By Peter Prestipino, Editor-In-Chief
It certainly doesn't take a visionary to see how dramatically different the world is even compared to a few years ago.
Technology has changed not only the ways in which we communicate with each other, but also the way we spend our working hours. Despite fewer face-to-face interactions, experiences are more personalized than ever before, more immediate in their received benefit and on the whole, simply better; perhaps that's just my personal worldview showing though.
For those who were unprepared for the incredible change in the job market over the past two decades (either because they didn't have access to technology or never developed the skills required), times have never been tougher, and it's led to a shrinking middle class and poorer prospects for the future for millions around the globe. Those that embraced the change, however, immersed themselves in the opportunity and kept at it, are those now best positioned for success in the years to come.
It's a much different work landscape than ever experienced before and that millennial generation so often discussed and surveyed, is well aware of the prospects. As a result, employee confidence around the job market, job security, pay raises and future business outlook appears quite strong according to a new Glassdoor survey.
+ 53 percent of American employees believe if they lost their job they would be able to find a new job matched to their experience and current compensation levels in the next six months.
+ 46 percent of U.S. employees expect a pay raise or cost-of-living increase in the next 12 months.
+ Concerns about being laid off have reached a new low, with 14 percent of employees reporting concern they could be laid off in the next six months.
+ 42 percent of employees believe their company's future business outlook will improve in the next six months.
"In 2009 our country faced its worst recession in years and uncertainty made employment confidence weak," said Rusty Rueff, Glassdoor career and workplace expert. "Today, employee confidence around the job market, job security and likelihood of a pay raise is among the highest it's been in the past seven years. We'll keep an eye on employee confidence around employers' future business outlook as recent market uncertainty could be impacting employee optimism related to company performance."
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What's important to remember is that things change and those that embrace this change will be those not just surviving but also thriving in their professional lives. Maintaining the standards is insufficient; to be successful at work it will be necessary to focus on the relationships we have with co-workers and colleagues (even competitors), acknowledge and work within the constraints of the environments (with an always-on eye toward the policies, procedures, and practices that can be improved) and work rigorously toward this aim.
The future of work is unknown; your position might very well be soon done by a robot, but if you continue learning, building relationships, optimizing your approach to the world and just keep working, good things will happen. While there's certainly no guarantee of that, it beats not trying at all.
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