The Cynical Girl: The future of work. |  |
| Posted: 11 Oct 2013 05:30 AM PDT
The first way it’s changing? There is a rise in temporary and portfolio work. This is a global phenomenon. Companies want a flexible, more agile workforce. They also want one that’s cheaper. If Jack Welch‘s vision of putting workers on a barge can happen, it will happen. Wait, it already is happening. The second way it’s changing? Businesses are talking out of both sides of their mouths. For as much as they want to reduce the cost of labor, they are also pretending to care about engagement and wellness. If a company can pay you in ego instead of cash, they will. There are tax advantages for giving you gifts, feeding you in a cafeteria and sheltering you in a company-owned home. Wait until your employer wants to stick you in a dorm with free wifi to see how much you like a boss who “cares” about you. The final way it’s changing? If they can automate your job, they will. As much as employers want flexible workers and people attached to the cloud, what they really want are robots. And robots are actually too expensive. They want algorithms. You might think that artificial intelligence has its limitations, but the advancements are fascinating and scary. So what does this mean for workers? Well, I am not sure. Milton Friedman proposed a permanent income for workers. (Look what it’s done for free and fair places like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Alaska!) What does this mean for human resources? There will probably be three populations to manage: full-time employees (FTEs), temps and robots of some kind. FTEs are a shrinking pool and their processes will remain with human resources or some sort of PEO. Portfolio and temp workers cannot and should not be managed through human resources, which means they will be coordinated through finance and procurement departments. And the software and infrastructure needed to manage robots and algorithms will be coordinated through a consortium of project management teams. (Good luck with that.) I am also fascinated by the impact to the growing world of human resources technology. The HR tech community will look different in 2023 than it does today. I just sat through discussions on the cloud, social, mobile, big data, SaaS, social performance management, engagement, gamification, consolidation and interoperability. Many of the products and services cannot be applied to the new workforce. When the solopreneuer and portfolio worker have issues, those issues will be managed by a cross-functional enterprise system that has nothing to do with HR for legal reasons. So, wait, what’s the future of work and technology? I dunno. But it makes sense that people are dreaming about being famous, playing professional sports or being on TV. If you can’t make money in the traditional workforce, you might as well try to differentiate yourself in an industry that strokes your ego and still needs human beings. For now.  |
| Passion doesn’t always mean profession. Posted: 10 Oct 2013 03:45 AM PDT
That's cool. Doing hair is a great job. My Nana was a beautician for over 50 years. She owned a salon in her basement on the south side of Chicago. She managed inventory, ordered equipment and kept a ledger while raising three children and caring for her sick husband. I love my Nana’s story. Doing hair and make-up has empowered so many women all over the world. The beauty industry, as complicated as it can be, lifts women and children out of poverty. But this young chick also told me that if she's not doing hair, she doesn't know who she is. She tried to go to college. Wasn’t for her. That's fine. Not everyone is meant for school. I asked, "Do you have any hobbies?" She said, "I go to the gym and watch beauty videos on YouTube." Yikes. Okay. There you go. This young woman wants to create her own YouTube channel and teach other women how to do hair and make-up. She is also interested in fashion. It sounds like she has an interest in marketing and social media. “No, not really.” Hmm. I asked — how do you define success in the beauty industry? What does that mean? How do you know if you are good at hair, beauty and fashion? Will it be through money? Is it prestige or social recognition from peers? Nope, it's through notoriety. And just being happy. "It's not that I want to be famous or anything. Well, I mean, everyone wants to be famous. I just want to follow my passion. God has blessed me. Success and money will follow." Yeah, okay. I get it. I can't fight Joel Osteen and Rick Warren. When the “happiness industry” meets Jesus, it’s a powerful force. How can my good advice overcome the wisdom of a small group of white men who tell their followers that a purpose-driven life matters more than money? Pffft. So I took a different path and told this young woman that there may come a time in her life when she can't work in the beauty or fashion industry. Maybe she won’t get famous. Or God might bless her in different ways (e.g., with a family) and she might have to make choices about balancing passion with commitments. But it wasn’t a different approach. I sound like her mom. She said, "That’s exactly what the other stylists say. They are in their 40s. I am part of a different generation. I'm not as cynical." Well, okay. Rome wasn’t built in a day. I’ve got some work to do. And I want to clarify that I am very happy that this young woman is having a great experience at work. She is very good at her job and deserves to have some fun. But I want my position to be clear: passion doesn’t mean profession. And you don’t diminish one passion when you add another. In fact, adding other interests and hobbies broadens the possibility of experiencing a truly amazing life. And I just want you to be happy.  |
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I went to Vegas and had my hair pinned back by a 22-year-old woman who believes her purpose in life is to do hair and work in the beauty industry.| You are subscribed to email updates from The Cynical Girl To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
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