BENEATH THE SURFACE Today’s World of Work: Welcome to the New Normal I n today’s world of information overload, it is difficult to avoid becoming aware of a host of developments on the employment landscape. One need only look at the sheer numbers and kinds of jobs being filled to confirm the trend. Recent unemployment figures indicate that the effective jobless rate in the U.S. is in the 4.5-5% range. At the same time, we learn that new jobs are coming into being in impressive numbers, and statistical measures describe the depth and breadth of the employment environment. We know, or are told, that most of the job growth over the last 15 months has been in the lowest paying sectors, which include, but are not limited to, service jobs and low-end construction work. It seems that more people are working, but for all intents and purposes are being paid less when inflation, while holding steady at a low 1.4%, is factored in. In addition, there is clear evidence that many who had experienced long-term unemployment just stopped “looking.” Increases in pay are being described as sluggish at best. Many who seek seasonal employment, such as students looking for summer jobs, just aren’t finding any, and full-time work for many out-of-work folks just isn’t available. Then factor in the demographic shift in the working population as a function of retiring baby boomers, and an overall picture begins to come into focus. Some economists are saying, “welcome to the new normal,” meaning that this is what we can expect for the foreseeable future. So if that’s the way it looks from afar, the next question might be what are the dynamics that are taking place in the more immediate world of work, and within the context of the civil engineering and civil construction industry? On the con- struction side, it is interesting to learn that studies by the Associated General Contractors (AGC), and supported by data from the American Subcontractors Association (ASA), indicates that the average worker in the construction industry is in his (yes, “his”), mid-50s. The data also show that young people are not entering this field of work in large enough numbers to support the new jobs that are becoming available. Construc- tion as a career is not perceived by even high schoolers as something in which they would be interested. The only influx of younger construction workers is in the area of residential construction, which in large measure relies on immigrant entrants into the labor force. These are the lowest paying jobs in the construction sector. When it comes to the more skilled class of construction workers, such as those in the deep foundations industry, there just aren’t enough to go around. “Selling” high school graduates on seek- ing a career in the construction industry has been a challenge for many years. As civil construction opportunities continue on a growth path it becomes even harder to find qualified, skilled workers. At the same time, unions, which were once a steady source of skilled labor, have lost much of their influence, with shrinking ranks to boot. Enter Millennials, Gen-Xers and Baby Boomers When we look at the “professional” side of the coin, meaning positions that require a higher level of education and training, we are confronted with a whole different set of challenges. A significant consideration is the changing age and attitudinal demographics of those currently engaged in or those entering the workforce. It is at this juncture that it is interesting to take a look at just who makes up today’s American labor force. A recent analysis of this phenomenon conducted by management consulting firm Frank N. Magid Associates, was reported in the March 2015 issue of the Market Watch e-Newsletter. The analysis draws on statistics generated by a study of the nonprofit Pew Research Center, AUTHOR S. Scot Litke, Hon. D.GE Washington, D.C., and utilized data from the U. S. Census Bureau. The 2015 study showed that “millennials” (ages 18-34) constitute 53.5 million members of the American workforce, followed by “Gen-Xers” (ages 35-50) at 52.3 million, and finally by “baby boomers” (ages 51-68) at 44.6 million. Magid suggests that the work habits and work values of these classic generational groupings vary significantly. While the distinctions are stereotypical in nature they are nonetheless intriguing, and have important ramifications for company owners, executives and line-level mana- gers. Millennials are broadly characterized as coming across as “entitled.” They are most concerned about career prospects as well as a company’s ethical, moral, economic and ecological responsibility on the planet. They seek flexibility in work schedules and the option of working in an office or remotely. Gen-Xers are seen as disgruntled and given to slack behavior. They are “there,” but just how committed are they? Baby boomers are thought to be inflexible and not very tech-savvy, and to an increasingly large degree, primarily focused on retirement. Overgeneral- izations to be sure, but instructive nonetheless. The millennial group, which constitutes one in three U.S. workers, is not only the largest in the American workforce, but also the most educated of the bunch, (actually the most educated in history!). It turns out that 25% of these folks already occupy management positions. Millennials no longer talk about “life balance” as it relates to one’s work/career and overall life goals as was the case with Gen-Xers. For Gen-Xers there was an inherent tension between the two. Whereas for millennials, more emphasis is placed on “life integration,” meaning fitting it all together DEEP FOUNDATIONS • SEPT/OCT 2015 • 109
