Jobs are being lost every day and most of them are not being replaced, get used to it. It’s got nothing to do with the economy. In periods of massive recovery and financial booms, jobs just weren’t being created in any way comparable to the wealth that was being generated. Many workers are being permanently laid off.
This is not “the sky is falling down” scenario, the government IS lying to you. Unemployment figures have been deliberately fabricated to avoid antagonising the public. The adults in the room are telling you that Santa is real and he is still bringing you presents, just some elves have been sick and there will be less presents this year. If you disagree ……”GROW UP”.
Where are the jobs going? In some companies the question is basic maths, the number of jobs are just being reduced. But in more and more companies and especially small businesses, jobs are just being cut down.
It’s called technology.
Through modern technology and innovative organisational restructuring, companies, business and now more so in governments, they are creating more efficient, productive ways to organise work or in most cases just removing the service elements altogether. The reduction of jobs is just one of the perceived benefits.
Increasingly rapid technological advances have, and will continue to be the driving force in transforming the workplace. Data collection and manipulation has been inserted between the worker and the products. For example, when I attended the MGM Grand International Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas in 2001, I was invited into the surveillance room. The surveillance room had 4 camera operators for several screens with 8-16 full motion pictures on each monitor. The use of face recognition software and algorithmic programming based on real time data capture allowed (in 2001) the computers to effectively watch, determine intent, and alert sometimes prior to events, human disappointment. This was effective for capturing both patrons and staff in the act of larceny with advanced warning.
I have walked the gambit of the old ceiling space of the Darwin Casino, whereby people used to look down from above. As a manager I was trained in body language, verbal judo and real time psychological risk assessments. I personally rose quickly up the ranks and was the youngest (at the time) Assistant Pit-boss in Australia due to consistently high success rates and capture. Now the same techniques are carried out by computers with similar success rates at a fraction of my cost.
Such automated manipulation of data requires less manpower and the ratio of 1:2 tables for a surveillance operator is now 1:200 cameras. The new workers generally have no experience in gaming or mathematical ability, they have a security licence and they just monitor and report.
New technology and information based work challenges the traditional rules of the workplace. Long term employment, extended chains of command, fixed job descriptions, have been replaced by certificate courses, relationships, party loyalties and the “Who you know” mentality due to the reduction of real skills to “Communicating Data”.
Then there is “social agenda” employment
With the promotion of social agenda employment, there is no longer employment based on merit, or ability, in the public service. But on identified race, cultural background or gender bias. The ideology that this was to create equality was based on a robust and growing employment base, but when 10 people are employed to do the same “job” that used to require a department of 100, then having a person of race, an equal ratio of females, an LGBT+, cultural and any number of other fashionable minorities, that leaves little ability to function with efficiency and productivity.
The greater freedoms associated with the information technology advancements also requires greater responsibility, with access to private information, and, an obligation of good conduct and character.
However, without the underlying merit of experience, and, capability, most public service departments consistently fail to meet basic operational requirements, let alone, meet the numerous requirements under regulations, acts, and law.
How you can thrive.
The bonus of these systems is that a person like me can operate a consultancy business from my home, I can operate a Survey Company, a Security Company, a Real Estate business, several social media forums, study, and, keep physically active as well.
I can be directly connected to worker bee’s (contractor’s, security personnel) and my clients, still directly connected to my central office, whilst having a coffee and using the cloud on my iPad.
I can operate the financials of a Real estate company on the Gold Coast, renovate 2 southern investment properties, all whilst I am geographically located in Darwin.
The old rules are gone and are not coming back!
The old rule was that multi-hour chunks of work known as “Jobs” used to be the foundation of being employed. Not anymore.
Many people work for several employers to make ends meet, because the hours provided by one employer alone is subsistence at best.
If you can’t beat them join them
Whereby many in the private sector avoided public service or employment due to the nepotism and corruption inherent in bureaucracies. The ever-dwindling ability for our education system to adapt and evolve to economic demand, there is now a rise in applications for government jobs. This however has led to a multitude of applicants competing with merit against special measures and vague selection criteria’s.
A system set up to fail
The failure of many companies and government departments to function is in direct correlation to their inability to depend on predetermined activities and to use initiative, this comes with experience and wisdom. The proven data correlation of those that require “cultural time”, special treatment and their lack of productivity is, if based just on function, and, equivalency, proof of privilege.
Your jobs are disappearing, you are being accused of being privileged by minorities with greater employment, and, therefore financial opportunities than you, and will be rewarded, not punished for truancy and mental health issues.
Welcome to the new millennium, I call it the Grind.
