3.1 Why is career resilience important today?
In today’s workplace, change is almost constant, and an ability to adapt to change and demonstrate resilience is sought after by every employer.
Schawbel (2021) describes several workplace trends that have shifted over the last eight years. The table below links some of his points to wider commentary about career resilience.
| Changing workplace trends | Impact on career resilience |
|---|---|
| The rise of the gig economy – with an increase in short-term contracts and freelance work. | While this approach is successful for many, managing the reduced job and financial security, and making it work for you, requires career resilience. |
| The emphasis on workplace diversity – changing how companies view, support and invest in diversity. | This shift could open up new career opportunities for those who might not previously have applied for certain roles – having the confidence to do so is closely linked with career resilience. |
| A significant widening of the skills gap, i.e. the gap between the skills employees have and the skills needed to do their jobs. | While many employers are taking responsibility for upskilling their workforces, career resilience plays a part in your willingness to embrace new skills and seek further learning. |
| The acceleration of digital development, e.g. artificial intelligence, social media platforms, virtual reality etc. | We all have examples of when technology has changed our working practices or environment – but the adaptability required to embrace these changes depends on your career resilience. |
| The demand for employee well-being – exacerbated by an increase in remote working, particularly during the global pandemic. | Employees are demonstrating their career resilience by successfully adapting their working practices, but are also prioritising their own needs and expecting their employers to provide support. |
Column 1 adapted from Schawbel, 2021
These, and many of the other changes occurring within the modern workplace, require increasing employee resilience and a requirement to take personal responsibility for learning and career development. You’ll explore some of these trends in more detail when you consider external challenges in Week 3.