Working in the future: how today's trends are shaping tomorrow's jobs; Globalization, aging, and trends in technology and society will create opportunities for eco-relations managers, retirement consultants, and outsourcing coordinators.

The workplace is constantly evolving. Over the last 50 years we have seen radical changes in where we work, how we work, and when we work. These changes are most readily evident in the job titles that have dramatically evolved over the years.

In just the last decade or so, the dot-com,

new economy era brought with it a plethora of new job titles, reflecting the nontraditional management style these entrepreneurial ventures tried to create. Unique titles such as envisioner (Design Continuum Inc., 2000), idea ambassador (2think Inc., 2001), and director of first impressions (Teltronics Inc., 1999) were regularly featured in the pages of Fast Company, a publication chronicling the new economy. Some of the more mainstream job titles that have surfaced in recent years include chief information officer, kernel engineer, and network security specialist.

Job titles will continue to evolve over the next 20 years as numerous trends alter the workplace landscape. Trends in technology, society, demographics, and the economy will inspire the job titles of tomorrow. The following are our top 10 candidates.

Manager of Diversity

Until recently, this executive might have been in charge of making sure the company's payroll met diversity standards and enforcing policies that ensured no group would be treated differently or affected adversely because of skin color, gender, religion, etc. Today, companies are moving beyond the idea that diversity initiatives are simply the politically correct thing to do and have come to recognize the business benefits of having a multicultural workforce.

The overall U.S. population is becoming more and more ethnically diverse. Having an equally diverse payroll means having employees who can literally and figuratively speak the language of the customers. Hispanics, in particular, accounted for about one-half of U.S. population growth between July 2003 and July 2004. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's most recent estimates, approximately 14.3 million Hispanics live in the United States.

The manager of diversity will be charged with getting the maximum benefit out of individuals' unique traits, helping employees develop a culturally informed approach to customer service, and tapping new potential markets. For example, the manager of diversity might be charged with spearheading a marketing initiative in an up-and-coming Latino neighborhood, or conducting Web-based product surveys through popular Web sites in China, Latin America, and the Middle East. This manager might also develop a visiting-worker outreach center to assist employees from other countries with translation issues, find affordable housing, obtain citizenship, or find low-cost language instruction.

Offshore Outsourcing Coordinator

Offshore outsourcing is one of the more controversial trends in today's workplace. Regardless, that trend is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. According to the Information Technology Association of America, spending on global outsourcing in the fields of computer software and services is expected to grow to $31 billion by 2008. More than half of the new jobs created in that field will go offshore. The U.S. economy is expected to create 516,000 new jobs in the software and services area within the next five years. Of those 516,000 jobs, as many as 272,000 are also expected to go out of the United States.

While the practice of outsourcing is thought by many to be a destroyer of American jobs, it is likely to create more jobs than it eliminates. A growing number of economists agree that outsourcing contributes to increased productivity and helps keep inflation in check. Higher productivity and lower prices for goods will help the economy create new jobs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has estimated that total employment is likely to increase from 144 million jobs in 2002 to 165 million by 2012, largely as a result of outsourcing.

One job that may be created is that of offshore outsourcing coordinator. Companies cannot simply contract with an overseas service provider and then sit back while key decisions are made without them. Firms that choose to outsource services must have a representative on hand to ensure that outsourcing providers are meeting certain standards, that the work is being done to everyone's satisfaction, and that customer service does not suffer. The outsourcing coordinator will also look for new outsourcing opportunities and will assess the costs and benefits of each.

This person may also be in charge of assisting workers whose jobs have been dissolved or moved abroad. He or she may set up a displaced-worker insurance fund to provide downsized workers with a financial cushion during their transition period, to augment unemployment insurance. The coordinator could also develop a retraining program to help displaced staff prepare themselves for the new jobs that the economy will create.

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Corporate Age Adviser

With a growing number of individuals over the age of 65 coming back to work, companies will soon see the age range of their workers span four generations. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers over the age of 55 are expected to grow from 14% of the labor force to 19% by 2012.

Having such a diverse workforce will prove beneficial for organizations that are able to manage the different work styles of each generation. Companies that fail to do this, however, may see age conflicts develop, which could, in turn, lead to a decrease in productivity.

To help companies manage the delicate balance between generations, a new breed of consultant will emerge: the corporate age adviser. This consultant will mediate disagreements between age groups, ensure that each department has the right mix of generations to achieve its goals, and increase the harmony between groups. A corporate age adviser might also be in charge of recruiting a customer-service team to market to the age 65 and older demographic. The age adviser will be in constant negotiation with powerful seniors groups like AARP, both on the national and chapter level, to obtain product endorsements and negotiate promotional partnerships.

Retirement Consultant

In less than five years, 77 million baby boomers in the United States will begin reaching age 65, the traditional retirement age. Already, the concept of retirement is undergoing a radical evolution. While many Americans will be financially prepared for their later years, not all of them will be emotionally ready for the transition. Many people reach retirement and discover that reading or playing golf is not as appealing as it once seemed. New business opportunities will arise as advances in technology elongate the human life span and the percentage of the population aged 65 and older continues to grow. One of those new opportunities will be the field of retirement consulting.

Such a service will be in high demand, especially in dual-income households where both partners retire around the same time. The adjustment of going from a situation where both individuals are working to where both are retired will be difficult to manage. Retirement consulting professionals will help these couples cope with the changes and discover what they want to do in their retirement. This consultant could provide valuable advice on a range of issues, from stretching and growing a fixed-income account to getting the most out of one's free time. The retirement consultant may help an individual determine if he or she was well suited for entrepreneurship or volunteer work. If the client is looking toward a career change, the consultant could help point toward the most suitable "retirement career."

Automotive Repair Technician

The era of the archetypal, not-so-very-bright car mechanic is officially over. The average new automobile features more onboard computerization than the Apollo 13 spacecraft. Cars like the Infiniti FX feature navigation systems that instantly provide traffic data and offer alternative routes. In the near future, more cars will come equipped with assisted braking that will automatically slow the vehicle when it gets too close to another.

Tomorrow's automotive repair technician will have to be computer literate in addition to being highly skilled in the fundamentals of automotive repair. He or she will need to know how operate complicated computer diagnostic programs and be familiar with an enormous variety of machines and parts. Entrepreneurial car technicians in the future will dialogue with car companies to get the best prices for computer upgrades in the same way that auto garages today often compete to get the best deal on parts from manufacturers. Future car technicians might also hold workshops to teach customers how to use the newest in-car software as it becomes available.

Corporate Historian

Corporations, like people, have memories. Just as our memories determine our personality, inform our goals, and influence our direction in life, the same is true for corporations. A company's memory comprises the collective business experiences, dramas, visions, successes, and failures of real people who work for the firm. Companies draw on corporate memory's lessons each time they solve problems, sell products and services, interact with customers, develop new technologies, or design marketing campaigns.

As more workers reach the official retirement age in the coming years, companies both large and small will face the prospect of a serious memory drain. To prevent this, firms will need an ongoing and detailed record of projects, programs, problems, solutions, results, etc., in a computerized database. When future problems arise, a corporate historian will cross-reference the database for similar cases and create a report containing possible strategies and outcomes.

The system will be especially helpful as more companies expand nationally and internationally. For example, a plant manager in Mexico facing quality-control problems may access the memory database and find that a similar problem occurred in Singapore. That plant manager will be able to consult a detailed report of every action that was undertaken to diagnose and fix the problem. Such a report might even include a list of outside contractors that were called to resolve the issue, and a review of each contractor's performance. The corporate historian will ensure that the information in the report is relevant, accurate, and easily accessible.

Chief Health Officer

As corporate health-care costs continue to spiral out of control, many companies will consider abandoning employer-sponsored health insurance. Every company, regardless of the coverage they offer their employees, has a financial interest in keeping their workers as healthy as possible. Unscheduled absenteeism or "sick days" cost employers an average of $610 per employee every year (2004 CCH Unscheduled Absence Survey). In the future, more companies will insist that their workers follow certain health practices in order to help contain these expenses. One Michigan company has already established a policy forbidding its workers from smoking--even off the job. Other companies are encouraging employees to lose weight and exercise more. Some companies have well-equipped exercise areas.

An in-house health-care officer could oversee a variety of corporate wellness programs. The officer might rewrite the company's health-insurance policy to account for demographic shifts that occur within the company over time. He or she might also conduct longitudinal studies to pinpoint the sorts of illnesses that the company's employees suffer from most frequently, and then make appropriate recommendations to management. The officer might manage a small staff, including a corporate nutritionist and a personal training professional.

Eco-Relations Manager

Companies are finding out that it pays to be green. According to the group Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability, the U.S. market for sustainable products and services was estimated at $76.5 billion at the end of 2004. In an effort to tap into this market, General Electric recently announced a new initiative dubbed "ecomagination" that will focus on the research and development of eco-friendly products and services. Both Republican and Democrat leaders are eager to help private enterprise develop greener products and practices. The Bush administration has called for tax incentives totaling $4 billion through 2009 to promote cleaner and more energy-efficient technologies.

The payoff of a greener economy could be substantial in terms of new jobs. A study by the Wisconsin Energy Bureau concluded that investment in renewable energy creates three times as many jobs as the same level of spending on fossil fuels.

One job that could result is that of eco-relations manager, who will coordinate efforts to seek eco-friendly policies, products, vendors, etc. This person will communicate and work with consumers, environmental groups, and government agencies to develop and maximize ecological programs. For example, an eco-relations manager might conduct environmental-impact surveys prior to the construction of new company facilities. He or she might work with Congress to acquire federal grants to help the company meet new fuel-efficiency standards. This manager would also arbitrate between suppliers to find the best price for energy-saving devices, such as photovoltaic solar panels or bulk recycled material.

Manager of Faith-Based Relations and Initiatives

As business becomes increasingly global, companies are encountering a growing diversity of religions. In some areas of the world, religion can play a powerful role in consumer habits.

Even in the United States, conservative religious groups are gaining power and are more willing to flex that power to influence political as well as consumer behavior. President Bush has made faith-based and community services a centerpiece of his administration. Faith-based organizations received $2 billion in federal funding in 2004.

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As religious groups use the power of their growing numbers to effect change, companies with religiously diverse workforces will have to establish a special representative to work with these parties to ensure that lines of communication remain open.

The manager of faith-based relations will work to mediate the demands of work and religious faith. He or she will also seek out new business opportunities connected to religion in society. This manager might also oversee how company goods and services are marketed abroad, especially in places like the Middle East where the decision of what product to market is as important as the manner in which that product is marketed. Another job for this manager might be organizing volunteer information sessions to help employees better interact with their colleagues of different religious backgrounds.

Coordinator of Workforce Development and Continuing Education

Severe labor shortages are likely to return in the next decade. Some companies may begin feeling the pinch within the next few years. Certain industries, such as health care, are already suffering.

Ironically, even as society becomes more dependent on technology, companies in the future will face a shortage of technologically skilled workers. Fewer young people now enter college on a technology-oriented track. A survey of colleges found that enrollment in key courses for computer science majors was down anywhere from 10% to 30% in 2002. The skills gap will be evident not just in tech, but in all aspects of business as students continue to lack proficiency in written and verbal communications, organizational skills, and problem solving.

Employers have a vested interest in making sure that there are jobs and skilled workers to fill them domestically, if for no other reason than that these companies rely on those same workers to consume their products and services. This is where the coordinator of future workforce development and continuing education will assist.

This coordinator might manage a program to help qualified employees attain advanced degrees in their areas of specialty. He or she would run a series of Web-based information sessions to teach employees how to use the latest software, or organize a "tech retreat" for the same purpose. Finally, the coordinator could manage a "virtual internship" program to tap talented youth across the world and expand the company's technological knowledge base.

Business as a whole can work to close the skills gap by contributing to school-to-work programs, particularly programs reaching down to the elementary-school level. Unfortunately, federal funding that helps communities establish such programs has been cut in recent years. Such programs will be instrumental in developing the future workforce.

About the Author

John A. Challenger is chief executive officer of global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. From 1999 to 2002, he served on the Labor and Human Resource Committee of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. His address is 150 South Wacker Drive, 27th Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60606.

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