The U.S. economy faces challenges with low-quality jobs, particularly in the service sector, as many advocate for a revival of manufacturing to support the middle class. However, experts like Zeynep Ton suggest focusing on improving the quality of existing frontline jobs instead. The article discusses the evolution from a mass production paradigm to a service-oriented economy, emphasizing the importance of emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills in future jobs. It highlights the potential for new job creation through digital technologies and gig economies, while also acknowledging the need for better job designs and safety nets for workers. Ultimately, a new economic landscape is anticipated, prioritizing meaningful work that values human capabilities over traditional employment models.
| name | description | change | 10-year | driving-force | relevancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shift from Manufacturing to Service Jobs | Focus on creating high-quality frontline jobs in the service sector. | Transitioning from a focus on manufacturing jobs to high-quality service roles for middle class stability. | Service jobs will become more prominent, with better conditions and pay in the evolving economy. | Increased automation and digital technologies reducing the viability of traditional manufacturing jobs. | 4 |
| Rise of Permissionless Organizations | Organizations are transitioning to network-centric models that favor flexibility and innovation. | Moving from traditional hierarchical firms to digital, networked organizations. | Work structures will dramatically shift, creating more flexible roles and emphasizing individual contribution. | Advances in digital technologies promote new ways of organizing work and value creation. | 5 |
| Value Shift to Intangible Assets | Intangible assets like software now dominate company balance sheets, altering job roles. | A shift from valuing physical goods to prioritizing knowledge and creativity in the workforce. | Jobs will increasingly revolve around creativity and knowledge work rather than physical production. | The digital revolution drives demand for skills related to data, creativity, and innovation. | 5 |
| Emergence of Gig Economy | Gig work is growing, leading to flexible, value-exchanging labor arrangements. | Transition from permanent employment to flexible, freelance job structures in various sectors. | The gig economy will flourish with self-made jobs, allowing individuals to customize their work experiences. | Technological platforms enable more decentralized work arrangements changing traditional employment dynamics. | 4 |
| Changing Nature of Employment Expectations | Generational shifts in work expectations emphasize meaning, purpose, and emotional intelligence. | Workers increasingly seek fulfilling jobs over traditional promotions or hierarchical advancement. | Workplaces will adapt to prioritize employee satisfaction, emotional well-being, and personal growth. | Gen Z and younger generations redefine career aspirations based on personal values and lifestyle. | 5 |
| Rise of Sustainability-Focused Jobs | New job roles focusing on sustainability and environmental impact are likely to emerge. | From traditional roles to jobs that emphasize sustainability and environmental responsibility. | A significant increase in green jobs such as urban farmers and energy specialists as eco-consciousness rises. | Growing public awareness and policies around sustainability push for green job creation. | 4 |
| name | description |
|---|---|
| Automation Impact on Employment | The shift towards automation could lead to significant job losses, particularly in traditional sectors, without ensuring new job creation. |
| Quality of Service Jobs | As the service economy expands, ensuring frontline service jobs offer good pay and conditions becomes crucial for economic stability. |
| Gig Economy Challenges | The rise of gig work may contribute to job insecurity and lack of benefits, necessitating new regulatory frameworks. |
| Technological Displacement | AI advancements may lead to the replacement of many jobs, which creates uncertainty in the labor market. |
| Valuation of Care Professions | Underappreciation of care jobs could lead to workforce shortages in essential services as society ages. |
| Transition to Intangible Assets | The focus on intangible assets in the economy might create disparities between workers with different skill sets. |
| Economic Design for the Future | Creating systems where gig workers have agency and sustainable careers requires innovative economic models. |
| Revival of Manufacturing Nostalgia | Clinging to past manufacturing jobs may hinder adaptation to new economic realities and job structures. |
| Evolving Worker-Agent Relationship | Shift in dynamics where algorithms may dictate job opportunities for humans, altering traditional employment paradigms. |
| Emerging Skills Demand | New jobs will require skills that are currently rare, necessitating educational systems to evolve quickly. |
| name | description |
|---|---|
| Shift to High-Quality Frontline Jobs | Focus on creating rewarding frontline service jobs rather than trying to revive traditional manufacturing roles. |
| Network-Centric Organizations | Organizations are shifting towards flexible, interconnected networks as opposed to traditional hierarchical firms due to digital technologies. |
| Value Creation in Intangibles | A shift where companies prioritize intangible assets like knowledge and creativity over physical products. |
| Rise of Gig Economy | Increasing acceptance and prevalence of gig work arrangements, allowing more flexible employment options. |
| Personalization of Services | Services are becoming increasingly personalized as digital solutions allow for customization in consumer experiences. |
| Emphasis on Emotional Intelligence in Work | Growing demand for emotional intelligence, creativity, and interpersonal skills in various employment sectors. |
| Development of Sustainable Jobs | Emergence of new occupations focusing on sustainability such as energy efficiency specialists and urban farmers. |
| Redefining ‘Good Jobs’ | A re-imagined view of good jobs that values workers as contributors rather than costs, promoting continuous development. |
| Human-Machine Role Reversal | An emerging trend where algorithms and AI dictate job roles and responsibilities, shifting power dynamics in jobs. |
| Integration of Meaning in Work | Growing expectation among employees for meaningful work, particularly among younger generations like Gen Z. |
| name | description |
|---|---|
| Network-Centric Organizations | Organizations that operate as interconnected networks of competence, replacing traditional firms and structures. |
| Digital Services | Services that allow for personalization and customization, impacting the way value is created and consumed. |
| Permissionless Organizations | Organizations that function without traditional management hierarchies, utilizing digital technologies for flat structures. |
| Gig Economy Platforms | Platforms that facilitate value-exchanging transactions among individuals, breaking away from traditional employer-employee relationships. |
| Intangible Asset Economy | An economy focused on intangible assets like software, creativity, and relationships rather than physical production. |
| Sustainability-focused Occupations | Jobs aimed at sustainability, including energy efficiency specialists and green building retrofitters. |
| AI-driven Job Creation | Emergence of new job roles driven by AI advancements, creating opportunities that are currently unimagined. |
| Experience Economy | An economy centered around human relationships and experiences, particularly in sectors like healthcare and education. |
| name | description |
|---|---|
| Quality of Frontline Jobs | There is a need to transition from low-quality service jobs to high-quality frontline jobs that offer better pay and opportunities. |
| Shift to Intangible Assets | The economy is transitioning from tangible to intangible assets, requiring new skills and roles focused on creativity and knowledge. |
| Gig Economy Growth | Increase in gig and platform-based work arrangements as traditional employment models shift, demanding better job designs. |
| Emerging Care and Service Sectors | Growth in employment centered around healthcare, education, and personal services driven by technology and changing societal needs. |
| Revaluation of Labor | Need to recognize and compensate previously undervalued forms of work, particularly in care and service industries. |
| Human-Machine Role Reversal | Emerging trend where algorithms and machines determine job roles and tasks for humans, rather than the other way around. |
| Purpose-Driven Work | A shift in employee expectations where meaning and purpose in work gain prominence over traditional career advancement. |
| Designing Good Jobs | Systemic approaches are needed to enhance job quality that emphasize employee growth, care, and equitable pay within the new economy. |