Bye Bye Silicon Valley, And Hello Global Workforce: TOP 5 Trends From The World Of Work

#1. Bye bye Silicon Valley. Hello global workforce.

Some tech companies in Silicon Valley are having second thoughts about abandoning their offices and letting everyone work from home now that lockdown restrictions are easing. Companies like Google have requested employees slowly come back to the office, while others, like Spotify, have let their workers set up offices anywhere in the world. In the latest report in BBC, one tech entrepreneur is making the case for an end to offices. The chief executive of the note-taking app Evernote, Phil Libin, even banned video meetings because he believed people needed be in the room to make a proper contribution. But now, his perspective has shifted completely. In fact, he’s told workers there may never be an office for them to attend. Read more here.

#2. Companies are rethinking the concept of necessary travel.

The pandemic has led to a big shift in how companies think about necessary travel for work. New technology has led to a new reality for business-to-business dealings for even the most hands-on industries, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. Zoom, FaceTime, and even robots have helped facilitate a new reality for businesses looking to speak with clients, give tours of their facilities, and more. Cloud-based collaborative tools have forged new relationships between businesses, workers, and clients. Read here

#3. “Hidden” job offers increase by 5.5% during the pandemic.

During the pandemic, the number of so-called “hidden jobs,” or jobs that are never published online, rose 5.5%, according to a study by the Adecco Group. The number of people who switched jobs thanks to online job offers has increased in the past year. Many of these hidden jobs happen through networking and mutual contacts, and not through online job postings.

Read more here, in Spanish.

#4. The iconic American automaker General Motors offers a “work appropriately” plan for the post-pandemic future

The largest American automaker, General Assembly, is announcing their plan for a post-pandemic working future. It’s a streamlined and simple approach: “Work Appropriately.” CEO Mary Barra said that the future of work is not a one-size-fits-all approach. "Work appropriately means that where the work permits, employees will have the flexibility to work where they can have the greatest impact on achieving our goals,” Barra told Forbes. Leaders will help their workers focus on their work as well as the tools and resources they need to get the job done.

The decision came after feedback from their workers when asked how and where they would like to work. Read more here.

#5. A growing number of parents say they would prefer their children go to technical and vocational schools, instead of college

According to a new poll by the Social Market Foundation and the Further Education Trust for Leadership, more people would prefer their children learn a trade instead of going to university or starting work. In the poll, 48% of people would prefer their child pursue a vocational degree after leaving school instead of starting university (37%) or starting work (8%). When asked about their own experiences, 55% of respondents said they would opt for university if they had to do it over again. Thirty three percent of graduates said they wish they had taken a vocational course instead, the same poll found. The results showed that middle class workers are much more positive about the value of a technical or vocational education than previously believed.

Read more here.