Five Sweeping Trends That Will Shape Your Company's Future

The New Workforce


Five Sweeping Trends That Will Shape Your Company's Future



Author: Harriet Hankin

Pub Date: November 2004



Overview

Think beyond today’s human resources issues...and into the future.

Today’s workplace is already a tapestry comprising people of countless different backgrounds, ethnicities, age groups, regions, and more. But that diversity is just the beginning of a radical shift in the makeup—and requirements—of tomorrow’s workforce.

The New Workforce gives you a clear picture of the rapid changes now underway—along with the steps required to attract and retain motivated, loyal, and productive employees. Based on a wealth of statistics, research, interviews, and firsthand experience, the book pinpoints five sweeping trends:

* An increasingly aging yet active population: Lifestyle changes and medical advances are keeping people alive and fit into their 90s; financial pressures and personal desire are keeping them working as well. Companies that can harness the power of these experienced and skilled employees will reap concrete financial benefits.

* The decline of the nuclear family and the rise of alternative households: Once considered the unshakable norm, the traditional nuclear family now represents only a small fraction of households. Today’s workforce increasingly consists of female heads of households, same-sex partners, stay-at-home dads, dual-income families, unmarried couples, and other arrangements. And the benefits programs required to support and retain them are quickly evolving to make flexibility a key component.

* Four generations working side by side—with a fifth on the way: The Silent Generation, the Baby Boomers, Generation X, the Baby Boom Echo, and the newest entrants to the world—the Millennium Generation…. Each has competing needs, values, expectations, and working styles. Smart companies will mine the wisdom and experience of their older employees with the energy and stamina of the younger ones to create a powerful multi-generational workforce.

* A workplace that is growing more diverse and more blended: Whether it’s race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or sexual orientation, the workforce is growing more diverse at a faster rate than ever before. Truly successful companies won’t just tolerate diversity; they will accept and respect their workforce in a blender.

* The need for a “higher purpose” in the workplace: A paycheck is not the only thing that employees want. Studies show that they also seek a spiritual component, which includes personal growth, balance, and meaningful purpose. Organizations that champion trust, individual respect, and ethical conduct will build committed workforces and creative thinkers.

In addition to mapping the path from current needs to future requirements, The New Workforce supplies powerful ideas for radically revamping HR policies, recruiting efforts, compensation and benefits, and learning and training, including advice on: flexible scheduling, in-house medical support, double family leave, telecommuting, literacy tutoring, sabbatical programs, digital matching, aptitude testing, total-rewards strategies, mentoring up, and much more.

The New Workforce is indispensable for human resources professionals, managers and executives, and entrepreneurs. It’s an all-in-one resource for peering into the immediate future and preparing for the rapidly changing face of tomorrow’s workforce.