HUMAN CAPITAL RISKS
Too much redesign and reorganization leave employees reeling, feeling
directionless and ultimately unproductive. It can also cause a heightened sense of isolation, a perceived lack of support from peers, and a decrease in energy levels.
7
Mercer, and Oliver Wyman. (2018). The Twin Threats of Aging and Automation. Available at: https://http://www.77cn.com.cn/our-thinking/career/the-twin-threats-of-aging-and-automation.html
It’s not just jobs that are changing, but who does the work. To date, there has been more chatter than adoption when it comes to the gig economy, but executives remain bullish on the concept. In fact, 79% of executives expect that contingent and freelance workers will substantially replace full-time employees in the coming years — and predictions vary by industry (Figure 7).
A “platform for talent” mindset (an emerging trend in last year’s study) is increasingly
prevalent. Experiments in how to intelligently match skill supply with work demand are underway across industries and, for some, extend beyond matching their own talent to job opportunities to include those in industry consortia.
The use of contingent workers is rising, especially for transferable skills such as project management and UX design. This is enabling investment in and retention of core workers who are
engaged in higher value work and those related to intellectual capital. To support this move, companies are creating a new lexicon for jobs and skill requirements to develop the building blocks for future roles. At the same time,
companies are investing in technology platforms, internal gig marketplaces, and contingent talent agencies to make it easier to find top talent — both inside and outside the company.
With the potential for increased job displacement on the horizon, technology platforms that connect companies to former employees and future candidates can help tap into those who:
? Have in-demand industry skills or know-how, but have been displaced
? Need to temporarily leave the workplace but still want to keep their skills up to date to ease re-entry ? Are nearing retirement and want project-based or part-time work
Focusing on older workers has become more urgent because this population is acutely
vulnerable to automation — older workers tend to be concentrated in jobs where at least 50% of the tasks can be automated.7 And with 75% of employees intending to keep working post-retirement age, and five generations working side-by-side, it has never been more important for businesses and society to think creatively about how to leverage experienced workers.
T H E S H I F T I N G S H A P E O F W O R K
FIGURE 7. CONTINGENT/FREELANCE WORKERS WILL SUBSTANTIALLY REPLACE FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT (% A G R E E)
Automotive Consumer Goods Life
Sciences
Insurance
Tech
Financial Services
Energy Healthcare Retail
97%96%90%86%83%80%
77%59%50%
8A L I G N I N G W O R K T O F U T U R E V A L U E