1 May is Worker’s Day and I thought to have a look at what it really means to have a job today. South Africa is at an exasperating unemployment rate of just below 33%, the work ethic of younger generations is a popular topic of conversation and having its employees scattered between offices, homes and coffee shops is a challenge to employers globally. What does the employment landscape look like and why is it still important to have a job – regardless of where you do it from?
Unemployment
Having a third of your employable population without a job is a massive challenge to any government. Unemployment keeps the government’s provision list extensive, it prevents an individual to contribute to the economy, it increases and maintains a negative relationship with economic growth and of course, often, it leads to crime. (Read more)
To have its people employed is not only important for the rulers of the land. It is important for the individual too. Other than having no disposable income, being unemployed causes the individual psychological and social distress, often resulting in mood disorders and substance abuse. (Read more) Finding work in a challenging economic system like South Africa is not easy and often feels like a hopeless situation. In fact, if you look at the expanded unemployment rate — which also counts job seekers who have given up on the search — the rate is at 42.6% at the end of 2022. (Read more)
Statista.com says that globally, there were estimated to be approximately 3.32 billion people employed in 2022, compared with 2.28 billion people in 1991 – an increase of around 1.04 billion people. “The ILO’s World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2023 (WESO Trends), also projects that global employment growth will be only 1.0 percent in 2023, less than half the level in 2022. Global unemployment is slated to rise slightly in 2023, by around three million, to 208 million (corresponding to a global unemployment rate of 5.8 percent). The moderate size of this projected increase is largely due to tight labour supply in high-income countries. This would mark a reversal of the decline in global unemployment seen between 2020-2022. It means that global unemployment will remain sixteen million above the pre-crisis benchmark (set in 2019).” (Read more)
Work ethic
The ageing of what is regarded to be an effective worker’s corps, is a popular topic of conversation. Generation X is deemed to keep the world spinning while the commitment and attitude of Millennials and Generation Zs toward their work are not applauded. There is, however, much more to the attitude younger generations have towards their jobs. They are also worried about not having a job. “47% of South African millennials list unemployment as their leading concern, while 32% listed crime and safety as well as corruption within business and politics… For South Africa’s Gen Z unemployment is the greatest concern for 46% of respondents, while economic growth concerns about 26% and education, skills and training are a concern for 24%. “ (Read more) Younger generations are not necessarily poor employees, they just have a different approach – one that older generations struggle to understand. They might take less direction, do not stay at one job for too long, have different priorities, expect flexibility and might have a better work life balance than older generations.
It is not only the young generations that have a different perspective about work, however. People are increasingly “chipping away” at having their identity so strongly associated with the work they do. Life outside of work is embraced much more, employees stand up against bad bosses and demand employer accountability. (Read more)
The New Office
Although it has been a long time coming, Covid hastened the transition to a hybrid working environment. Are you still driving to work every day? A more lenient approach to where you work from, is a long-Covid symptom that is here to stay. While better efficiency is true for many, others still believe that a formal work environment is required for optimum performance.
Having some employees in the office and others working from home or even from their holiday spots, are hard to manage and the easiest option might be to have everyone back at the office. The most efficient approach, however, might be more difficult. It would mean that we must consider the requirements of each different job. For some, having fewer interruptions and being in a less constrictive space, can increase productivity and creativity – if that is what is required from the position. Also, remember the exceptional advancement of technology over the past years. Being able to attend meetings from your holiday spot on a remote island, does give you more options than in the past. The commitment of the employee is, of course, essential, but unfortunately, those who are taking liberties working remotely will probably be the same ones wasting time in the office.
While the serious employment issues do not have a straightforward solution, there are a few interesting job-related facts to enjoy on Worker’s Day:
Ways in which the world of employment has changed:
- Access to multitasking tech.
- Companies have realised the importance of well-being.
- Flexibility is non-negotiable.
- Diversity is a given.
- Although there are still challenges, the glass-ceiling for female employees has been cracked.
High paying jobs that are in demand (Read more)
It is one thing to have a job, and another to have one that pays well. The worldwide highest income is earned in Monaco, while the smallest budget per capita exists in Afghanistan. According to businesstech.com, the average salary in South Africa was R26,032 a month at the end of 2022. Click here to see the average income of sixty-nine countries.
- Nurse practitioner for advanced nursing care
- Data scientist
- Information security analysis
- Web developer
- Physician assistant – a licensed medical professional who provides routine patient care.
- Software developer
- Actuary
- Financial manager
- Information systems manager
- Social and community service manager
- Management analyst
- Industrial engineer
- Marketing manager
- Database administrator
- Public Relations Manager
Jobs (across income levels) in demand in 2023 (Read more)
- Stockers, packers and drivers – the complete logistics chain to ensure consumer goods end up in retail or for e-commerce delivery.
- Bartenders
- Fast food servers
- Cooks
- Housekeeping and cleaners
- Medical assistants
- Health services managers
- Home health and personal care aids
- Supervisors in food and serving industries.
- Market research analyst
- Stockers and order fillers (for all e-commerce orders)
- Software developers
Highest paying jobs in the world in 2023 (Read more)
- Data Scientist
- Senior Software Engineer
- Investment Banker
- Chief Executive Officer
- Surgeon
- Anaesthesiologist
- Physician
- Neurosurgeon
- Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon
- Orthodontist
- Gynaecologist
- Psychiatrist
- Airline Pilot & Co-Pilot
- Paediatrician
- Internist
- General Practitioner (GP)
- Dentist
- Petroleum Engineers
- Engineering Manager
- IT Manager
- Financial Analysts
- Solutions Architect
- Information Systems Security Manager
- Machine Learning Engineer
- DevOps Engineer
- Enterprise Architect
Jobs in danger of being replaced by AI (Read more)
- Tech jobs (Coders, computer programmers, software engineers, data analysts)
- Media jobs (advertising, content creation, technical writing, journalism)
- Legal industry jobs (paralegals, legal assistants)
- Market research analysts
- Teachers
- Finance jobs (Financial analysts, personal financial advisors)
- Traders
- Graphic Designers
- Accountants
- Customer Service Agents
Weirdest jobs (Read more)
- Professional sleeper
- Drying paint watcher
- Fulltime Netflix viewer
- Train pusher
- Professional mourner
- Snake Milker
- Dog food taster
- Odour judge
- Scuba diving pizza delivery
And if you want some really entertaining reading, click here to read about jobs that don’t exist anymore – from ice cutters to food tasters to knocker uppers!