Human Capital Briefs

The perception about the growth of the nontraditional workforce is out of line with hard data. While the number of independent contractors earning income through online labor market platforms has been growing, except for the transportation sector, these platforms represent a tiny share of income and total hours worked in the US economy, and are highly concentrated in certain specific occupations.

The share of workers employed in temporary contracts declined from an already low level in 2005. employers still grappling with how to incorporate labor market platforms and other recent technological innovations into hiring practices. Employers continue to value lasting relationships with employees and care deeply about the skills and work habits of those they employ.

The labor shortages in blue-collar jobs are unlikely to disappear any time soon. An important reason: The combination of the US population becoming more educated and the concentration of disability among less educated people is significantly reducing the share of less educated people in the labor force.

A forthcoming 2018 report by The Conference Board on non-traditional work is set to address the lack of growth and impact alternative work arrangements will have on the U.S. labor market. Hiring workers through alternative arrangements is certainly a viable option for many employers, but satisfaction levels may make it difficult for employers to significantly change their share of non-traditional workers.

Care should be taken to avoid enrichment of executive pay packages as a result of a stock buyback. The selection of performance measures and corresponding performance levels can be one of the most difficult aspects of designing an incentive compensation program for executives.

The threat of labor shortages is more acute in blue-collar and low-paid services occupations than in white-collar occupations.The main reason: The working age population is solidly and uninterruptedly growing for college educated, but shrinking for those without a college degree.

For the first time we are comparing job satisfaction globally. In the latest 2018 Q1 report of The Conference Board® Global Consumer Confidence Survey, a new global survey conducted in collaboration with Nielsen, workers in 64 countries were asked the same question: “To what extent are you satisfied with your current job?” Interestingly, all around the world workers have similar reasons to wake up every day and go to work.

For US firms, upgrading data protection compliance procedures will not just be a concern related to European operations. California has passed a measure, The California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018, which is partially modelled after GDPR. An examination of The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine® (HWOL) Data Series illustrates the mix of IT, legal, managerial, and marketing talent that companies will need to meet these new compliance challenges without sacrificing their digital ambitions.