Living with Job Insecurity in the New Economy

No doubt that tomorrow (November 4, 2008) will go down in history. The world is waiting to see if US citizens acknowledge that BIG SHIFTS are happening in the world economy that requires a BIG SHIFT in leadership. Change has been happening in front of our noses for decades and either the “leaders” have not been clued in or they have been burying their heads in the sand. The workplace and employment as we know it has been and is going through a huge transformation.

Manufacturing, as well as much of the service sector, is undergoing a transformation as profound as the one experienced by the agricultural sector at the beginning of the last century. We are still in the early stages AND clearly we are experiencing a shift from mass labor to highly skilled labor, along with increasing automation in the production of goods and delivery of services. Analysts predict that, in this century, employment as we know it is likely to be phased out in industrialized nations of the world. Human labor is being systematically eliminated from the economic process. A new generation of sophisticated information and communication technologies, together with new forms of business reorganization and management, is wiping out full-time employment for millions of blue- and white-collar workers.In a ruthless, globally competitive market, companies can no longer afford the luxury of holding on to more employees than they need. Because of technology, some jobs are being eliminated completely.The evidence is clear that we are shifting to a new economy – one that is booming for some jobs, and devastating for others.

What do these changes signify for you? Are you taking notice, taking responsibility, and investing in yourself to prepare for change or are you burying your head in the sand?

In future blogs in November, I will offer keys to the new job security.

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