As the older generations start to age out of the market, whole new sets of workers are starting to enter. These new, younger workers have different expectations, different wants, and different desires for a job.
Today, workers 18-24 change jobs an average of 5.7 times. This is a dramatic difference from the two to three changes those of the older generations would make.
When it comes to differences, that’s just one of many. Another very large change is the growing popularity of remote work. The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown that followed brought remote work into popularity out of necessity. Although years later, people still show a massive preference for it. 32 per cent of knowledge workers have gone as far as to quit their job because it wasn’t remote.
61 per cent would go as far as to switch jobs if they were offered a remote alternative. Overwhelmingly workers today prefer flexible, digital work. It’s not surprising either, and remote work leads to more family time, more savings, and less hassle. In response, jobs are moving in this direction. Although that is just one way in which employers are changing to adapt to the new workforce.
Changes in culture
Many of the other most prominent changes involve changes in culture. While older generations enjoy strong competition and moving up the chain, that is no longer the case. Modern workers tend to have a much stronger preference for cooperation and affirmation. A workplace with strongly bonded teams and a lack of hierarchy are becoming more popular.
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Another cultural shift is the move towards the wellness of employees. Sitting down and grinding away for ten hours in gruelling conditions isn’t as accepted as it used to be. Instead, workplaces designed for comfort, with realistic breaks and even perks, are much more popular.
Remote work at its peak
Moving away from culture, small businesses are gaining popularity after their downfall. This comes as a side effect of the growth in remote work. Removing the costs of big business while operating digitally gives smaller businesses a chance to really specialise and flourish.
Remote work at large promotes more original and diverse ideas. The possibility of hiring people across different states, regions, or even countries brings new perspectives. People are now valued for their originality instead of being punished for it. These are all just a few of the trends that are taking place in higher-wage knowledge-based industries.
Job-market roundup
This is important to mention. While these changes can be really positive and prominent, they’re not happening on every level. In fact, they’re not even happening in the fastest-growing job markets. Out of the 10 fastest-growing job markets, six make less than US$32,000 a year. These are jobs like waiters, fast food employees, packagers, and menial lower-skilled labour.
Jobs like these are not really seeing many of these cultural changes. The industry is too brutal and unforgiving to allow it. Even when looking at the four jobs that do make more than $32,000, not all would see these changes. Nurses, for example, are in a similarly high-stress, unforgiving industry.
Luckily the other three jobs, software developers, general and operations managers, and market research analysts, do benefit from these changes. This is generally positive, but the question arises, if most people aren’t benefiting, what can be done? Luckily there are some universals.
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Universally more creative, well-rounded, emotionally competent employees are desired. The job market is moving towards a more wellness-based, cooperative place, just more slowly for some. Technology is looking to be the great unifier in this respect, slowly creating more opportunities for creative work. Although inevitably, some people will be left behind.
This puts those looking to enter the job market today in an interesting place. The set of skills required and expectations can vary wildly depending on what field one enters.
Final thoughts
What should new workers be trained for? More soft skills to be well-rounded, or more direct skills to be able to simply get a job?
Unfortunately, there is no clear answer to the question. What is clear is that things are changing and that regardless of what industry one occupies, one should be prepared. This doesn’t mean completely changing one’s expectations. It doesn’t mean fundamentally trying to revamp one’s resume and skillset. It just means keeping an eye on what changes are occurring and making sure not to swim against the flow.
There are countless ways in which the world is changing today, but few are as important as the job market. Unemployment globally fluctuates, it never tends to get too high or too low. What does dramatically shift in work culture and having a job mean? The factory workers of the 1800s had an experience incomparable to workers today. Workers in the year 2080 may be able to say the same thing.
The difference is there is the power to know about the shifts and to adapt. Knowledge is power, and everyone has the chance to be knowledgeable. This is the number one power of the job market today.
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