Page 12 - FDI Alliance International Magazine. Spring 2021 Digital Interactive Issue

▪ FUTURE OF WORK ▪

RONNIE L. BRYANT CECD, HLM, FM PETER A. CRETICOS PH.D.
PRINCIPAL PRESIDENT & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
RONNIE L BRYANT, LLC INSTITUTE FOR WORK & THE ECONOMY

It is too early to know the extent of the permanent in their service areas? The businesses that need was that we cannot afford to return to the world
changes generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. help with developing, aligning, and engaging that existed at the end of 2019.
There is a myriad of questions. What will be the their far-flung workforce?
ongoing impact of working in a virtual business Some believe that barriers will recede for some
climate and the effects of a ‘Zoom World’ on At the same time, certain industries will return workers, e.g., people with disabilities, people who
everyday life? We know that freelance work -the to face-to-face operations. In-house data live isolated in both rural and urban settings, and
gig economy- was already growing well before operations will still require on-site support. those who have responsibilities that restrict what
2020, but it is now expanding more rapidly than Manufacturing, warehousing, transportation they can do outside of their homes. Others were
ever. There also is a massive increase in remote and coordination, food processing, restaurants, more inclined to think that the events of 2020
work by people earning a regular paycheck. If hotels, and customized personal services will extending into this year, ¬if left unaddressed, will
we are to believe the pronouncements of many continue to require direct, in-person human exacerbate gaps in wealth, income, and family-
major employers, remote work will be a key interaction, albeit configured differently. This supportive careers. These gaps will widen even
aspect of business in the global marketplace for will further split career paths between remote further for people who are already marginalized
the future. versus on-site jobs and will erode the options by systemic racism, sexism, disablism, and agism.
for those who are trying to “work their way up Frankly, we believe that the latter opinion is
Taken together, the growth in freelance and from the bottom.” A person who works remotely correct, however, the “if” is a BIG “IF.”
remote ‘regular’ jobs will disrupt conventional is removed further from face-to-face interactions
practices in economic and workforce development. from which they can gain insights and experience There are many possible trajectories for work
One indicator is that architects are redesigning from others. And those who are involved solely and commerce in our exponentially changing
commercial office space to accommodate changes in high-contact work or in the physical world do world, and these are within the capacity of
in utilization and workflow, as businesses also not have an easy pathway into the digital world. leaders to shape. For example, a venue can
downsize office footprints. Although our crystal balls are clouded, we still become a destination for an active community
can consider new frameworks to guide economic of freelancers who will challenge themselves and
Although major employers routinely recruit nationally and workforce developers. Throughout the others to produce better solutions to complex
and even globally, it has always been with the course of 2020, the Institute for Work and the problems. The ‘community collective’ scenario
mindset that employees will work in-person onsite. Economy hosted a series of “Day After” virtual offers the opportunity for members to more
A normalization of remote work will change that. conversations where we asked people who are directly collaborate when it makes the best sense;
Why incur the expense of relocations and hassles on the frontlines in workforce, community, and pooling the best and brightest available talent to
with visas for foreign workers when, thanks to economic development, to imagine how the meet needs and address issues.
technology, people can work from anywhere pandemic and the awakening brought on by the
in the world more efficiently and effectively than civil actions in 2020 can be leveraged to address The potential benefits from this type of initiative to
ever before? If you are an economic developer, inequities and inequalities in their worlds. They the community, state, and nation are great. Keys to
this will upend office attraction, relocation, and responded by talking about fundamental human success include innovative policies and practices
retention efforts. In addition, training and public and civil rights, as well as the lack of essential encompassing fair compensation, opportunities
workforce systems will have to rethink who they investments in communities that are functionally to pause and learn new skills, mitigating income
consider as their primary customers. The people economic deserts. Throughout, the consensus gaps brought on by recessions, and comparable

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