat them? Join them.

10. Green, green, green.

We’re not talking about the colour of money here. No, we’re talking about the environment. As the so-called ‘green’ trend continues, it is likely to gain much more impetus in this decade.

Employers play a critical role in adapting a ‘greening’ philosophy not only in their daily business, but also in their culture. The commitment to greening should not be just a ‘working committee’ issue, but should become a way of life for all.

Whereas diversity and HIV/Aids have been the hot topics during the past decade, greening and sustainability is the buzz of the next decade.

“The only constant is change and we’re likely to see the world of working changing even faster through 2010 and beyond”, concludes Holm.