Dan Barcheski: The Elephant and the Flea – the Future of Employment

In the world of employment, we often see two types of entities: "Elephants" and "Fleas". The Elephants refer to large Regional, National, or Global companies – these are the beasts of burden, carrying enormous resources and employees in their structure. On the other hand, Fleas symbolize individuals who leave the shelter of organizations and fend for themselves, demonstrating agility and flexibility.

The 20th-century employment society was like a steady ship sailing through mostly calm seas. It delivered secure household incomes for most, served as a convenient tax collecting mechanism, and provided a way of categorizing society into segments. People generally knew what their job entailed and what the future held, even if their job changed a few times during their tenure within the organization. This seemingly static situation kept families and societies stable and somewhat predictable.

However, today's large organizations, or "Elephants," are no longer providing the jobs or the secure future they once did. In fact, they're experiencing a transformation through mergers, technological advances, and globalized outsourcing. We're witnessing a shift away from full-time employment towards a form of self-employment or independent work.

Consider this: By 2011, microenterprises (companies employing 5 or fewer people) made up 85% of all employers. This means only 15% of businesses employed more than 5 people. The driving forces behind this paradigm shift are technology and globalization, altering the employment landscape as we know it.

Such transitions are not new. History provides numerous examples, like the plight of the farm hand or the general laborer. However, the acceleration and the breadth of this change differ from past experiences.

In the forthcoming era, possibly the Age of the Knowledge Worker, the employment scenario could be quite different. The first paradox here is that smaller might equate to more power, an observation we can draw from past lessons.

But another paradox emerges: the very instruments of empowerment – the Information Age, the Internet, and Algorithms – could pose threats to professionals. They may lead to job automation and unemployment, particularly impacting data-driven work in high skilled industries like legal, medical, architectural, and engineering sectors.

As a result, workers will need to pivot towards tasks that aren't susceptible to computerization, requiring them to develop creative and social intelligence.

A Prediction
Educational institutions, struggling to keep up with the speed of change, may fail to adequately prepare individuals for this new world. In the wise words of Charles Handy, it is "absurdly impractical to prepare a person for the world as it was, or as you would like it to be, when the reality is so different."

The HR professionals' role will evolve to become more strategic and less task-oriented. They will need to train people for specific organizational needs, with a strong focus on developing soft skills. Furthermore, recognizing that many knowledge jobs that exist today may soon become obsolete, HR professionals will need to understand the role of the "flea" in organizations.

The Business Perspective
For small to mid-sized businesses navigating this shift, one could draw a parallel with baking a cake.

Firstly, you need to follow basic directions – awareness of the changes in the HR marketplace and senior management support are crucial. Secondly, you need the right ingredients. Here, those are the latest HR tools that help your team stay competitive.

Next is the proper method to mix these ingredients, analogous to delivering relevant tools to your team and ensuring the right training is in place.

Then, just like baking the cake at the right temperature and for the right duration, remember that change doesn't happen overnight.

Finally, just as you would finish the cake with frosting, you must continually fine-tune the mix of tools and training. Understanding the dynamics of the future of employment will put you in a position to truly be successful.

Conclusion

Change, especially of this magnitude, is often met with denial and fear. However, as philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer rightly observed, "All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is opposed. Third, it is accepted as self-evident."

As we stand on the brink of this new employment world, it is essential to be prepared and adaptive. After all, the future belongs to those who can best respond to the ever-evolving landscape of employment. We’re wishing you the very best on the road ahead.