You can and should shape your own future; because if you don’t someone else surely will.
Joel Barker
A number of years ago, I worked for a company and as long as I kept my nose clean, I was ensured employment as long as I wanted it. My first employer viewed ‘womb to tomb’ employment as its major employee benefit.
There’s a new employment and social contract in the workplace. Recently, this employer rescinded the original offer and now advocates ‘work for value.’ Corporate paternalism is changing to value added employability.
Some folks accept the new work model. Others, say I want out and move to more conducive areas, such as the public sector. In addition, the Gen Y’s and Millennial’s seem to accept the ‘work for value’ proposition better than older workers do.
Another by-product of ‘work for value’ includes the rationale of outsourcing. Some companies claim that off-shore workers are not only cheaper, but also work harder and are more committed. I don’t know about this, but it will be a huge issue as America focuses on improving its competitiveness and maybe becomes protectionist.
Just as entitlement thinking is slowing disappearing, job homesteading is disappearing even in the public sector. I’m surprised that folks in the public sector say: “I’ve got mine. It’s guaranteed.” Whoa. Retirement systems are under-funded, taxpayers have no more money, and retirement systems can go broke.
Life Lesson Earned: So, take nothing for granted.