The Changing Nature of The Changing Nature of WorkWork

Chapter 14Chapter 14

OverviewOverview

The workforce of tomorrowThe workforce of tomorrow Individual dimensions of change:Individual dimensions of change:

Emotions, Adaptability, Genetic Emotions, Adaptability, Genetic influencesinfluences

Work dimensions of change:Work dimensions of change: Technology, Temporary Technology, Temporary

workforce, Lifelong learningworkforce, Lifelong learning Societal dimensions of change:Societal dimensions of change:

Economic competition, Values, Economic competition, Values, TimeTime

The Workforce of TomorrowThe Workforce of Tomorrow

Fastest growing occupations:Fastest growing occupations: Registered nursesRegistered nurses Postsecondary teachersPostsecondary teachers Retail salespersonsRetail salespersons Medical assistantsMedical assistants Network systems and data Network systems and data

communications analystscommunications analysts Physician assistantsPhysician assistants

Between 2002 and 2012, based on the Bureau Labor Statistics

The Workforce of The Workforce of TomorrowTomorrow Civilian labor force will grow by 12%Civilian labor force will grow by 12% Fastest growing group will be seniorsFastest growing group will be seniors Number of workers 55 and older is Number of workers 55 and older is

projected to increase by 49.3%. projected to increase by 49.3%. They will account for 19.1% of the They will account for 19.1% of the workforce, up from 14.3%workforce, up from 14.3%

Women will also account for a larger Women will also account for a larger share of the working population, up share of the working population, up 1% to 47.5% by 2012.1% to 47.5% by 2012.

Men’s share of the workforce is Men’s share of the workforce is expected to decline by 1% to 52.5%expected to decline by 1% to 52.5%

Between 2002 and 2012, based on the Bureau Labor Statistics

Individual Dimensions: Individual Dimensions: EmotionsEmotions Emotional Labor:Emotional Labor: how employees how employees

behave when they are required to behave when they are required to feel, or at least appear to feel, feel, or at least appear to feel, certain emotions that facilitate their certain emotions that facilitate their job performancejob performance

“…..those who work in customer service may encourage repeat business by showing smiles and good humor, whereas those who work as bill collectors or in law enforcement may find that an angry demeanor results in the best “customer” response (Hochschild, 1983; Sutton, 1991; VanMaanen & Kunda, 1989). For therapists or judges, a lack of emotional responding may be needed when listening to clients. In each case, the emotional expression (or suppression) results in more effective workplace interaction. “

(Grandey, 2000)

Individual Dimensions: Individual Dimensions: EmotionsEmotions Emotions vs. moodsEmotions vs. moods Characteristics of emotions in Characteristics of emotions in

the workplacethe workplaceCommon at workCommon at workProduce positive and negative Produce positive and negative

work outcomeswork outcomes Individual differences affect Individual differences affect

emotionsemotions

Individual Dimensions: Individual Dimensions: AdaptabilityAdaptability

Adaptability: Adaptability: willingness to willingness to embrace new situations.embrace new situations.

Relational skills:Relational skills:CommunicationCommunicationInterpersonal relatingConflict resolutionInfluencing capabilities

Important with shift to work teamsImportant with shift to work teams

Individual Dimensions: Individual Dimensions: AdaptabilityAdaptability Adaptable employees must:Adaptable employees must:

Handle emergencies or crisesHandle emergencies or crises Handle work stressHandle work stress Solve problems creativelySolve problems creatively Deal with uncertain/unpredictable Deal with uncertain/unpredictable

work situationswork situations Learn work tasks, technologies, and Learn work tasks, technologies, and

proceduresprocedures Demonstrate interpersonal adaptabilityDemonstrate interpersonal adaptability Demonstrate physically oriented Demonstrate physically oriented

adaptabilityadaptability

Individual Dimensions: Individual Dimensions: Genetic InfluencesGenetic Influences Genetic differences are Genetic differences are

hypothesized to influence job hypothesized to influence job factors such as job choice, factors such as job choice, performance, how we feel about performance, how we feel about our work, length of time on a our work, length of time on a job, and level of incomejob, and level of incomeOne main areas of research One main areas of research

concerns the heritability of concerns the heritability of stressstress

Individual Dimensions: Individual Dimensions: Genetic InfluencesGenetic Influences

Genetic assessment/measurement:Genetic assessment/measurement: Krumm (2002) suggests that genetic Krumm (2002) suggests that genetic

assessment should be illegal because assessment should be illegal because it could lead to genetic discrimination.it could lead to genetic discrimination.

Genetic discrimination can be defined Genetic discrimination can be defined as the discrimination that results as the discrimination that results "against an individual or a member of "against an individual or a member of an individual's family solely on the an individual's family solely on the basis of that individual's genotype." basis of that individual's genotype." (Krumm, 2002)(Krumm, 2002)

Individual Dimensions: Genetic Individual Dimensions: Genetic Influences—Discrimination Influences—Discrimination

““A 24 year old woman excelled at her social work A 24 year old woman excelled at her social work job. She attends a conference on Huntington’s job. She attends a conference on Huntington’s Disease and discloses that she is at risk for Disease and discloses that she is at risk for developing it. Shortly thereafter, she is fired”. developing it. Shortly thereafter, she is fired”.

““During his first job interview, a 53-year old man During his first job interview, a 53-year old man discloses that he has hemochromatosis, but notes discloses that he has hemochromatosis, but notes that he is asymptomatic. During his second that he is asymptomatic. During his second interview, the employer tells him that he is interview, the employer tells him that he is concerned about his disease. The employer asks if concerned about his disease. The employer asks if the man would be willing to accept the job without the man would be willing to accept the job without medical insurance. Anxious to procure employment, medical insurance. Anxious to procure employment, the man agrees. During his 3the man agrees. During his 3rdrd interview, the interview, the employer informs him that, although the employer employer informs him that, although the employer would like to hire him, it cannot do so because of his would like to hire him, it cannot do so because of his disease”.disease”.

Individual Dimensions: Genetic Individual Dimensions: Genetic Influences—ConsequencesInfluences—Consequences

Krumm (2002) suggests the Krumm (2002) suggests the following consequences of following consequences of genetic testing:genetic testing:Creation of a genetic underclassCreation of a genetic underclassThe violation of individual The violation of individual

privacy rightsprivacy rightsUse of genetic discrimination as Use of genetic discrimination as

a pretext for other forms of a pretext for other forms of discriminationdiscrimination

Work Dimensions: Work Dimensions: Technology Technology

Advances in information Advances in information technology are the driving forces technology are the driving forces behind major changes in how we behind major changes in how we work work (Van der Spiegel, 1995)(Van der Spiegel, 1995)

Issues:Issues:More complex jobsMore complex jobsDifferent types of trainingDifferent types of trainingEnhancing the sharing of Enhancing the sharing of

informationinformationCreating “virtual offices” for Creating “virtual offices” for

workers on the goworkers on the go

Work Dimensions: Work Dimensions: Temporary WorkforceTemporary Workforce In 1990, there were approximately In 1990, there were approximately

100 temporary employment 100 temporary employment agencies and 470,000 temporary agencies and 470,000 temporary employees in US. In 2000, there employees in US. In 2000, there were approximately 1,500 were approximately 1,500 agencies and 1.6 million agencies and 1.6 million employees. These numbers are employees. These numbers are likely to increase.likely to increase.

Why use temporary workers?Why use temporary workers? Less cost for employerLess cost for employer

Work Dimensions: Work Dimensions: Temporary WorkforceTemporary Workforce

Sources of temporary workers:Sources of temporary workers: Women with childrenWomen with children Downsized workersDownsized workers Retired workersRetired workers Recent college graduatesRecent college graduates

Temporary work pays less, has Temporary work pays less, has little or no job security, offers few little or no job security, offers few opportunities for growth. So, opportunities for growth. So, many temporary workers are many temporary workers are unsatisfiedunsatisfied

Work Dimensions: Temporary Work Dimensions: Temporary WorkforceWorkforce Outcomes of temporary workers depend Outcomes of temporary workers depend

on the situation:on the situation: Employees who held temporary jobs Employees who held temporary jobs

voluntarilyvoluntarily, with jobs , with jobs consistent with consistent with their prior educationtheir prior education, had more , had more positive attitudes toward their jobspositive attitudes toward their jobs

Employees Employees looking for permanent looking for permanent jobsjobs were less satisfied with their pay were less satisfied with their pay and their agenciesand their agencies

Employees using their temporary Employees using their temporary agencies to obtain full-time jobs and agencies to obtain full-time jobs and those who were temporary-to-those who were temporary-to-permanent had more positive job permanent had more positive job attitudesattitudes

Work Dimensions: Lifelong Work Dimensions: Lifelong LearningLearning New idea is that workers will New idea is that workers will

learn throughout their lifetime learn throughout their lifetime and career.and career.

Rise of certificate programsRise of certificate programs Organizations as “vendors of Organizations as “vendors of

employment”employment”

Societal Dimensions: Societal Dimensions: Economic CompetitionEconomic Competition

Global competition is the single most Global competition is the single most powerful economic fact of life in the 1990spowerful economic fact of life in the 1990s

In the 1960s, only 7% of the U.S. economy In the 1960s, only 7% of the U.S. economy was exposed to international competition. was exposed to international competition. In the 1980s 70% was exposedIn the 1980s 70% was exposed

Today, one in five American jobs are tied Today, one in five American jobs are tied directly or indirectly to international tradedirectly or indirectly to international trade

Merchandise exports are up more than Merchandise exports are up more than 40% since 1986, and every $1 billion in 40% since 1986, and every $1 billion in U.S. merchandise exports generates U.S. merchandise exports generates approximately 20,000 new jobsapproximately 20,000 new jobs

Societal Dimensions: Societal Dimensions: ValuesValues FairnessFairness

Equity vs. equalityEquity vs. equalityImpact on group differencesImpact on group differences

GenderGenderPhysical strengthPhysical strength

Societal Dimensions: TimeSocietal Dimensions: Time The Bureau of Labor Statistics The Bureau of Labor Statistics

data indicate:data indicate: 10.8 million U.S. managers work 10.8 million U.S. managers work

49 or more hours per week49 or more hours per week Top executives work 50–70 hours Top executives work 50–70 hours

per weekper week An early 1990s poll of 1,344 An early 1990s poll of 1,344

middle managers reported that:middle managers reported that:• 33% of managers work 40–49 33% of managers work 40–49

hours per week,hours per week,• 57% work 51–60 hours per week57% work 51–60 hours per week• 6% work more than 60 hours per 6% work more than 60 hours per

weekweek

Societal Dimensions: TimeSocietal Dimensions: Time ““American workers work 137 hours American workers work 137 hours

more per year than do Japanese more per year than do Japanese workers, 260 hours per year more workers, 260 hours per year more than do British workers, and 499 than do British workers, and 499 hours per year more than do French hours per year more than do French workers.”workers.”

Why do American workers do this?Why do American workers do this? Economists suggested that Economists suggested that

American work hours have a lot to American work hours have a lot to do “with the American psyche, do “with the American psyche, with American culture”with American culture”

Societal Dimensions: TimeSocietal Dimensions: Time Cultural differences:Cultural differences:

Past-orientedPast-oriented cultures focus on cultures focus on traditiontradition

Future-orientedFuture-oriented cultures emphasize cultures emphasize goals, aspirations, future risksgoals, aspirations, future risks

Time as a personality construct:Time as a personality construct: Serial monochronicitySerial monochronicity: doing one task : doing one task

at a time, start to finishat a time, start to finish PolychronicityPolychronicity: doing multiple tasks at : doing multiple tasks at

once.once. Time-based issues are leading cause of Time-based issues are leading cause of

stressstress

ConclusionConclusion

The future may look very The future may look very different from the pastdifferent from the past

Old axiom “the past is the Old axiom “the past is the best predictor of the future” best predictor of the future” may have to be modifiedmay have to be modified