by Ann Nelson-Russell

Created on: December 17, 2008

Global Trends trends

Global trends can stir a ripple through one's everyday life or the trends can create a significant impact on the careers of numerous people. Forward thinking individuals have the ability to enhance themselves and their futures by envisioning a glimpse of the approaching changes. The availabilities of job openings are currently under a strain due to the economic situation. However, instead of consuming my mind with thoughts full of negative energy, I will focus my thoughts on a couple of trends that have the potential to affect my career. I will express my ideas on how I can best position myself in order to prepare for the forthcoming changes.

My current role as a coordinator of change and coach to the management team has provided a very good opportunity for me to use my current skill and experience as a springboard. The previous trends indicated that the baby boomers would be retiring in large numbers, thus resulting in labor shortages. The current economic downturn has begun to shift that trend in the work environment and it will continue to impact the market for the next five to seven years. Instead of dealing with an exodus of retirement age workers, we are likely to have a very diverse workforce with generational differences. This trend has the potential to increase the need of professional talent that can help to improve the working dynamics.

John Challenger (2005) stated, "Companies will soon see the age range of their workers span four generations. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers over the age of 55 are expected to grow from 14% of the labor force to 19% by 2012" (p.47). Just as the current economic situation has caused baby boomers to re-evaluate their retirement date; the economic downturn has caused many people with less tenure to get caught in the gallows of the reduction in workforces. This condition and the future trend of the older work force remaining employed could increase conflict among workers. The future job market may be ripe for careers involving professional skills in areas such as, human resource, communication specialist, and conflict resolution mediators.

John Challenger stated, "Severe labor shortages are likely to return in the next decade" (2005, p.47). This global trend has the potential to expand avenues of opportunity in the job market. As stated by Craig Taylor (2004), "In a slow or down economy, an intense talent shortage may be difficult to visualize, yet what we know about economic

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