world of work essay

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Work Feels Good

Tom Morin Reclaiming the World of Work

Defining the World of Work

We use the word world in a couple ways. We all know what it means to say, “the whole world is watching,” or “every corner of the world is affected.” But saying, “We are worlds apart,” or “He lives in a different world,” is more complicated. Just like the word world , the term world of work is both simple and complex.

The world of work is made up of things most of us recognize, like occupations, jobs, employers, employees, paychecks, promotions, etc. We often give these things different labels, like workers and organizations, for example. Although we all recognize these things, we each experience them differently.

Imagine that you and I have the same parents and have the same education. Then imagine that we have the same job, at the same company, working under the same boss and making the same wage. It is possible that one of us is satisfied, secure and optimistic about work, and the other is miserable. Do we have the same world of work, but just experience it differently? Or, are we living in our own, unique worlds because of how we experience our work?

There is no right answer to these questions. But, understanding the influence and power that work can have in our lives and why we should reclaim our world of work, will help us define our own, unique world of work.

So, how much influence and power does this world of work have?

The influence and power of work

Almost everyone on the planet survives by working or because of someone else’s work. This work that enables us to survive is characterized by something called the division of labor. Our satisfaction with our working lives depends on how we experience the division of labor.

Division of labor

When we divide labor, we separate the individual tasks in a system. For example, if I wanted to build a house (a system of tasks), I would need to hire carpenters, electricians, plumbers and other trades to construct the house. The labor to build my house is divided among these different tradespeople. Even if we lived in the deepest, darkest jungle, thousands of years ago, we would still have a division of labor. Some people in our tribe would be the hunters, some would care for the children, and some would supply spiritual guidance.

All the tasks necessary to complete a system, whether the system is a house or a functioning tribe, are divided up and assigned. And, the only jobs made available to us are the ones defined by the division of labor. What do we do if we don’t like any of those jobs? We could try to live outside of a system of divided labor.

Living on the outside

There are a few people in the world, often the wealthiest ones, who never have to take part in a system of divided labor. If they wanted to, they could completely avoid taking part because their survival is assured by someone else. Imagine, for example, that you were given enough money to buy whatever you need to survive. Now, you can walk into that jungle with all the tools, food and knowledge you need to survive, alone, until you die. Your existence in the jungle is made possible by other people: your benefactor who worked to make the money given to you, and the people who created the stuff they traded with you for your benefactor’s money. I call this a proxied existence .

A proxy is a person authorized to act for another. But a proxied existence means never taking part in a system of divided labor and surviving only off someone else’s participation in that system. I created the concept of a proxied existence to describe a person who has never worked and will never work, yet still survives in society. I needed to do this because there is no other term that describes people whose only actions or behavior is the trade of their unearned money for the goods and services they need to survive. Almost no one lives a proxied existence. This means that almost everyone works in an occupation or job defined by the division of labor, even the wealthiest among us. Why?

Why we work

Although there are many perfectly good theories and opinions about why we work, our motivation for work can usually be organized into two broad categories: survival and meaning.

Work as means of survival

Work as means of survival {Blustein reference} is the primary motivation for work. Almost everyone in the world will tell you that they work because they must. They need to buy food, pay for shelter, educate their children and accumulate enough money for a time when they may be unable to work. Those who are unable to work or unable to secure enough work are often the most vulnerable and marginalized in our society.

Work as meaning

But why would a person who has enough money to survive until they die still work? And, why are people dissatisfied with a job that already assures their survival? Shouldn’t already having enough money, or always being able to make enough money, automatically make someone satisfied with their working life? The simple answer is meaning, but meaning is not simple.

Read the next chapter

Meaningful Work

Research About the Problem

Reclaiming our World of Work

Reclaiming Organizational Success

3 Barriers to Creating Thriving Organizations

Listen to Chris Martin's interview with Tom Morin about Your Best Work

The World of Work is Rapidly Changing IELTS Essay

The world of work is rapidly changing and employees cannot depend on having the same job or the same working conditions for life. Discuss the possible causes and suggest ways to prepare people to work in the future.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. You should write at least 250 words.

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This essay was asked on Recent IELTS Exam 20 January 2022 India Question Answers

The World of Work is Rapidly Changing IELTS Essay – Model Essay 1

These days, people’s workplaces are constantly changing and evolving to meet the demands of modern society. Furthermore, the roles and responsibilities of jobs are also undergoing changes to adapt to new ways of working and living. This essay will discuss the possible reasons for these changes and suggest some ways that people can better prepare themselves for their future careers.

Firstly, due to the developments in hi-tech machines and artificial intelligence, millions of people all around the world are losing their jobs and being replaced by automated processes. For example, millions of factory workers have lost their jobs because they have been replaced by machines that are able to do their job quicker and more effectively. Furthermore, as a result of the ever-increasing desire to cut expenses and increase profits, many jobs are being outsourced to countries where the wages are lower. For instance, when a person calls a tech support helpline in an English-speaking country, they will most likely be connected to someone in another country, like India or the Philippines, where the wages are lower.

However, there are a number of ways that people can prepare for changes in their workplaces in the future. Firstly, students preparing to leave high school need to be advised about the sustainability of the career path they are choosing. To illustrate, autonomous vehicles are predicted to replace most delivery and taxi driver jobs in the very near future, so this is not a job that someone should expect to have for a very long time. Furthermore, while some jobs are being replaced by technology, many jobs are simply incorporating technology into their process, and therefore people will need to be able to keep up to date with these changes. To help achieve this, specific courses could be designed to help educate people on the use of modern technology in their workplaces.

In conclusion, although there are many changes in the workplace these days, educating people to carefully choose their career and to keep up to date with modern technology, is the key to avoiding any major problems.

I E L T S XPRESS

The World of Work is Changing Rapidly Essay – Model Essay 2

It is irrefutable that the work scenario is altering at a fast pace. Working conditions are also different and the process of job-hopping is very common. This essay shall delve into the possible causes for these changes and suggest ways to prepare for work in the time to come.

To begin with, the development of science and technology has changed the structure of work. For example, people no longer need to do some heavy work by themselves. Instead, they can use machines. Secondly, competition has become intense and people have to constantly update themselves with the latest materials and methods. Sometimes they cannot compete with the new techno-savvy workforce and so have to change jobs out of compulsion.

Furthermore, we belong to an era of consumerism. Being surrounded by so many choices, people today want to buy new things and for that, they do multiple jobs. In addition, the 24/7 society of today provides us the opportunity to work day and night. For instance, in earlier times, there were very few jobs which were round-the-clock jobs. But, today, globalization has brought in a multitude of options of working day and night. The line between day and night has become dim and people have become workaholics.

There could be many suggestions to prepare for work in the future. People should have a set goal in their mind and get training accordingly. Moreover, it is important to draw a line somewhere. The stress and strain of the fast modern workplace is leading many to nervous breakdowns. In the developed countries, a new term called downshifting has already come where after a certain stage, people are saying ‘no’ to promotions and showing contentment with less. We should also realize that if we stick to one job, then also life can be more stable and we can enjoy our leisure also. ieltsxpress

To put in a nutshell, I pen down saying that, although work conditions are different today and we have a need to update our knowledge regularly, we can plan our life in a meticulous way and have a balance between work and leisure.

Also Check:   There is a General Increase in Anti-Social Behaviour Essay

IELTS Writing Task 2 on Jobs – Model Essay 3

In today’s modern world, people tend to change jobs more often than before and don’t want to work permanently in one environment. I would like to explore the sources of this issue and suggest several solutions for future work.

Firstly, due to the global recession, many employers have to downsize and restructure their businesses. This leads to a number of redundant employees being forced to leave their jobs and find other ones. Another reason is that, as living costs are getting higher and higher, people want to earn as much money as they can to meet their needs. Hence, they seek better opportunities and well-paid jobs everywhere, every day. Some also look for new challenges. Last but not least, thanks to new technology, people nowadays are able to access information more easily, including information about job recruiting.

One of my suggestions for this problem is that if we can create a comfortable working environment and build strong relationships between colleagues; and between managers and workers. These will make employees find it harder to leave. To archive this, courses such as leadership training and communication skill training should be carried out to help supervisors lead their team efficiently without causing any stress, and help employees fit inconveniently. ielts xpress 

By the way of conclusion, I would like to state that change job is one the remarkable signs of technological times and soft skill training courses possibly help people adapt to the working environment instead of finding a way to escape it.

The Workplace is Changing Rapidly – Model Essay 4

Work culture lately has been dynamically transformed, mainly due to improvements in technology like transport and communication. Job security has become a dicey issue as employees now need to keep themselves updated with the advancements around them. This essay shall further explain the reasons and offer probable solutions. ieltsxpress.com

In the last two decades, we have seen a remarkable spread of technology in all wakes of life. With easy access to the Internet and computers, work has become faster and easier. Innovation of office tools is encouraged everywhere so as to not let anything hinder the growth of trade and commerce. With each task becoming effortless, manual intervention at many places has been reduced. Ergo, rising insecurity is seen among employees. Additionally, employees are expected to multi-task in their jobs making it more difficult for older workers to sustain.

The remedial measures for such a situation are very few as of now. First of all, state-of-the-art employee training centers to help the employees stay well-versed with the high-tech upgradations. To solve this problem from an earlier level, universities should start imparting practical training in their curriculum, with the know-how of current on-the-job scenarios to prepare potential workers better. All this needs to be done as the employees losing their jobs also lose financial security for their families, and it is very difficult to start again from ground zero.

To conclude, I’d say we should accept the ever-changing technological advancements as they’re unlikely to stop. Better would be to equip ourselves and become flexible accordingly so as to welcome such developments.

How The World of Work is Changing – Model Essay 5

It is indeed true that the world has been increasing by loops and bound for a long time and very few employees can handle obstacles in their near future. Because it has some reason. However, to my notion, employees need some specification training for it.

There are various reasons behind why it has increased, first and foremost, in globalization time every company wants to grow fast. Secondly, important roles are being played by studying on the contemporary world. that is why every employee ought to be cognizant of every field. so that he/she can do everything for their job. Moreover, technology has changed every life completely. for instance mobile, internet and computer are very prominent in the work field. it helps the employee to make their job easy. Finally, in today’s time, we can see a person living in India and working for a company located in us.

on contrary, every problem has a solution there is some way which can help employees for their job. to start with they must be taught English because English is a basic requirement for learning any new thing. Moreover, they must be friendly with their peer group members. in addition, management skills, internet, and computer knowledge must be important. these all things give help them in their upcoming time.

To sum up, I firmly believe that there are ample chances in today’s work environment. However, by following some training. we can prepare employees for the near future growth and make spectacular culture.

Ideas for World of Work

Also Check:   It is Impossible to help all people in the world IELTS Essay

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World of Work

The world of work comprises several things that most people resonate with, for instance, employers, promotions, occupations, and jobs, among others. In other words, in most cases, people tend to label all these aspects based on their understanding of the nature of workers and the nature of the organization; for instance, in as much as we all resonate with these things, everyone has a different experience while interacting with them. In as much as various opinions and theories help understand work, why people work, and the motivation to work, various factors motivate employees to work. With the daily hassle and tussle that comes with the little activities around work, workers face frustration and irritation while at work. For instance, having a heavy workload, conflicts with colleagues, and lack of support from supervisors, among others, while working in a particular role. Nonetheless, there are daily uplifts in the workplace that promote positive experiences, which also help promote good performance for the employee and the organization. Employees need motivation for better performance while working in various positions in the company; thus, this essay will expound on employee attitudes to work, focusing on various factors of motivation as well as employee experience in their roles.

An employee’s attitude towards work is very important for the effective production and performance of the organization; in other words, attitude motivation comes from employers motivating their employees by influencing how they think or behave towards various employment activities. In other words, motivation and attitude to work are closely linked to the success of an organization. With strong motivating factors in the organization, the team will be able to work in unison and achieve the objectives and goals of the organization effectively. Moreover, with a positive attitude, the career trajectory can be channelled towards work motivation, further contributing to the organization’s performance and success (Sitopu, Sitinjak, & Marpaung, 2021, p 77). All employees working within a particular organization aim to achieve satisfaction and appreciation for the work and energy they put into the organization. The feeling of acknowledgement, appreciation and respect are a measure and drive to enhance production for better results and increase the company’s chances of attaining its goals. The primary motivator to work for most employees is survival; in this case, the employee is motivated to work based on the necessity for food, shelter, educating their children and accumulating enough savings for a better future. Nevertheless, motivation out of survival has a different impact on the employee’s attitude, in that most employees motivated out of survival have no appreciation for the work. They do the work out of necessity, not with the zeal or morale needed.

Based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, a person’s behaviour can be influenced by the nature of their unsatisfied needs; thus, an employee’s need can be motivated by social needs, self-actualization, safety needs, physiological need and esteem needs (Cui, Wang, Chen, Wen, & Han, 2021). One factor that motivates employees is appreciation and recognition for work well done; in this case, it helps satisfy Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs for esteem and boosts the employee’s ego. Recognition not only makes an employee feel good but also helps improve their attitude towards work and feeling of accomplishment in the workplace. In other words, recognition triggers better performance by recognizing good behaviour or efforts, and there are chances of consistency and repetitive action of significant impact on the organization’s success. Nonetheless, this also applies in the disciple process of employees because it helps discourage certain behaviour that doesn’t add significant value to the company, thus influencing the employee’s attitude.

Similarly, the other factor that motivates employees is being involved in decision-making and making additional input to the company’s matters. In this case, the company can show employees they are valued and that the organization’s success is a collective and team effort. This measure is highly effective as it helps paint a clearer and bigger picture of the firm’s objectives, and it helps shift attitude from reporting to work for the paycheck to coming to work to help steer the organization to great heights in the market. In other words, people desire to know the performance and direction the company wants to take; they are interested to know if the direction suits their career inspirations, desires and security. Nevertheless, the company also gets a boost of in-grown ideas that can be highly effective in improving competitive advantage and market share; with such growth, the employees get a positive attitude toward their work.

The management and leadership approach of the company also plays a huge role towards motivating employees to work. For instance, an understanding supervisor pays heed to how employees receive information, correction, instruction and discipline. In other words, the supervisor should be one with social skills to understand the moods and emotions of the employees. In addition, this improves the attitude of employees as they are guaranteed to be in a workspace that is concerned about their well-being; this motivates them since the relationship between management and employees is conducive to better performance. Moreover, having management that considers career growth and development by considering the strengths and abilities in assigning work also improves attitude to work. In this case, the management delegates duties to sharpen leadership skills and groom an employee for a promotion. Therefore, this motivates employees, improving the organization’s performance (Basalamah & As’ad, 2021, p 99). The management also ensures that the working conditions are improved and offers social amenities like a nursery for mothers with young ones, totally shifting the attitude of employees. In this case, female employees feel valued and are guaranteed job security as their separate family lives can’t affect their job in any way; this is also competitive and makes employees work harder as not many companies offer such facilities. In addition, to ensure employees stay motivated and maintain a positive attitude to work, the management has to be responsive to staff problems and challenges in their respective workplaces; how they approach complaints and concerns reflects highly on an employee’s attitude. If they respond quickly and ensure employees are comfortable, there is guaranteed improvement in productivity due to the feeling that they can be heard; thus, they are obligated to perform accordingly.

Lastly, monetary rewards also help motivate and improve attitudes to work, for instance, good wages. If the employer works for survival, in that the money they get isn’t enough to meet basic needs, the attitude of such an employee will always be down. Nonetheless, wages were to be paid based on performance and not seniority. In that case, remunerations should reflect the level of appreciation for performance and effort put into the organization’s success. The management should not hold on until employees have gotten better proposals before they are willing to do that. In other words, to promote a positive attitude towards work, give them the respect they deserve (Alrawahi, Sellgren, Altouby, Alwahaibi, & Brommels, 2020). Ultimately, the management ought to expect to give employees something other than just a paycheck. If all your business implies just a paycheck, any tantamount paying position and offers will come their way. Therefore, the leadership team should give employees challenges, recognition, opportunities for improvement and advancement, praise, and an environment where they can feel pleased to work.

Job roles also influence attitude and motivation regarding work in the organization. In this case, there are usually positive and negative factors employees experience due to the various job roles they perform. Job roles impact occupation fulfilment and satisfaction in the workplace, thus impacting the expansive nature of the organization as well as the career development of the employees. Job roles have a positive experience for employees, allowing for growth opportunities and skill development. No employee desires to stay trapped in a similar job, doing the same activity and tasks for the rest of their workdays without development and growth. Job roles offer a positive factor to the employees’ experience as it helps bring out the potential of an employee through the proper utilization of their talents; in most cases, job roles offer an opportunity for one to explore interesting and unique abilities that should be sharpened and utilized (Lambert, Keena, Leone, May, & Haynes, 2020, p 407). Thus, the management of any organization should offer training programs to keep every employee up to par with changes within their fields. In addition, job roles allow employees to contribute to the organization’s growth by putting their knowledge and skills to work. In other words, assigning job roles to employees help in the in-house training of employees. Thus, these learning experiences for employers and employees help build trust, reduce apathy, and develop deep connections with the workforce. Employees develop positive attitudes and feel more motivated because their high-level knowledge or experience is utilized for the organization’s success and self-actualization – excelling in their professions.

Furthermore, job roles help employees trust and appreciate leadership decisions and choices. Job roles help develop and improve workers’ trust and respect in their leaders, thus straightforwardly influencing their performance. Managers should assign roles based on the skill set, experience and competence of an employee; on the other hand, through delegation, they can assign supervisory roles as well (Wang, Xu, Zhang, & Li, 2020, p 19). In this case, they get to satisfy career goals for being in charge as a supervisor and understand the need for managers to be fair and impartial and treat employees as people with unique considerations and opinions. In other words, while putting an employee in that spot of making decisions, they understand their supervisors’ decisions and respect them accordingly.

Nonetheless, job roles have also negatively impacted employees’ experience. For instance, being assigned to a role that aligns differently from one’s skills and abilities has resulted in low occupation satisfaction. Moreover, this covers a broad issue within the organization since it affects the performance and productivity of the company. If Employees are not content with their roles, a couple of areas of their work are impacted, which may also affect other employees. Based on a review by the “Worldwide Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health” they found out that employees who report low fulfilment and satisfaction were due to the lack of morale in the job roles they are assigned to do (Duan, Ni, Shi, Zhang, Ye, Mu, & Wang, 2019, p 9). in line with low satisfaction from the poor assignment of roles, the other negative factor is the lack of resources under the assigned role. When someone feels hopeless and is forced to work without the necessary tools, they lose focus and don’t consider their tasks carefully. In other words, they find various activities that truly do not make them euphoric, simultaneously dismissing the occupation they should do. When one’s role is faced with challenges that make the work of the employee hard, there will be low productivity, it is ordinary for various groups within the workforce to feel frustrated therefore, and the profits of the organization start trickling down. Employees who are unhappy with their roles are fundamentally more inclined to experience and report issues at work. Thus, employees who are satisfied or happy at work are obligated to report finding out about learning in their business. Moreover, job roles and responsibilities give employees more pressure to perform and be productive in delivering the assigned tasks, resulting in job stress among employees.

In a nutshell, In as much as various opinions and theories help understand work, why people work, and the motivation to work, various factors motivate employees to work. With the daily hassle and tussle that comes with the little activities around work, workers face frustration and irritation; job roles also influence attitude and motivation regarding the position in the organization. In this case, there are usually positive and negative factors employees experience due to the various job roles they perform. Job roles impact occupation fulfilment and satisfaction in the workplace; it has also helped appreciate the organization’s leadership and helped in employee career development and growth, thus impacting the expansive nature of the organization and the employee’s career development. Employees need motivation for better performance while working in various positions in the company; such factors include good wages, the satisfaction of their esteem through recognition, allowing and offering opportunities for career growth and paying keen attention to social interactions and relationships while handling employees.

Alrawahi, S., Sellgren, S. F., Altouby, S., Alwahaibi, N., & Brommels, M. (2020). The application of Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation to job satisfaction in clinical laboratories in Omani hospitals.  Heliyon ,  6 (9), e04829. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844020316728

Basalamah, M. S. A., & As’ad, A. (2021). The Role of Work Motivation and Work Environment in Improving Job Satisfaction.  Golden Ratio of Human Resource Management ,  1 (2), 94-103. Retrieved from https://goldenratio.id/index.php/grhrm/article/view/54

Cui, L., Wang, Y., Chen, W., Wen, W., & Han, M. S. (2021). Predicting determinants of consumers’ purchase motivation for electric vehicles: An application of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs model.  Energy Policy ,  151 , 112167. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301421521000367

Duan, X., Ni, X., Shi, L., Zhang, L., Ye, Y., Mu, H., … & Wang, Y. (2019). The impact of workplace violence on job satisfaction, job burnout, and turnover intention: the mediating role of social support.  Health and quality of life outcomes ,  17 (1), 1-10. Retrieved from https://hqlo.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12955-019-1164-3

Lambert, E. G., Keena, L. D., Leone, M., May, D., & Haynes, S. H. (2020). The effects of distributive and procedural justice on job satisfaction and organizational commitment of correctional staff.  The Social Science Journal ,  57 (4), 405-416. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1016/j.soscij.2019.02.002

Sitopu, Y. B., Sitinjak, K. A., & Marpaung, F. K. (2021). The Influence of Motivation, Work Discipline, and Compensation on Employee Performance.  Golden Ratio of Human Resource Management ,  1 (2), 72-83. Retrieved from https://www.goldenratio.id/index.php/grhrm/article/view/79

Wang, C., Xu, J., Zhang, T. C., & Li, Q. M. (2020). Effects of professional identity on turnover intention in China’s hotel employees: The mediating role of employee engagement and job satisfaction.  Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management ,  45 , 10-22. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1447677020301728

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Turning Points: Guest Essay

The Big Question: Is the World of Work Forever Changed?

We asked a group of professionals from around the world to envision what working will look like in 2022 and beyond.

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By The New York Times

This article is part of a series called Turning Points , in which writers explore what critical moments from this year might mean for the year ahead. You can read more by visiting the Turning Points series page .

During the life-changing Covid-19 pandemic, millions of people were fortunate enough to work from home during lockdowns, while others were called upon to put themselves at physical risk to keep cities and economies from collapsing. As the world re-emerges from Covid, we are seeing renewed attention in the workplace to issues of social injustice, economic inequality, corporate social responsibility, and diversity and inclusion.

Earlier this year, we asked a small group of leaders in various professions: Is the world of work forever changed?

Their answers have been edited and condensed.

Vicky Lau: ‘People Are Looking for True Fulfillment’

Over the past two years, the food and beverage industry has evolved rapidly. Restaurants and bars have scrambled to adapt to and survive the unprecedented rules and regulations brought on by the pandemic that have ultimately led to the demise of thousands of establishments around the world. Meanwhile, Covid-19 lockdowns and new technologies have pushed workers to switch jobs or pursue entirely new careers.

There has been a noticeable shift away from the traditional career restaurant worker to one preferring to juggle multiple jobs or jump from one to the next. People are looking for true fulfillment in their lives and careers, and with e-commerce businesses easier to set up than ever, workers have become their own bosses and have even started their own enterprises. Restrictions on indoor dining, coupled with the fact that many people are working from home, have created a new pattern of habits with regard to how food is both approached (rediscovering a love for home cooking) and consumed (the mushrooming use of food delivery apps).

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Essays About Work: 7 Examples and 8 Prompts

If you want to write well-researched essays about work, check out our guide of helpful essay examples and writing prompts for this topic.

Whether employed or self-employed, we all need to work to earn a living. Work could provide a source of purpose for some but also stress for many. The causes of stress could be an unmanageable workload, low pay, slow career development, an incompetent boss, and companies that do not care about your well-being.  Essays about work  can help us understand how to achieve a work/life balance for long-term happiness.

Work can still be a happy place to develop essential skills such as leadership and teamwork. If we adopt the right mindset, we can focus on situations we can improve and avoid stressing ourselves over situations we have no control over. We should also be free to speak up against workplace issues and abuses to defend our labor rights. Check out our  essay writing topics  for more.

5 Examples of Essays About Work

1.  when the future of work means always looking for your next job by bruce horovitz, 2. ‘quiet quitting’ isn’t the solution for burnout by rebecca vidra, 3. the science of why we burn out and don’t have to by joe robinson , 4. how to manage your career in a vuca world by murali murthy, 5. the challenges of regulating the labor market in developing countries by gordon betcherman, 6. creating the best workplace on earth by rob goffee and gareth jones, 7. employees seek personal value and purpose at work. be prepared to deliver by jordan turner, 8 writing prompts on essays about work, 1. a dream work environment, 2. how is school preparing you for work, 3. the importance of teamwork at work, 4. a guide to find work for new graduates, 5. finding happiness at work, 6. motivating people at work, 7. advantages and disadvantages of working from home, 8. critical qualities you need to thrive at work.

“For a host of reasons—some for a higher salary, others for improved benefits, and many in search of better company culture—America’s workforce is constantly looking for its next gig.”

A perennial search for a job that fulfills your sense of purpose has been an emerging trend in the work landscape in recent years. Yet, as human resource managers scramble to minimize employee turnover, some still believe there will still be workers who can exit a company through a happy retirement. You might also be interested in these  essays about unemployment .

“…[L]et’s creatively collaborate on ways to re-establish our own sense of value in our institutions while saying yes only to invitations that nourish us instead of sucking up more of our energy.”

Quiet quitting signals more profound issues underlying work, such as burnout or the bosses themselves. It is undesirable in any workplace, but to have it in school, among faculty members, spells doom as the future of the next generation is put at stake. In this essay, a teacher learns how to keep from burnout and rebuild a sense of community that drew her into the job in the first place.

“We don’t think about managing the demands that are pushing our buttons, we just keep reacting to them on autopilot on a route I call the burnout treadmill. Just keep going until the paramedics arrive.”

Studies have shown the detrimental health effects of stress on our mind, emotions and body. Yet we still willingly take on the treadmill to stress, forgetting our boundaries and wellness. It is time to normalize seeking help from our superiors to resolve burnout and refuse overtime and heavy workloads.

“As we start to emerge from the pandemic, today’s workplace demands a different kind of VUCA career growth. One that’s Versatile, Uplifting, Choice-filled and Active.”

The only thing constant in work is change. However, recent decades have witnessed greater work volatility where tech-oriented people and creative minds flourish the most. The essay provides tips for applying at work daily to survive and even thrive in the VUCA world. You might also be interested in these  essays about motivation .

“Ultimately, the biggest challenge in regulating labor markets in developing countries is what to do about the hundreds of millions of workers (or even more) who are beyond the reach of formal labor market rules and social protections.”

The challenge in regulating work is balancing the interest of employees to have dignified work conditions and for employers to operate at the most reasonable cost. But in developing countries, the difficulties loom larger, with issues going beyond equal pay to universal social protection coverage and monitoring employers’ compliance.

“Suppose you want to design the best company on earth to work for. What would it be like? For three years, we’ve been investigating this question by asking hundreds of executives in surveys and in seminars all over the world to describe their ideal organization.”

If you’ve ever wondered what would make the best workplace, you’re not alone. In this essay, Jones looks at how employers can create a better workplace for employees by using surveys and interviews. The writer found that individuality and a sense of support are key to creating positive workplace environments where employees are comfortable.

“Bottom line: People seek purpose in their lives — and that includes work. The more an employer limits those things that create this sense of purpose, the less likely employees will stay at their positions.”

In this essay, Turner looks at how employees seek value in the workplace. This essay dives into how, as humans, we all need a purpose. If we can find purpose in our work, our overall happiness increases. So, a value and purpose-driven job role can create a positive and fruitful work environment for both workers and employers.

In this essay, talk about how you envision yourself as a professional in the future. You can be as creative as to describe your workplace, your position, and your colleagues’ perception of you. Next, explain why this is the line of work you dream of and what you can contribute to society through this work. Finally, add what learning programs you’ve signed up for to prepare your skills for your dream job. For more, check out our list of simple essays topics for intermediate writers .

For your essay, look deeply into how your school prepares the young generation to be competitive in the future workforce. If you want to go the extra mile, you can interview students who have graduated from your school and are now professionals. Ask them about the programs or practices in your school that they believe have helped mold them better at their current jobs.

In a workplace where colleagues compete against each other, leaders could find it challenging to cultivate a sense of cooperation and teamwork. So, find out what creative activities companies can undertake to encourage teamwork across teams and divisions. For example, regular team-building activities help strengthen professional bonds while assisting workers to recharge their minds.

Finding a job after receiving your undergraduate diploma can be full of stress, pressure, and hard work. Write an essay that handholds graduate students in drafting their resumes and preparing for an interview. You may also recommend the top job market platforms that match them with their dream work. You may also ask recruitment experts for tips on how graduates can make a positive impression in job interviews.

Creating a fun and happy workplace may seem impossible. But there has been a flurry of efforts in the corporate world to keep workers happy. Why? To make them more productive. So, for your essay, gather research on what practices companies and policy-makers should adopt to help workers find meaning in their jobs. For example, how often should salary increases occur? You may also focus on what drives people to quit jobs that raise money. If it’s not the financial package that makes them satisfied, what does? Discuss these questions with your readers for a compelling essay.

Motivation could scale up workers’ productivity, efficiency, and ambition for higher positions and a longer tenure in your company. Knowing which method of motivation best suits your employees requires direct managers to know their people and find their potential source of intrinsic motivation. For example, managers should be able to tell whether employees are having difficulties with their tasks to the point of discouragement or find the task too easy to boredom.

A handful of managers have been worried about working from home for fears of lowering productivity and discouraging collaborative work. Meanwhile, those who embrace work-from-home arrangements are beginning to see the greater value and benefits of giving employees greater flexibility on when and where to work. So first, draw up the pros and cons of working from home. You can also interview professionals working or currently working at home. Finally, provide a conclusion on whether working from home can harm work output or boost it.

Identifying critical skills at work could depend on the work applied. However, there are inherent values and behavioral competencies that recruiters demand highly from employees. List the top five qualities a professional should possess to contribute significantly to the workplace. For example, being proactive is a valuable skill because workers have the initiative to produce without waiting for the boss to prod them.

If you need help with grammar, our guide to  grammar and syntax  is a good start to learning more. We also recommend taking the time to  improve the readability score  of your essays before publishing or submitting them.

Band 8+: The world of work is changing rapidly and employees cannot depend on having the same job or the same working conditions for life. Discuss the possible causes for this rapid change, and suggest ways of preparing people for the world of work in the future.

In recent years, numerous dramatic changes have occurred for different jobs, leading to difficulties for employees. While there are many factors contributing to this trend, some reasonable approaches can be adopted to tackle the problem.

The way employees work and their prospects have been significantly influenced by recent advancements in technology. These improvements not only have put some jobs in danger, but also have obviously altered the method of working. Following the aforementioned process, many tasks, entirely or partially, rely on computers and machines. For example, many factories are excessively using robots to produce their products, resulting in the loss of jobs of many former workers. In addition, digital technology has offered remote working for many employees, leading to a more competitive atmosphere for such careers, and subsequent feeling of job instability and insecurity.

However, employees can foster their skills in new in-demand jobs to enhance their opportunity to cope with the new situation. Providing such a pragmatic strategy will substantially diminish the detrimental effects of the phenomenon. Various types of work, including management, web designing and art are only a few examples of those abilities that will not be adversely affected by digital and technological advancements. The proficiency in such work heightens a prosperous future for employees, and makes their minds free of ordinary tasks, which will be properly done by machines, encouraging them to explore their innovative ideas.

In conclusion, although an inevitable changing process has occurred in many jobs, the side effects for the workforce can be alleviated by utilizing sensible policies.

Check Your Own Essay On This Topic?

Generate a band-9 sample with your idea, overall band score, task response, coherence & cohesion, lexical resource, grammatical range & accuracy, essays on the same topic:, the world of work is changing rapidly and employees cannot depend on having the same job or the same working conditions for life. discuss the possible causes for this rapid change, and suggest ways of preparing people for the world of work in the future..

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The world of work is undergoing rapid transformations, necessitating employees to adapt to an era where job stability and working conditions no longer remain constant throughout their careers. This shift can be attributed to a confluence of factors, primarily stemming from advancements in education and technology. To navigate this evolving landscape successfully, individuals must equip […]

The dynamic landscape of work is undergoing rapid transformations, driven primarily by the relentless progress of technology. It is widely accepted that job security and stable working conditions are no longer guaranteed for employees over their lifetime. The imperative of adapting to constant change is crucial in remaining competitive in today’s society. One of the […]

The world of work is undergoing significant transformation due to globalization and technological advancement. The rise of artificial intelligence and robotic automation have highly influenced the world of work, leading people to rethink their job security. This evolving landscape has created a sense of uncertainty among workers, urging them to adapt and upgrade their skills […]

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Some people say that the education system is the only critical factor for the development of a country. to what extent do you agree or disagree.

These days, most countries depend on educated people to rise the income of country by creating intelligence strategies which lead to improve their countries. As a beginning I agree with this statement for several reasons. On the one hand, improving countries by their citizens by teaching them in different countries either in local, global, international […]

Plastic bags, plastic bottles and plastic packaging are bad for the environment. What damage does plastic do to the environment? What can be done by governments and individuals to solve this problem? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

In the modern era, we are highly equipped with many technologies, which undoubtly add more and more undecadable materials includes containers, carrying materials, vessels, which has been built by plastics and its variaations. Thus, accumilating such less degragading materials to the nature can be a extreme for its existance. one of the prominent factors that […]

More and more young people are using dating websites nowadays. Is it a positive or negative development?

Online dating sites have continuously increased in popularity ever since the introduction of the internet. Naturally, young people would be the target audience for these sites, but I believe that this is a negative development because of the problems it can cause as well as reducing the emotional impact of dating when done without using […]

Some people say that advertising is extremely successful at persuading us to buy things.Other people think advertising is so common that we no longer pay attention to it.

There is a hot discuss about importance of ads. A number of people think that a great deal of ads inspire us to purchase goods, while some disagree. In this essay, I try to give accurate examples for both of them as well as my perospecs. In our life, advertisements have gained popularity since revolution […]

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In many nations, elderly people are forced to quit their jobs. This essay will examine the advantages and disadvantages of retiring after attaining a certain age set by the law of the country. To begin with the positive side of this legislation, retirement is profitable for both the government and the populace. First and foremost, […]

Plans & Pricing

The Future of Work

• The Olympics
• Welcome to Harvard

The global pandemic changed the way we work and how our workplaces function. Our experts investigate what changes may be here to stay and what else to expect in the future.

The future is calling

Work is beginning to look very different across all fields and around the globe.

Will we all go back? Will they ever be the same?

What can we learn from the pandemic?

Internships

How can we make them more equitable?

What will digital health care look like?

Can technology help farmers connect to their customers?

Is the open office a thing of the past?

Which skills have staying power in this rapidly changing market?

Global talent

How do you attract talent from around the world?

Legal professionals

Will online litigation help our clogged courts?

What is “The Great Resignation”?

Harvard economist Lawrence Katz explains some of the factors that led to the highest quit rate in US history.

Well-being at work

Business owners, employees, and researchers are looking at ways to make workplaces safer and healthier.

Predictable scheduling

Requiring more notice in scheduling for hourly workers results in more predictable shifts and increased stability for workers, which also leads to improvements in worker well-being, sleep quality, and economic security.

Air quality

The air quality in an office can have significant impacts on employees’ cognitive function, including response times and ability to focus, and it may also affect their productivity, according to new research.

Worker safety and health

COVID-19 forced companies to act quickly and decisively to keep workers safe, and employers have had to adapt new business processes and address existing structures that are lacking.

Flexibility

While working from home, employees have enjoyed an unprecedented sense of agency and autonomy. Contrary to some expectations—but consistent with years of research—that flexibility has actually spurred worker productivity to improve.

For a broader view on workplace innovations, explore the work of our experts from a variety of institutes and centers including:

• The Project on Workforce
• GrowthPolicy
• Harvard i-lab
• Center for Work, Health, & Well-being
• Corporate Responsibility Initiative
• Labor and Worklife Program
• Working Knowledge
• The Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness

Harvard Business School

Managing the future of work

Co-chaired by William R. Kerr and Joseph B. Fuller, this project explores solutions and adaptations to rapid technological change, shifting global product and labor markets, evolving regulatory regimes, outsourcing, and the fast emergence of the gig economy.

Learn more from the Business School

Explore the podcast

Harvard Kennedy School

Reimagine the world of work

Experts investigate ways to help workers gain new skills, get companies to drop outdated practices, and other forward thinking ideas.

Learn more from the Kennedy School

Graduate School of Education

Reshaping work

Experts discuss how the pandemic is altering jobs and careers and how education can respond.

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Related In Focus topics

• Coronavirus
• The Accessible World

1st Edition

Rethinking Work Essays on Building a Better Workplace

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Description

This collection of brief essays by thought-leaders, scholars, activists, psychologists, and social scientists imagines new workplace structures and policies that promote decent and fair work for all members of society, especially those who are most vulnerable. The world of work has been deteriorating for decades and the very institution of work needs to be systematically understood, critiqued, reimagined, and rebuilt. This book offers thoughtful suggestions for new work arrangements, individual strategies for enhancing one’s work life, and recommendations for innovative systemic and institutional reforms. The collection offers critical analyses in conjunction with constructive solutions on rebuilding work, providing direction and context for ongoing debates and policy discussions about work. The book will be of interest to activists, policy makers, management and leaders, scholars, professionals, students, and general readers interested work-based reform efforts and social change.

Table of Contents

David L. Blustein is Professor and Golden Eagle Faculty Fellow in the Department of Counseling, Developmental, and Educational Psychology at Boston College, Chestnut Hill. MA, USA. David is the author of The Psychology of Working: A New Perspective for Career Development, Counseling, and Public Policy and The Importance of Work in an Age of Uncertainty and has been instrumental in developing psychology of working theory. Lisa Y. Flores is Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at the University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA. She has published extensively on the career development of Latinx and women.

Critics' Reviews

"David Blustein and Lisa Flores have curated a remarkable collection of essays in which some of the world’s finest minds tackle one of the world’s most urgent questions: How can we make the modern workplace more humane and just? The voices and perspectives in this timely book will spark you to think bigger and will equip you with the ideas and practices to transform both workforce policies and your own work life." Daniel H. Pink , #1 New York Times bestselling author of Drive ; When , and The Power of Regret "Blustein and Flores have given us an amazing gift in their edited book, Rethinking Work ; the gift of reimagination. This book intricately weaves together a tapestry of essays that reimagine our relationship to work, and introduce provocative possibilities about humanity at the center of work. The authors call readers to the metaphorical dinner table to speak to us from their hearts as they discuss implications of the current inflection point in the world of work and then invite us to step outside to have a fireside chat and wrestle with the questions raised at the table. If you are ready for out-of-the-box thinking to build a better workplace, this it!" Angela Byars-Winston is a Professor in the Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA  and senior author of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report entitled The Science of Effective Mentorship in STEMM "This rich and compelling series of essays describes, prescribes, and proscribes policies and practices in the world of work. The authors portray the importance of work for a wide variety of populations, paying particular attention to the plight of oppressed and marginalized communities. But the contributors go far beyond describing the current state of affairs; they offer persuasive and practical recommendations for imagining thriving workplaces around the world. This magnificent book will enlighten the mind and empower the spirit to do better, to work better, and to live better. I highly recommend it to leaders, workers, students, and policy makers." Isaac Prilleltensky is the Mautner Endowed Chair in Community Well-Being at the University of Miami, USA , and co-author, with Ora Prilleltensky, of How People Matter: Why it Affects Health, Happiness, Love, Work, and Society "The answer to the common question "What do you do?" is usually one's occupation, because work is so fundamental to one's identity. Much deeper questions follow this basic one: "Can decent work be accessible and equitable for all?," "How are technology and globalization affecting the nature of jobs, education, and the labor market?," and "Who all are really benefiting from our work?" Rethinking Work: Essays on Building a Better Workplace provides refreshing expert insights to questions such as these. Moreover, discovering how chapters are usefully related in addressing workplace issues is, to me, as rewarding as the chapters in their own right." Fred Oswald , PhD., Professor and Herbert S. Autrey Chair in Social Science, Department of Psychological Sciences, Rice University, USA "In light of the clear evidence that the institution of work is not working for individuals or society, this thoughtful and thought-provoking volume brings together voices from across the globe to reimagine a people-focused future of work. It is through imaginative exercises such as these that one sees a pathway to a more hopeful future of work—one that is built around the ideas of decency, dignity, equity, social justice, well-being, agency, and sustainability. This book is a must-read for students, scholars, workers, organizational leaders, policy-makers, and anyone looking to understand and positively impact the institution of work." Mindy Shoss , Professor of Psychology, University of Central Florida, USA ; Honorary Professor, Australian Catholic University, Australia "By providing a sustained critique of the 'language', form and practice of work that includes a rich plethora of approaches and positions, Blustein and Flores do every policymaker, researcher, employer and employee an invaluable service. Rethinking Work: Essays on Building a Better Workplace introduces new, thought-provoking and challenging perspectives that resonate with the challenges the world currently faces. At a time of unemployment/underemployment, precarity, the Great Resignation, automation and marginalization, this book provides an much-needed antidote, mapping paths to a more just and honest world of work that serves the interests of all members of society." Rie Thomsen , Professor of Career Guidance, Aarhus University, Denmark "This very timely book presents a highly informative collection of chapters that explore the various topics that should be considered as we face the many changes, challenges, and opportunities of working in the present and future. Written by some of the leading scholars in the field, the chapters provide much-needed reflections to understand better key work and career development issues on how work can be meaningful, inclusive, and sustainable for all." Andreas Hirschi , Chair of Work and Organizational Psychology, University of Bern, Switzerland "This book represents a major contribution to the understanding of the evolution of work and the labor market in the post-COVID period. This contribution brings to light the profound transformations of work and the function of work in the lives of the most disadvantaged people across the globe. The book constitutes an important step in helping us to develop a global view on the nature of working in the 21 st century. The contributors, who represents many regions of the world, provide insights about various aspects of work, including racism and culture, inequalities, precarity, unemployment and underemployment, and technology. This must-have book provides readers with an in-depth knowledge of the major challenges that people face in our changing contemporary world." Valérie Cohen-Scali , INETOP-Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers, Paris, France "What lies ahead in the future of work, how will it change? How can we express ourselves and find value in being someone that works? Will the challenges of a strained work/life balance, race, ethnicity and gender forever weigh us down? What can be done so work can be decent and meaningful for all – is there a roadmap we can follow? I invite you to join me in learning from the experience and knowledge that permeates this book, from seasoned researchers and writers that study work and how it affects our lives. As I read, I learned about the challenges, we face but also about what can give hope. Can we be optimists? I think the answer from this book is an unequivocal yes!" Ingrid Bakke , Faculty of Social and Health Sciences, Innland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Lillehammer, Norway "In Rethinking Work: Essays on Building a Better Workplace , Blustein and Flores provide the perfect venue to reflect on the interrelated factors impacting the current state of work, while simultaneously providing a space to begin reimagining a world of work that is more just, equitable, and fulfilling for all. Indeed, the innovation strategies, ideas, models, and tools delineated in this volume offer a starting point for transforming a system that has created differential classes of workers—those who work for survival and those who work for self-determination—to a system that lifts up ALL workers as they survive and thrive in healthier workspaces. There is no doubt that this volume of work will guide future research, training, organizational structures, management strategies, and public policy that will transform the world of work for the better." Rachel L. Navarro , Ph.D., Professor, College of Education and Human Development, University of North Dakota, USA " Rethinking Work: Essays on Building a Better Workplace is a wonderful collection of essays focusing on how we might reimagine work to help people and society thrive. The book is organized around seven critical themes, in which scholars and practitioners discuss the function and changing nature of work, inequalities and precariousness, race and culture, policy issues, and the role of technology. It is impressive how David Blustein and Lisa Flores have brought together these thought-provoking and highly relevant discussions that help us imagine a long-term sustainable workforce. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in a contextualized and hopeful view of modern work and careers." Jos Akkermans , Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands

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Preparing Students for the World of Work

Table of Contents

The experiences of the past few years have indelibly changed higher education. As we move forward, understanding and preparing for what students believe they need to be successful and engaged is more critically important.

While grades remain a top priority—especially to students—administrators, faculty, and students are defining success more holistically and adjusting campus support to match that definition of success and to show the value of a degree.

Across the globe, students, faculty, and administrators say that the three most important factors contributing to student success include:

Career readiness

Skill competency

Student educational goals

That’s according to results from our 2022 global study, The State of Student Success & Engagement in Higher Education , now in its third year. For the study, we worked with Hanover Research, seeking input from 7,572 students, administrators, and faculty from two-year, four-year, public, and private higher education institutions across 23 countries. Each year, our goal for the survey is to define measurements of student success, identify factors for engagement, and shed light on the path ahead for higher education

Comparing 2020-2022 Top Factors of Student Success

Over the three years included in our research, the top factors that contribute to student success include:

2022: 

1. Work/Career readiness (82%)

2. Skill competency (81%) 

3. Student Educational Goals (79%) 

2021: 

1. Work/Career readiness (84%)

2. Skill competency (81%)*  

3. Holistic development (80%) 

2020: 

1. Work/Career readiness (78%)

2. Student educational goals (76%)

3. Holistic development (75%) 

Over three years, the top factors for student success factors have slightly evolved. For example, from 2021 to 2022, the percentage of respondents who listed career readiness as a primary indicator of student success fell by 2%. Those indicating work readiness as important say being prepared for employment is the mark of a student who has succeeded. 

While the two top factors remain similar from 2021, the importance of student educational goals has supplanted holistic well-being as the third most important factor. Additionally, student educational goals replaced holistic development as the third most important factor in defining student success, with student educational goals rising by 3%. 

The rise of student educational goals can be attributed to the increase in non-traditional students and the increase in individual paths to education student by student. To that end, increased evidence of skill-based learning exists in that nearly half of institutions offer non-degree programs to supplement traditional two-year to four-year offerings. Additionally, 68% of respondents say having definable skills is more important than course titles or a degree. 

At the same time, administrators (87%) place significantly higher importance on skill competency than students (81%).

Student Success Factors Going Forward

Respondents of our survey predict that work-career readiness (71%), skill competency (69%), and skill diversity (68%) will continue to become more important in the coming year. 

Within Latin America (LATAM), 81% of respondents placed significantly greater importance on skill competency compared to respondents in other regions. 

Further, administrators (56%) are significantly more likely to believe student retention rates will be more important moving forward than students (42%). 

Regional Support for Student Success

When it comes to supporting students, there are many methods used across the regions, including:  

Student academic support (52%)

Grants for financially disadvantaged students (46%)

Educational technology resources (39%)

General well-being resources and internship/ externship placement (36%)

Laptops/tablets for student use (35%)

Career development services (34%)

Student healthcare options (34%) 

Different regions around the world rely on culturally appropriate academic resources to support student success. For example, North American (NORAM) institutions (44%) are significantly more likely to provide general well-being resources, while LATAM institutions prioritize grants (56%) to support student success.

The Rise of Skills-Based Learning

In previous reports, we forecasted that skills-based learning would be more prominent in the future, and in 2022, we saw that come to light. With student success continuing to be defined by career readiness, skills-based learning initiatives can help students demonstrate competency to potential employers and show mastery of skills—sometimes in place of a traditional degree. 

Today’s learners are eager to pursue education via nontraditional two- or four-year programs and increasingly turn to YouTube, certificate programs, internships, bootcamps, and apprenticeships in their pursuit of employable skills, which is important to note as institutions consider how they will meet changing student demand.

Student Success Outlook over the Next 12 Months

When asked, “Which of the following do you believe will become more or less important to measuring student success in the next 12 months?,” responses have changed over the past three years. 

Work/career readiness (2022: 71% vs. 2021: 71% vs. 2020: 66%), 

Skill competency (2022: 69% vs. 2021: 69% vs. 2020: N/A), 

Skill diversity (2022: 69% vs. 2021:69%  vs 2020: N/A), and 

Holistic development (2022: 66% vs. 2021: 67% vs. 2020: 60%) were the factors noted most often. 

The data shows that offering skills-based learning programs and recognizing the increased demand for a positive ROI for higher education are the cornerstones for the great reset of global higher education.

Skills Building at Coastal Alabama Community College Coastal Alabama Community College is bridging the gap between classrooms and careers using online skills-building programs from Instructure. The institution uses Canvas to customize course content for specific organizations to more closely align student achievement and career readiness.  Their focus: expanding the concept of student success to be less about graduation rates and high GPAs, and more about the application of learning in a real-world setting. According to our research, that’s the exact approach students are looking for. 

Next Steps for Career Readiness

Ultimately, students need to feel that their academic pursuit will prepare them for the workforce. Prioritizing outcomes-based education is one way to help ensure students graduate with the skills necessary to get a job in their desired field of study and succeed.

Higher education institutions today are increasingly prioritizing ways to evolve education programs to accommodate student demand for certificates, boot camps, and other skills-based methods of preparing for careers or up-skilling. Offering micro-certificates or badges in specialty areas, for example, is one method that these universities are employing.

A robust job market and ongoing worker shortages will continue to make it easier for students to step into careers at a rapid pace. Partnerships with various industries or businesses can help bridge the gap while supporting the continued value of a higher education degree.   

Additionally, continuing to support student academic success through methods such as career development services, internship placements, and employing educational technology resources to bridge socioeconomic gaps and support all students, will also help move education forward. 

And finally, the focus on holistic well-being continues to play an important role in student success and engagement. The strides made during the pandemic to recognize the importance of where students are coming from, their mental wellbeing, available support systems, and personal development alongside their career goals, should be carried forward and expanded on.

Download the full report to get more insights.

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The future of work after COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted labor markets globally during 2020. The short-term consequences were sudden and often severe: Millions of people were furloughed or lost jobs, and others rapidly adjusted to working from home as offices closed. Many other workers were deemed essential and continued to work in hospitals and grocery stores, on garbage trucks and in warehouses, yet under new protocols to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus.

This report on the future of work after COVID-19 is the first of three MGI reports that examine aspects of the postpandemic economy. The others look at the pandemic’s long-term influence on consumption and the potential for a broad recovery led by enhanced productivity and innovation. Here, we assess the lasting impact of the pandemic on labor demand, the mix of occupations, and the workforce skills required in eight countries with diverse economic and labor market models: China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Together, these eight countries account for almost half the global population and 62 percent of GDP.

Jobs with the highest physical proximity are likely to be most disrupted

Before COVID-19, the largest disruptions to work involved new technologies and growing trade links. COVID-19 has, for the first time, elevated the importance of the physical dimension of work. In this research, we develop a novel way to quantify the proximity required in more than 800 occupations by grouping them into ten work arenas according to their proximity to coworkers and customers, the number of interpersonal interactions involved, and their on-site and indoor nature.

This offers a different view of work than traditional sector definitions. For instance, our medical care arena includes only caregiving roles requiring close interaction with patients, such as doctors and nurses. Hospital and medical office administrative staff fall into the computer-based office work arena, where more work can be done remotely. Lab technicians and pharmacists work in the indoor production work arena because those jobs require use of specialized equipment on-site but have little exposure to other people (Exhibit 1).

We find that jobs in work arenas with higher levels of physical proximity are likely to see greater transformation after the pandemic, triggering knock-on effects in other work arenas as business models shift in response.

The short- and potential long-term disruptions to these arenas from COVID-19 vary. During the pandemic, the virus most severely disturbed arenas with the highest overall physical proximity scores: medical care, personal care, on-site customer service, and leisure and travel. In the longer term, work arenas with higher physical proximity scores are also likely to be more unsettled, although proximity is not the only explanation. For example:

• The on-site customer interaction arena includes frontline workers who interact with customers in retail stores, banks, and post offices, among other places. Work in this arena is defined by frequent interaction with strangers and requires on-site presence. Some work in this arena migrated to e-commerce and other digital transactions, a behavioral change that is likely to stick.
• The leisure and travel arena is home to customer-facing workers in hotels, restaurants, airports, and entertainment venues. Workers in this arena interact daily with crowds of new people. COVID-19 forced most leisure venues to close in 2020 and airports and airlines to operate on a severely limited basis. In the longer term, the shift to remote work  and related reduction in business travel, as well as automation of some occupations, such as food service roles, may curtail labor demand in this arena.
• The computer-based office work arena includes offices of all sizes and administrative workspaces in hospitals, courts, and factories. Work in this arena requires only moderate physical proximity to others and a moderate number of human interactions. This is the largest arena in advanced economies, accounting for roughly one-third of employment. Nearly all potential remote work is within this arena.
• The outdoor production and maintenance arena includes construction sites, farms, residential and commercial grounds, and other outdoor spaces. COVID-19 had little impact here as work in this arena requires low proximity and few interactions with others and takes place fully outdoors. This is the largest arena in China and India, accounting for 35 to 55 percent of their workforces.

COVID-19 has accelerated three broad trends that may reshape work after the pandemic recedes

The pandemic pushed companies and consumers to rapidly adopt new behaviors that are likely to stick, changing the trajectory of three groups of trends. We consequently see sharp discontinuity between their impact on labor markets before and after the pandemic.

Remote work and virtual meetings are likely to continue, albeit less intensely than at the pandemic’s peak

Perhaps the most obvious impact of COVID-19 on the labor force is the dramatic increase in employees working remotely. To determine how extensively remote work might persist after the pandemic, we analyzed its potential  across more than 2,000 tasks used in some 800 occupations in the eight focus countries. Considering only remote work that can be done without a loss of productivity, we find that about 20 to 25 percent of the workforces in advanced economies could work from home between three and five days a week. This represents four to five times more remote work than before the pandemic and could prompt a large change in the geography of work, as individuals and companies shift out of large cities into suburbs and small cities. We found that some work that technically can be done remotely is best done in person. Negotiations, critical business decisions, brainstorming sessions, providing sensitive feedback, and onboarding new employees are examples of activities that may lose some effectiveness when done remotely.

Some companies are already planning to shift to flexible workspaces after positive experiences with remote work during the pandemic, a move that will reduce the overall space they need and bring fewer workers into offices each day. A survey of 278 executives by McKinsey in August 2020 found that on average, they planned to reduce office space by 30 percent. Demand for restaurants and retail in downtown areas and for public transportation may decline as a result.

Remote work may also put a dent in business travel as its extensive use of videoconferencing during the pandemic has ushered in a new acceptance of virtual meetings and other aspects of work. While leisure travel and tourism are likely to rebound after the crisis, McKinsey’s travel practice estimates that about 20 percent of business travel, the most lucrative segment for airlines, may not return. This would have significant knock-on effects on employment in commercial aerospace, airports, hospitality, and food service. E-commerce and other virtual transactions are booming.

Many consumers discovered the convenience of e-commerce and other online activities during the pandemic. In 2020, the share of e-commerce grew at two to five times the rate before COVID-19 (Exhibit 2). Roughly three-quarters of people using digital channels for the first time during the pandemic say they will continue using them when things return to “normal,” according to McKinsey Consumer Pulse  surveys conducted around the world.

Other kinds of virtual transactions such as telemedicine, online banking, and streaming entertainment have also taken off. Online doctor consultations through Practo, a telehealth company in India, grew more than tenfold between April and November 2020 . These virtual practices may decline somewhat as economies reopen but are likely to continue well above levels seen before the pandemic.

This shift to digital transactions has propelled growth in delivery, transportation, and warehouse jobs. In China, e-commerce, delivery, and social media jobs grew by more than 5.1 million during the first half of 2020.

COVID-19 may propel faster adoption of automation and AI, especially in work arenas with high physical proximity

Two ways businesses historically have controlled cost and mitigated uncertainty during recessions are by adopting automation and redesigning work processes, which reduce the share of jobs involving mainly routine tasks. In our global survey of 800 senior executives  in July 2020, two-thirds said they were stepping up investment in automation and AI either somewhat or significantly. Production figures for robotics in China exceeded prepandemic levels by June 2020.

Many companies deployed automation and AI in warehouses, grocery stores, call centers, and manufacturing plants to reduce workplace density and cope with surges in demand. The common feature of these automation use cases is their correlation with high scores on physical proximity, and our research finds the work arenas with high levels of human interaction are likely to see the greatest acceleration in adoption of automation and AI.

The mix of occupations may shift, with little job growth in low-wage occupations

The trends accelerated by COVID-19 may spur greater changes in the mix of jobs within economies than we estimated before the pandemic.

We find that a markedly different mix of occupations may emerge after the pandemic across the eight economies. Compared to our pre-COVID-19 estimates, we expect the largest negative impact of the pandemic to fall on workers in food service and customer sales and service roles, as well as less-skilled office support roles. Jobs in warehousing and transportation may increase as a result of the growth in e-commerce and the delivery economy, but those increases are unlikely to offset the disruption of many low-wage jobs. In the United States, for instance, customer service and food service jobs could fall by 4.3 million, while transportation jobs could grow by nearly 800,000. Demand for workers in the healthcare and STEM occupations may grow more than before the pandemic, reflecting increased attention to health as populations age and incomes rise as well as the growing need for people who can create, deploy, and maintain new technologies (Exhibit 3).

Before the pandemic, net job losses were concentrated in middle-wage occupations in manufacturing and some office work, reflecting automation, and low- and high-wage jobs continued to grow. Nearly all low-wage workers who lost jobs could move into other low-wage occupations—for instance, a data entry worker could move into retail or home healthcare. Because of the pandemic’s impact on low-wage jobs, we now estimate that almost all growth in labor demand will occur in high-wage jobs. Going forward, more than half of displaced low-wage workers may need to shift to occupations in higher wage brackets and requiring different skills to remain employed.

As many as 25 percent more workers may need to switch occupations than before the pandemic

Given the expected concentration of job growth in high-wage occupations and declines in low-wage occupations, the scale and nature of workforce transitions required in the years ahead will be challenging, according to our research. Across the eight focus countries, more than 100 million workers, or 1 in 16, will need to find a different occupation by 2030 in our post-COVID-19 scenario, as shown in Exhibit 4. This is 12 percent more than we estimated before the pandemic, and up to 25 percent more in advanced economies (Exhibit 4).

Before the pandemic, we estimated that just 6 percent of workers would need to find jobs in higher wage occupations. In our post-COVID-19 research, we find not only that a larger share of workers will likely need to transition out of the bottom two wage brackets but also that roughly half of them overall will need new, more advanced skills to move to occupations one or even two wage brackets higher.

The skill mix required among workers who need to shift occupations has changed. The share of time German workers spend using basic cognitive skills, for example, may shrink by 3.4 percentage points, while time spend using social and emotional skills will increase by 3.2 percentage points. In India, the share of total work hours expended using physical and manual skills will decline by 2.2 percentage points, while time devoted to technological skills will rise 3.3 percentage points. Workers in occupations in the lowest wage bracket use basic cognitive skills and physical and manual skills 68 percent of the time, while in the middle wage bracket, use of these skills occupies 48 percent of time spent. In the highest two brackets, those skills account for less than 20 percent of time spent. The most disadvantaged workers may have the biggest job transitions ahead, in part because of their disproportionate employment in the arenas most affected by COVID-19. In Europe and the United States, workers with less than a college degree, members of ethnic minority groups, and women are more likely to need to change occupations after COVID-19 than before. In the United States, people without a college degree are 1.3 times more likely to need to make transitions compared to those with a college degree, and Black and Hispanic workers are 1.1 times more likely to have to transition between occupations than white workers. In France, Germany, and Spain, the increase in job transitions required due to trends influenced by COVID-19 is 3.9 times higher for women than for men. Similarly, the need for occupational changes will hit younger workers more than older workers, and individuals not born in the European Union more than native-born workers.

Companies and policymakers can help facilitate workforce transitions

The scale of workforce transitions set off by COVID-19’s influence on labor trends increases the urgency for businesses and policymakers to take steps to support additional training and education programs for workers. Companies and governments exhibited extraordinary flexibility and adaptability in responding to the pandemic with purpose and innovation that they might also harness to retool the workforce in ways that point to a brighter future of work.

Businesses can start with a granular analysis of what work can be done remotely by focusing on the tasks involved rather than whole jobs. They can also play a larger role in retraining workers, as Walmart, Amazon, and IBM have done. Others have facilitated occupational shifts by focusing on the skills they need, rather than on academic degrees. Remote work also offers companies the opportunity to enrich their diversity by tapping workers who, for family and other reasons, were unable to relocate to the superstar cities where talent, capital, and opportunities concentrated before the pandemic.

Policymakers could support businesses by expanding and enhancing the digital infrastructure. Even in advanced economies, almost 20 percent of workers in rural households lack access to the internet. Governments could also consider extending benefits and protections to independent workers and to workers working to build their skills and knowledge mid-career.

Both businesses and policymakers could collaborate to support workers migrating between occupations. Under the Pact for Skills established in the European Union during the pandemic, companies and public authorities have dedicated €7 billion to enhancing the skills of some 700,000 automotive workers, while in the United States, Merck and other large companies have put up more than $100 million to burnish the skills of Black workers without a college education and create jobs that they can fill.

The reward of such efforts would be a more resilient, more talented, and better-paid workforce—and a more robust and equitable society.

Go behind the scenes and get more insights with “ Where the jobs are: An inside look at our new Future of Work research ” from our New at McKinsey blog.

Susan Lund and Anu Madgavkar are partners of the McKinsey Global Institute, where James Manyika and Sven Smit are co-chairs and directors. Kweilin Ellingrud is a senior partner in McKinsey’s Minneapolis office. Mary Meaney is a senior partner in the Paris office. Olivia Robinson is a consultant in the London office.

This report was edited by Stephanie Strom, a senior editor with the McKinsey Global Institute, and Peter Gumbel, MGI editorial director.

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The world of work is changing rapidly. Working conditions today are not the same as before and people no longer rely on taking one job for life. Discuss the possible causes for these changes and give your suggestions for how people should prepare for work in the future.

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• technological integration
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Photo essay: Changing world, changing work

Date: 28 February 2017

The world of work is changing fast, through innovation, increasing mobility and informality. But it needs to change faster to empower women, whose work has already driven many of the global gains in recent decades.

Women still predominantly occupy jobs that pay less and provide no benefits. They earn less than men, even as they shoulder the enormous—and economically essential—burden of unpaid care and domestic work.

Realizing women’s economic empowerment requires transformative change so that prosperity is equitably shared and no one is left behind. The international community has made this commitment in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Every woman should enjoy her right to decent work. As a global champion for gender equality and women’s empowerment, UN Women asks: What do we need to get there?

EQUAL PAY FOR WOMEN

It doesn’t matter where they work or what they do. Women globally are paid less than men for the same work.

Why does the gender pay gap persist? In many countries, disparities in education have begun to close. But that’s not enough to knock down gender-based discrimination in the world of work. It keeps women out of some jobs and segregates them into others—often the lowest paying ones.

Many constraints stem from balancing paid work and family responsibilities. Inflexible working hours and limited parental leave are among the factors forcing women into part-time employment or even out of the workforce for long stretches. Some countries still mandate women to retire earlier than men.

What can we do? Call for passing and enforcing laws and regulations upholding the principle of equal pay for work of equal value. Ensure that businesses do their part to close the gender pay gap.

CLOSE THE PARTICIPATION GAP

Record numbers of women are being paid for work. But labour force participation rates lag those of men .

Three-quarters of working-age men are in the labour force, compared to half of women, and in some regions, young women are unemployed at much higher rates than young men.

These gaps suggest that not all women who want to work can do so . Some are discouraged by gender bias. Others find no way of surmounting barriers, such as the lack of parental leave, and child and dependent care. Whatever the cause, women have a right to participate equally. The economics are compelling too—a potential boost of 28 trillion USD to global annual GDP by 2025.

What can we do? Enact paid parental leave and flexible work policies, provide child care, and encourage public and private employers to aim for gender parity at all levels of hiring.

SHARE UNPAID CARE!

Women make a huge economic contribution that fills gaps in services. Why is it unshared and uncounted?

Cooking, cleaning, caring for children and the elderly—economies depend on such work, valued at between 10 and 39 per cent of GDP. It can contribute more to an economy than manufacturing or commerce.

Unpaid care and domestic work fills gaps in public services and infrastructure—and are largely provided by women. That’s an unfair burden and an unfair barrier to equal labour force participation and pay. Reducing these requires shifting norms around who does this work, and investing in decent, paid work in the care economy.

What can we do? Pass policies that reduce and redistribute unpaid work, such as through more paid jobs in the care economy, and encourage men to share care and domestic work. Invest in systems to provide water, electricity, transportation and other essentials that reduce household labour.

FOR EVERY WOMAN: DECENT WORK

Far too many women labour in informal work with little pay or protection of their rights.

Gender discrimination unfairly concentrates women in jobs as street vendors, domestic workers and subsistence farmers, among other informal occupations. For women with few skills or knowledge of their rights, or who have migrated to another country, informal jobs may be the only option to earn a living.

Informal employment typically is poorly paid. Falling outside the reach of labour laws, it can be unsafe and bereft of social benefits, such as pensions, sick pay and health insurance. Globally, 57 per cent of domestic workers have no limitations on their working hours.

What can we do? Extend social protection and minimum living wages, promote the transition to formal employment in line with ILO Recommendation No. 204, and ratify ILO Convention 189 on Domestic Workers.

ANY JOB IS A WOMAN’S JOB

Work is rapidly transforming. Ending occupational segregation must be part of the shift.

Technology and the greening of economies provide new opportunities for women in the world of work. But gaps need to be closed, with women over-represented in lower-paid jobs and under-represented in leadership positions, and in science and technology. Half the global working population is in the service sector, dominated by women; their share reaches as high as 77 per cent in East Asia.

Gender barriers in work are embedded in discriminatory laws, social norms and policies. Trade policies may take advantage of a cheap female workforce, for instance. Fiscal policy may limit spending on services that could help women better balance work and family.

What can we do? Take urgent policy action to eliminate barriers that discriminate against women workers. Provide education and training for women that open opportunities for women in the changing world of work.

ORGANIZING: IT’S A WOMAN’S RIGHT

The nature of women’s work often keeps them outside the reach of labour organizing and union protections.

Women’s ability to organize in workplaces and communities is indispensable for upholding labour rights. Women’s collective voice is a pathway to ensuring decent work, and to influencing public policy priorities. In trade unions, women members have driven achievements in organizing and collective bargaining, including among highly vulnerable groups such as domestic workers.

Yet many barriers remain to the right to organize, including repressive laws . Women working part-time or isolated in homes may have fewer opportunities to learn about, form or join protective networks, self-help groups or organizations such as unions.

What can we do? Aim for gender parity in decision-making positions in trade unions, worker and employer organizations and corporate boards. Urge governments, employers and organized workers to jointly promote the human and labour rights of all women workers.

STOP HARASSMENT AT WORK!

Violence against women is a violation of their rights. In the workplace, it imposes high costs.

Going to work presents risks of violence and harassment for women across all ages, incomes and job types. A boss may link advancement to sexual favours. A taxi cab might become a source of income and a risk for rape.

The consequences are many . Damages to physical and mental health can lead to absenteeism, lower earnings and job loss. Women may feel unfairly constricted in their choice of employment or freedom of movement.

What can we do? Enact and implement laws and policies to criminalize all forms of workplace harassment and gender-based violence. Work with unions, employers and advocates for informal workers so all women know their rights and can seek redress for violations.

EQUALITY IN LAWS AND BENEFITS

Discriminatory legal provisions and social protection gaps increase the chance that women will live in poverty.

Only 67 countries have laws against gender discrimination in hiring practices, while at least 155 have one or more gender-based legal restrictions on women’s employment and entrepreneurship. Discriminatory laws and inadequate legal protection compound gender inequalities and disempower women workers.

Women also lack social protection benefits—they are over- represented among the 73 per cent of people with only partial or no access to pensions, unemployment compensation and even health insurance. This renders them more vulnerable to poverty—on top of earning less than men.

What can we do? Remove all discriminatory labour legislation in line with CEDAW. Enact well-designed social protection schemes that reduce poverty and reach all women, including those who are working, retired or providing unpaid care.

ECONOMIES THAT WORK FOR WOMEN WORK FOR ALL

The future envisioned for humanity and our shared planet, across all of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, rests on fully freeing women’s power and potential. It is time to act on the high ambitions of the 2030 Agenda and guarantee that every woman can thrive and contribute, including through decent, dignified work.

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