Are You a Workforce Revolutionary? - Part 2

In part 1 of Are You a Workforce Revolutionary?, I presented some out of the evidence in the marketplace that demonstrates the type of workforce revolution that is underway. This revolution may see far-fetched to some, but there are major cracks in the foundation of our economy that we have been putting band-aids on for a long time. Eventually those cracks will become a major breach in the dam.

One example of this is that corporations have been able to increase productivity while severely decreasing their number of employees. This is not a formula that is sustainable over the long-term, nor can it ignite a thriving economic recovery. Over time the increasing stress on our economic infrastructure is going to force several financial and business institutions to reevaluate how we view and approach the transitioning workforce. 

The key to this marketplace transition is a mindset transformation of the employer and employee. Here are a few brief examples of what I'm talking about:

• Employment will become a mutually beneficial contract to exchange value, not a one-sided, "take it or leave it" offer from a company. Current and potential employees will scrutinize employers as much if not more than companies investigate employees.
  
• "Hiring" will become a two-sided affair. Companies will hire employees to supply effort, knowledge, experience, talent, ideas, relationships, etc. Employees will "hire" companies to provide financial remuneration for their services, along with opportunities to develop their talents, knowledge, experience, ideas, relationships, etc. 
• Employees will more assertively exercise their power of choice of where they will work. Companies that fall short in the areas mentioned above will be the least desirable choice for the most qualified workers. Those choices seem much more limited when the economy is down and unemployment is high (but remember opportunity is in the eye of the beholder). However, this will not always be the reality in the marketplace, and people have long memories for how  companies have behaved toward the workforce during the hard times. 

As Sam Cooke's song says, A Change is Gonna Come, whether we believe it or not, whether we want it to or not. You can help lead it or get blindsided by it. Your choice.

What do you think? Is this far-fetched or closer than it appears? I look forward to your comments below.