Growing up I thought all that needed to be learned in life was taught in school. However, recent data suggests that as work continues to evolve, the range of skills needed for the workforce are not necessarily incorporated into our education systems. A 2013 survey conducted by EIU/SHRM found that there is a gap between what is learned in higher education and that, which is needed in a work setting. This issue makes it hard for employers to evaluate perspective employee’s qualifications. What further complicates this issue is the lack of standardization across the various education systems, especially in a global setting. According to Manpower Growth 2012 Talent Shortage survey, 49% of employers reported struggle to fill jobs. There are jobs that need to be filled, however there are not the right applicants to fill them. Part of the issue, according to Forbes magazine, may be that our static education systems are not designed for the fast changing nature of work. Curriculums are not changed at the same rate the workforce is. Interestingly, many of the jobs that exist today did not exist a few decades ago, which raises the point – how are we supposed to ready ourselves for a workforce that we can’t predict?
As the nature of work begins to change, so has the layout of the office. Individual office spaces are beginning to disappear. Companies are now toying with a new approach- shared space. According to the International Management Facility Association, seventy percent of American employees work in an open-space office. These open offices, in theory, provide easy access to other employees in the hopes of stirring up collaboration; however, some argue that this layout makes it hard to concentrate. The idea behind the open office space is reasonable. The hope is that by grouping employees together in a big space, people will collaborate and therefore be more effective. In actuality, this plan does not take into account different work ethics. Collaboration is certainly important for success, but so is focus and privacy. Workers need space to do both of these things. Since the open space model does not account for privacy there is often too much noise and distraction, which hinders employees from working effectively.
The United States has one of the worst maternity leave policies in the world. Our country, along with only five others, does not require employees to provide paid maternity leave. Maternity leave is not our only issue. Studies show that workplace policies for families in general (i.e. paid sick days) are lacking compared to other countries. As discussed in class, freelance work is becoming more and more prominent. I fear the job security of a pregnant women in need of maternity leave will eventually be at risk if we do not implement a policy to protect them.
Sources:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/groupthink/2013/08/02/can-we-fix-the-skills-gap/
http://futurehrtrends.eiu.com/challenges-human-resource-management/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2013/05/17/why-the-open-office-fails-and-a-solution/2/
http://www.inc.com/news/articles/200702/family.html
Alyssa, the statistics you presented in regards to our education system are extremely intriguing. Similarly to the argument I made, you state that employers are seemingly unconvinced by the employees on the job market. The fact of the matter is that our higher education system is not getting the job done. The world is changing on a technological level at a rate no one has ever observed, but like you said, our education system seems to keep the same curriculum for years on end. Our higher education curriculums should be working hand-in-hand with employers in an attempt to build a bridge for the bright young minds of tomorrow. At this point in time, education seems to be hindering us. As for your points regarding office layouts, I don’t believe that a standardized office layout is a solution. Each person performs his/her most effective work in a different setting. For me, I work best when I am in a confined space with no one to bother me. Others may deem a collaborative work space as beneficial for their own productivity. I think that desired work space layout is unique for each and every person. At the end of the day, productivity is a result of a person’s own comfort level in their place of work.
Your final point on maternity leave caught my attention. A world of freelance workers would create a culture where companies had no ties to those that they employed. Short-term contracting, while gives more freedom to the work schedule of a new or expecting mother, does not account for compensation during that lost time. With the changing nature of work, many are worried about where working individuals will get health insurace, retirement plans and many other benfits of the traditional workplace. The difference with maternity leave, is that unfortunately, new and expecting mothers do not really benefit at all in the traditional American workplace. As you mentioned, companies are not required to give any paid leave to pregnant women, and freelance or small business workers are not guaranteed any leave at all. In addition, modern society is becoming a place where men are increasingly more involved in childcare. In many European countries not only are women given often given a significant maternity leave, but paternity leave also exists. Despite the incrediable advances in the workplace, it is clear that the US is far behind the rest of the Western world in this respect. The issue you present is a serious one, but I believe it is one of the current American workplace, and I only see it worsening in the future of work that we have been discussing.