The subject of jobs and employment has become a major concern today. It doesn't look good for the future either. There was a time when all you had to do was go to school, study well, graduate and job opportunities were there for the taking. This is the reality of many many years ago. It could seem like a fairytale when this is talked about because of the high level of unemployment we see today. Yes, the future could even be worse.
Even in the midst of it all, people are still struggling and hoping to find work to do. It hasn't been easy, and many of us can attest to that as we're in the labour market. People have had to opt for businesses and skills rather than depending on government for work or even working for private companies and bodies. It has worked out well for many, who ended up becoming very successful in their skills or businesses, even becoming employers of labour.
The Covid-19 outbreak ushered humanity into a phase which revolutionised even work. Since people couldn't go to work, an alternative came in doing it remotely. Now, this system must have been in place but the constraint as a result of the outbreak powered this new system of working from home, or remote work. And even as the world has returned to normality, it has been adopted as a beneficial system of work, with many opting for it.
Remote work has several advantages over the physical system of work. Such as the ability to apply for and secure jobs anywhere in the world, the convenience of working from home which means no fees spent on transportation and dealing with workplace-related issues, and perhaps more time for oneself. This has helped many people secure jobs, more lucrative ones even. Recognising the opportunity, value and benefit of this system, many people jumped in.
The result is that today, that system has become saturated. People are constantly seeking and applying for remote work, and the very system which came in as a help and answer to many is now suffering its own turmoil. Well, a turmoil rather affecting the people who dearly need these jobs. It leaves a concern about the future, whether working from home will remain relevant as time goes on. Will people end up returning to physical work?
I think that there'll be job opportunities, though limited. Even in countries with low job opportunities, adverts still go out. With people establishing new businesses, companies and ventures, there'll be employment. On a large scale, this favours remote work because of the advantage of applying from anywhere in the world. Opportunities for remote work will still be available. Maybe what to do is get equipped and updated with relevant skills and knowledge.
Remote work is based on freelancing or contractual agreements. Freelance jobs offer gigs and contracts give more of a sense of employment. It's up to the person to understand the kind of arrangements they're in and utilise them well. Physical work is already very much saturated, which is one of the reasons people opted for remote work. But people could be forced to return to regular jobs due to a lack of opportunities or them lacking needed skills and knowledge.
Image is AI generated.
