Since the outbreak of the coronavirus across the world, there has been the formation of a new technology-based job market that has to be navigated by all. Our blog will focus on the new skills, knowledge, and abilities needed to continue business in this new age and how older generations can be helped to not fall behind.
Barker, L.-K., Moore, J. W., Olmi, D. J., & Rowsey, K. (2019). A Comparison of Immediate and Post-Session Feedback with Behavioral Skills Training to Improve Interview Skills in College Students. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 39(3/4), 145–163. https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.wwu.edu/10.1080/01608061.2019.1632240
The abstract of this study condenses down research data from other sources to conclude that a lack of “creativity and teamwork” is the impression that employers receive when interviewing applicants who are unable to properly communicate and present themselves in a professional manner. This aids our research as it shows that one must be able to maintain effective communication, even through a pandemic, to be considered a viable candidate in the job market.
Castillo, C., Fernandez, V., & Sallan, J. M. (2018). The six emotional stages of organizational change. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 31(3), 468–493. https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.wwu.edu/10.1108/JOCM-05-2016-0084
The authors cover the impacts an employee’s emotional setting can have on the organization. The six stages when faced with negative organizational change were denial and anger, bargaining, depression, revising, deserting, and acceptance. This aids our research as the findings of the article indicated that employees can often gain adverse feelings towards their work when they are forced through unstable times, such as a pandemic. The writing further proposes that their results can act as a guide for managers to assist their employees to avoid the negative symptoms, which is an essential aspect of our blog.
Cohen, P., Hsu, C. (2020, May 14). ‘Rolling Shock’ as Job Losses Mount Even With Reopening’s. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/14/business/economy/coronavirus-unemployment-claims.html
Cohen and Hsu include a graphic in their article that is described to show more than 36 million unemployment claims in the two-month span prior to May 14th. They mention that this does not account for those who have been rehired within that period, but is nevertheless an impactful statistic. It additionally shows that the COVID-19 epidemic coincides with this time span and has created an immense impact on the job market. Thus, it shows the relevance of our blog during this time of job uncertainty and changes.
Duff, E. (2020, May 12). U.S. unemployment rate: seasonally adjusted April 2020. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/273909/seasonally-adjusted-monthly-unemployment-rate-in-the-us/
This article covers the jump in US unemployment rate from 3.7 percent in 2019 to 14.7 percent in April of 2020 at the peak of the COVID-19 epidemic. This again shows how much of an impact the virus has had on the job market and creates a relevant issue to be addressed in our blog.
Faraj, S., Jarvenpaa, S. L., & Majchrzak, A. (2011). Knowledge Collaboration in Online Communities. Organization Science, 22(5), 1224–1239. https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.wwu.edu/10.1287/orsc.1100.0614
The authors discuss how the increase in online communities has been able to facilitate a fluid environment that moves tensions and resources quickly through the group. They continue on that due to this more fluid environment, the online platform can be more generative and less constrained than the typical organization. This aids our blog as it supports that the shift to more online-based work due to the pandemic can become a functional form of business given that managers promote it properly.
Marr, B. (2020, April 17). 8 Job Skills To Succeed In A Post-Coronavirus World. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2020/04/17/8-job-skills-to-succeed-in-a-post-coronavirus-world/#13f626132096
Marr discusses the skills people need both now and after the COVID-19 pandemic to be successful in the business environment. The specific skills include adaptability, tech-savviness, creativity, data literacy, critical thinking, digital and coding skill, leadership, emotional intelligence, and a commitment to learning. These abilities aid our blog by showing what will be changing in the job market after the virus and how people will be able to make themselves an opportune employee.
Zaczkiewicz, A. (2020). As Virus Tests Management, Change Takes Center Stage: As the coronavirus tests the skills of c-level leaders in fashion and retail, communication and flexibility is essential. WWD: Women’s Wear Daily, 14. Retrieved April 22, 2020, from http://ezproxy.library.wwu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=142646933&site=ehost-live
This article addresses the ways management must adapt to the everyday changes that are occurring in businesses by telling the ways WWD is running amid the crisis. Priorities in the workforce have had to be reevaluated and the article emphasizes the importance of having teams strongly connected and communicating in different ways than they did before. The article also provides quotes from managers of the company making for a diverse source with many opinions on how to manage during these times. This article will be essential to our blog in that it will provide us with many examples of how the workforce must adapt and the ways management must implement stronger teamwork. We will also be shaping this blog from the management perspective as the article does, it will show us what managers are thinking about and what skills they are prioritizing.
Tasia Allum, Kaylan Rocamora, Dani Tamir, Julian Orint, Maia Taber