What's Next For Our Evolving Workforce?

By Cheryl Bondurant, Ellyn Ludden & Harry Benson

What is important for today's workforce? Today’s workforce has expectations that are different from those of the past few decades. These expectations can be met by looking through the lens of three industry survival methods: engagement, culture, and communication.

The first industry survival method is engagement. Team members need deeper connection to the organization’s mission to be engaged and productive. We must blend technology with human interaction to achieve the advantages of both the virtual world and the real need for human connection to achieve true engagement. Generational collaboration is necessary in order for all participants to feel connected to the organization's purpose and feel valued for their unique talents.

This leads us to the second industry survival method: culture. As the current, experienced workforce ages, it is essential that their knowledge is captured and transferred to the incoming staff as foundational wisdom. We need leaders who provide the big picture and process guidance necessary to be motivated.

The last industry survival method is communication. We are surrounded by an abundance of communication outlets, which can cause us to communicate quickly, but less efficiently. A solution is to educate the workforce in effective communication.

Let us learn from and plan for significant global effects that will change our very existence by blending the strengths of our diverse evolving workforce and leveraging industry and educational institutions to lead the way. Continue reading to learn more about viable solutions to our evolving workforce's challenges.