We're all temps now.
Carl Camden, CEO Kelly Services
Here's a question: what's the opportunity space -- the ease of recruiting members -- for a new tribe? At the macro level, it couldn't be better.
Why? The tribe we're working on doesn't seek control or radical change at the macro level, but rather competes with the status quo for high quality members that are willing to make a lifelong commitment to a better/different life. Within that framework, trends in employment driven by the global system are making it easier than ever. The biggest trend is to turn workers into variable inputs so they can be easily interchanged, outsourced, or terminated. The characteristics of this shift are:
- No benefits (from health coverage to sick/vacation days).
- Variable hours/employment. Employees absorb all risks and costs associated with employment (i.e. training/education).
- Pay slowly drifts down to global norms (much lower than current levels) due to pressure from off-shoring.
The psychological result of this shift includes:
- Zero loyalty.
- Willingness to shift rapidly to new opportunities.
- Broad dissatisfaction (only 45% of workers like the current arrangement).
How big is this opportunity? In 2006 the percent of workers in this category was 26% (see Business Week, "The Disposable Worker"). It's accelerated markedly since then. In combination with the unemployed and discouraged workers, we could see the easily accessible opportunity space exceed 50% of workers in the next couple of years (let alone the ability to recruit large percentage of those that are still employed full time that have seen benefits and incomes cut clean through the bone). For people under 24, unemployment is well over 50% and work, when it is available, is almost ubiquitously temporary.
It's never been this good for something new.
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