Page 13 - 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 protections afforded people in “traditional jobs.” of our future forward work world, the impacts debt burden is a clear indicator that tuition and
changes generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. help with developing, aligning, and engaging that existed at the end of 2019. Remote workers drawing regular paychecks will will be profound. Certainly, the commercial fees are unsustainable for many students. Local
There is a myriad of questions. What will be the their far-flung workforce? realize that they, individually and collectively, office environment is already and will continue public funding support, along with fee-for-service
ongoing impact of working in a virtual business Some believe that barriers will recede for some share similar challenges with their peers. They to evolve to support an amalgam of on-site contracts with local businesses, will be adversely
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 may soon find themselves to be part of a labor and remote workers. Global headquarters affected as the boundaries of labor markets
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 pool that has no geographic boundary. More and other geographically centered key office expand. Just-in-time online training providers will
gig economy- was already growing well before operations will still require on-site support. those who have responsibilities that restrict what and more of their coworkers may not live in the locations may become more dispersed in order more than ever have opportunities to offer less
2020, but it is now expanding more rapidly than Manufacturing, warehousing, transportation they can do outside of their homes. Others were same city, or even the same state or country. They to take advantage of competitive factors in other expensive and more customer-friendly services
ever. There also is a massive increase in remote and coordination, food processing, restaurants, more inclined to think that the events of 2020 may discover that colleagues holding the same locations: less expensive communications and than traditional brick-and-mortar providers.
work by people earning a regular paycheck. If hotels, and customized personal services will extending into this year, ¬if left unaddressed, will job may have skills that are more advanced but utilities, more favorable legal and tax protections,
we are to believe the pronouncements of many continue to require direct, in-person human exacerbate gaps in wealth, income, and family- who earn far less money. They may also live in a greater security, and a low-cost on-site labor There is a myriad of feasible futures of work.
major employers, remote work will be a key interaction, albeit configured differently. This supportive careers. These gaps will widen even country that provides universal health care and force. Restaurants and hotels that rely on proximity Public discourse on the impacts of the pandemic
aspect of business in the global marketplace for will further split career paths between remote further for people who are already marginalized not need the same employer-paid insurance. to office centers will also have to develop new is only beginning. States are focusing on the
the future. versus on-site jobs and will erode the options by systemic racism, sexism, disablism, and agism. They may see many more of their peers clamoring business models to serve and retain their targeted effects of new business models and have not begun
for those who are trying to “work their way up Frankly, we believe that the latter opinion is for jobs. In the end, it becomes a “survival of the customer base. to dive into systemic business and societal differences
Taken together, the growth in freelance and from the bottom.” A person who works remotely correct, however, the “if” is a BIG “IF.” fittest’ mindset, which sets up an additional arena that were revealed in 2020. Economic and
remote ‘regular’ jobs will disrupt conventional is removed further from face-to-face interactions of issues for the future. The workforce system at a high level will also workforce development professionals are listening
practices in economic and workforce development. from which they can gain insights and experience There are many possible trajectories for work have to adapt. The focus now is on the needs and learning from the global marketplace and
One indicator is that architects are redesigning from others. And those who are involved solely and commerce in our exponentially changing The risks are not confined to workers. Employers of local employers, but that is changing and will looking for indications as to how best shape long
commercial office space to accommodate changes in high-contact work or in the physical world do world, and these are within the capacity of face new challenges as well. Sensitive records accelerate as workers bear the greater share of term strategies. Their challenge is to develop policies
in utilization and workflow, as businesses also not have an easy pathway into the digital world. leaders to shape. For example, a venue can that previously resided only on office computers both risk and cost of keeping their skills up to date and practices that support, build, and benefit our
downsize office footprints. Although our crystal balls are clouded, we still become a destination for an active community secured by IT staff may now be broadly accessible. and competitive. On that point, revenue models communities during this extended period of great
can consider new frameworks to guide economic of freelancers who will challenge themselves and Gig workers can come and go without notice for training and education institutions are also uncertainties.
Although major employers routinely recruit nationally and workforce developers. Throughout the others to produce better solutions to complex and carry with them the intellectual property that out of synch. The burgeoning individual college
and even globally, it has always been with the course of 2020, the Institute for Work and the problems. The ‘community collective’ scenario they developed and that may, or may not, be
mindset that employees will work in-person onsite. Economy hosted a series of “Day After” virtual offers the opportunity for members to more owned by the business that hired them. Remotely
A normalization of remote work will change that. conversations where we asked people who are directly collaborate when it makes the best sense; employed workers may be contractually bound
Why incur the expense of relocations and hassles on the frontlines in workforce, community, and pooling the best and brightest available talent to more tightly, but security and control are likely, by RONNIE L. BRYANT, CECD, HLM, FM
with visas for foreign workers when, thanks to economic development, to imagine how the meet needs and address issues. technological default, still not as robust as when Principal | Ronnie L Bryant, LLC
technology, people can work from anywhere pandemic and the awakening brought on by the they are on-site. While many businesses may
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 return in varying degrees to on-site operations,
ever before? If you are an economic developer, inequities and inequalities in their worlds. They the community, state, and nation are great. Keys to there is no doubt a potentially significant number Ronnie@RLBryantLLC.com www.rlbryantllc.com
this will upend office attraction, relocation, and responded by talking about fundamental human success include innovative policies and practices of their workforce will remain remote or hybrid,
retention efforts. In addition, training and public and civil rights, as well as the lack of essential encompassing fair compensation, opportunities thus prompting businesses to rethink basic
workforce systems will have to rethink who they investments in communities that are functionally to pause and learn new skills, mitigating income operational structures, processes, and protocols. 2215 Whitford Lane, Charlotte, NC 28210
consider as their primary customers. The people economic deserts. Throughout, the consensus gaps brought on by recessions, and comparable If even only some of these changes become part

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