The Great Rearrangement of the Labour Market

And we are already seeing how many businesses have started to change the type of services offered, in order to keep up with the dynamics of the overall transformation. It is not the biggest who will survive, but those who respond most adequately to this rearrangement.

The coronavirus will continue to restructure the economy, and digitalisation and automation will undoubtedly accelerate. That's why people need to focus on their own

digital preparation

and on gaining new knowledge and competence, as in the future each profession will require more and more special skills. Automation will continue to replace manual labour, but it is already entering the realm of cognitive skills. Many routine activities are subject to programming and the people who perform them will be gradually replaced by intelligent systems, reminds Tomcho Tomov, Head of the National Centre for Competence Assessment at BCC.

The pandemic has left a deep imprint on society, it also reorganized the labour market in a ruthless way. But there is one important aspect in which the problems have been smouldering for years. And they are related both to the experiences of the people in the organization and to the interaction between the representatives of different generations. Only a few months ago, there was a severe shortage of staff. But after a sudden turnaround due to the paralysis of many activities,

the need for a new approach

has surfaced towards people who are approaching or are already of retirement age. They are a huge part of the workforce and are an important resource. If they join the army of the unemployed and the non-working, it will be hard for both the people themselves and for the social systems. Still, we cannot help but see that there is a digital gap between the generations, there are strong differences between the different generations, at the same time life expectancy is increasing, and the labour force in our country is decreasing every year. Retirees who are in good condition can be attracted as a labour resource. However, we must make sure that we use the best of each person, says Tomcho Tomov.

The problem with

the differences between generations

is multifaceted. For example, there is a transfer of knowledge from the older generation to the younger one, but also vice versa - especially when it come to the latest technologies. And for everyone to be productive, able to work and engaged, their experiences must be properly managed. It is the experiences that a person has at work that are important for staying in this company. There are also different generations of employers, some are more flexible and dynamic, others are conservative, and this undoubtedly affects the work environment.

So far, these issues have remained in the background, but the pandemic has opened our eyes to

the potential of internal resources

BCC together with partners is working on a project to adapt the working environment to the specific age needs of different generations, in order to encourage a longer working life and ability to work. Only if we look for solutions to the problems we shall find them.