Last week I wrote a blog introducing the concept of Workforce 7.0 in anticipation of my SalesTalk this Thursday evening at Verde Martin in Omaha. In that blog, I laid out the previous iterations of the American workforce and the major events that coincided with the shifting dynamics away from a place where the employer holds all the power to a place where the employee now has more power than ever before.
So, now that we’re here, the question is how we as leaders can set our organizations up to succeed. In this blog, I’ll outline a few of the key circumstances you need to be aware of, and how to position yourself to prepare for and take advantage of those realities.
Technology. The rise in consumer technologies means that the employee now has the capability to do a huge number of jobs on their own that they previously needed to rely on their employer to provide technology for. The tool of the internet also enables many workers to vastly expand the geographic possibilities for finding work. You’re no longer limited to the town you live in, but rather are subject to the tendencies of the global market. Because of the internet, information is freely available as well. You can learn to do almost anything using the internet as your resource.
Organizational uncertainty. Today, we work more than we sleep. 74% of workers would consider finding a new job, while 32% are actively looking. Why would someone want to work for a traditional employer when the securities afforded by traditional employers in the past are no longer guaranteed? And it’s not just the millennial generation that are experiencing these doubts, either. Workforce 7.0 is one that features equal numbers of boomers, gen Xers, and millennials.
Solopreneurship. More and more Americans are turning towards alternative work practices like remote work or solopreneurship. The levels of satisfaction among people who identify as self-employed or solopreneurs is about 80%, nearly four times the average of traditional employees. A major part of this satisfaction is due to these individuals’ greater control over their time. They accomplish their work when it is convenient for them and end up having more “free” time to pursue the other things they value in life.
So: what can you do to keep your top talent happy? First of all, acknowledge these changes. Know that people are no longer likely to put your company above everything else. Put policies in place that show (not just say) that your employees are your greatest asset. Rethink the concept of incentives to go beyond a vacation and a pay raise. And foster a positive, wholesome environment that empowers employees at their desk—and away from it.
I hope you will be able to join me this Thursday from 5 to 6 pm at Union Bank & Trust at 2720 S 177th St. in Omaha for my SalesTalk where I’ll dive deeper into these topics. Click here to register for free. If you can’t make it but are interested in learning more about Workforce 7.0, email me at scott@doubledareyou.us or schedule a free 15 minute call, here.
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photo credit: Bryce Canyon National Park – Utah via photopin (license)
