UNIT 3: EMPLOYMENT TRENDS

I. Discussion
1. What do you think about the differences in the employment trend of Vietnam over the
past 5 years?
2. What do you think about the employment trend of Vietnam in the far future? What
jobs will no longer be needed?
For your information:
5 Employment Trends for 2018
1. Working at home is on the decline as workplace well-being is prioritized.
In 2017, our firm noted that about one-third of global corporations offered workplace
flexibility options such as working from home and the elimination of strict office hours. However,
this trend has now taken a downturn as many companies have discovered that when employees
interact more with each other in physical environments, it can result in enhanced creativity and
relationship building that lead to favorable outcomes.
Companies like Apple – having just completed a state-of-the-art world headquarters – have
also concluded that while technology can make its employees more efficient, it will never replace
face-to-face conversations.
In addition to physical interaction, mental health – often downplayed in the workplace – is
becoming more of a focus for corporate leaders. In many global corporations, HR providing more
support for employees with mental health issues.
2. As the economy continues to improve, employers will invest greater sums into the training
and development of their employees.
More training and development will be utilized to fill the gaps in employee skill sets and
will help companies work to full capacity in an improving economy.
This will be essential for Generation Z employees, who are demonstrating a soft skills gap
in the workplace.
3. An increasingly aging workforce will have ramifications for employees of all ages.
While much is made of Generation Y and Z employees, the overall workforce is continuing
to age, with baby boomers retiring later than their generational predecessors. About three in every
four Americans plan to work past retirement age, with almost two-thirds projected to work part-
time.
The population of seniors in the U.S. is expected to more than double from 41 to 86 million
between now and 2050.
 As baby boomers maintain their leadership positions, it will be more challenging for
younger workers to achieve promotional opportunities and could lead to higher turnover levels.
4. Bullies continue to affect the workplace.
A significant change in the reference checking process is that employers are more likely
than ever to call the job seeker’s former supervisors rather than the traditional route of calling
human resources. This is because employers have concluded that former supervisors tend to be
far more talkative about previous employees than human resources – and a talkative,
knowledgeable reference is exactly what they seek.
A 2014 survey by the Workplace Bullying Institute identified 27% of responders as having
current or past direct experience with abusive conduct at work, and bosses constituted the majority
of bullies.
Workplace bullies can affect not only current but also future employment opportunities.
Workers are encouraged to take a proactive stance, utilizing reference checks and cease and desist
services to be sure that references adhere to company policy and are not jeopardizing a candidate’s
chances at future employment.
5. Technological/AI advancements will continue to influence the workplace.
Trends that began in 2017 will accelerate in 2018, affecting employment opportunities
across the board. Examples include fast food chains adding ordering kiosks and warehouses using
automated order pickers.
Chatbots - programs that facilitate text conversations - are expected to save companies
millions of dollars in salary expenditures annually, as will similar forms of artificial intelligence.
II. Vocabulary
Word(s) Definition Illustration
Two-Tier Wage A system that keeps high wages for current
System workers, but has a much lower wage for newly
hired workers

Glass Ceiling An invisible barrier that obstructs their

advancement up the corporate ladder

Comparable Worth The principle stating that people should receive

equal pay for work that is different from, but just
as demanding as, other types of work
Set-Aside Contract A guaranteed contract reserved exclusively for a
targeted group

Constant Dollars Dollars that are adjusted in a way that removes

the distortion of inflation

Embargo an official ban on trade or other commercial

activity with a particular country.

Societal Needs to a large degree reflected in industrial needs (for

innovation, improved standards, low cost
production methods, knowledge about the human
body, better access to data and academic
knowledge)

Telecommuting work from home, making use of the Internet, e-

mail, and the telephone.

III. General knowledge about employment trends

IV. Tips: resolve conflicts in business
V. Case study:
1. Background
Company Delaney
Based in Dublin, Ireland
Client Major car-hire company, which has
outsourced its European booking operations
to Delaney
Number of staff 260 full-time and part-time
Staff profile Mostly European women in their mid- to late-
20s. Many of them are fluent in English,
Spanish, Italian, French or German
Average length of service 3 years
Problems with absenteeism and high staff High costs of recruitment, selection and
turnover training
Newer staff have lower productivity levels
The competitiveness of the Irish call-centre
industry

2. Report on absenteeism
 Conductor Delaney’s HR department
Subject Absenteeism in the company
Length of study 12 months
Average no. days taken for absence/year 7
Common causes Headaches, migraine, colds, flu, back
problems, stress
Consequences Delays in answering calls
Extra work and stress on colleagues
Costs of finding replacement staff
Uncertainty in planning
Long-term consequences Caller and client dissatisfaction
Task - Find the reasons
- Find ways to reduce absenteeism and deal
with it when it arises

3. Real possible reasons for absence

1. Personal problems (family/home responsibilities)
2. Lack of motivation: boring work, low salary, feeling undervalued for the job
3. Pressure of workload, having no control of workload
4. Pretending to be ill
4. Solutions
- Regulation:
 Set a policy requiring employees to call in and notify the company of any absences. Ask
employees to speak to their supervisor, if possible, rather than leaving a message.
 Clarify what evidence you require for claims of illness, ensure this is covered in employment
contracts.
 Include illegitimate absenteeism as a disciplinary offence.
 Analyse any significant correlations: for example, high levels of absenteeism on Mondays or
among a particular group of employees.
 Meet with employees on their return to work: make sure they are fully recovered, bring them
up to date and, if necessary, clarify the reason for the absence.

- Improvement in environment:
 Check whether you can implement any changes to working practices or working environment
to reduce further illness, for example, ergonomic seating or longer breaks.
 Create a climate of open communication and trust so that employees approach supervisors
with problems rather than just calling in sick.
 Treat employees with genuine reasons sympathetically; respect the legal rights of employees
suffering from long-term illness or disability.
 Consider drawing up family-friendly policies to allow employees to legitimately take
personal time when they need it. Offering extra holidays or rewards for exceptional attendance
records can help to motivate and engage employees
 Check that you are providing healthy working conditions: ensure that you have good
lighting, ventilation and safe working practices, providing an employee health scheme or
offering training in healthy lifestyles and stress management.

5. Tips to welcome employees back

Be W.A.R.M.
W. welcome - welcome them back; tell them they were missed.
A. absence - discuss the absence; are they fit to return? For example, if it’s part of a pattern, the
manager may benefit from inquiring about issues that the employee may have which are
contributing to the absenteeism. This may prompt consideration of a disability vis-à-vis the
equality legislation or even invoking of the disciplinary procedure.
R. responsibility - explain that being absent means they have a problem; talk about how they are
going to solve it. One might also explore the effect of the absence on work colleagues (e.g. what
arrangements were in place during the absence, changes at work that may have transpired during
the absence).
M. move on - focus on getting back to work; update on developments in their absence (e.g. new
priorities), end on an upbeat note.
VI. Exercises