by Alec Hogg
It’s 20 years since Jeremy Rifkin introduced us to a radically different employment scenario with his classic book The End of Work. His thesis: as technology made tasks easier to automate and corporates wearied of hidden costs with having full-time staff, those in permanent employment would dramatically reduce. And there’d be a corresponding surge in contractual and temporary workers.
At the time, Rifkin was criticised by leading labour academics for scaremongering. But look over the past couple decades and there’s little doubt he was right. The biggest surprise, though, is how those most affected actually love the freedom that comes with less job security. Especially the young.
Ask educated beings under 35 to share their dream job and you’ll struggle to find one who wants to wear a suit and sit in the corner office. More likely you’ll be told of wanting their own business or enjoying the flexibility of only applying for “gigs” when they needed to. What past generations knew as work, has truly ended. Even if it is yet to be universally recognised.
From Biznews community member Irvine Green
The use of technology to automate and speed up tasks is the cause of OUR – and the worlds – major and most pressing conundrum… Unemployment. An automated stock control system in a medium and large company can put 100 people out of work. eg, loading stock received, picking stock required for sales room refreshing or on receipt of order. In accounting – software now allows the a/c system to read the bank statement (via internet) and do autppostings to the ledger. So much for intern clerks and those doing on the job training.
Etc. Rifkin was right – but I don’t think he foresaw the result of tech replacing people… growing unemployment as mankind continues to procreate at the same time. At the same time as automation becomes even MORE efficient in MORE areas of business.
Yesterday’s top stories:
Barry Sergeant: Roger Kebble suicide – he was trying to make a statement
Sara Gon: Damage done – What’s the REAL reason behind Gigaba’s Visa policy?
Crony alert: Ramaphosa flies “Gupta Air” to Japan, costs taxpayers millions
Martin Wolf: Why Mr Market’s worries about China makes a lot of sense
Martin Ganda: The Trillion Dollar African opportunity
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