Final Paper

Abstract
I have been appointed by my Director to prepare the Workforce 2020 Report for our company XOXO Communications, LLC.
Over the next decade, technology and the shift in resources will provide power to the masses and change how companies conduct business. This paper will discuss the demographical, social and economical changes that will shape the course of business throughout the globe. Age and gender are two key demographical trends that will affect how employers manage their employees. Technology will play a large role in how employees and their employers communicate. Social networks and the shift in consumer power are two key social trends that will affect how employers advertise and provide the ultimate customer experience. Outsourcing and contracting employees are two key economical trends that will affect how employers conduct business. In an effort to reduce cost, maximize profit and employee efficiency, companies will alter how they conduct business both internally and globally.
In this paper, I will discuss each trend in detail, and how important it will be for XOXO Communications to embrace these trends through the new decade.

Demographic Trends The world is ever changing. As XOXO Communications, LLC enters the new decade, it will be vital for us to be aware of these changes and understand how they will affect the Company. Undoubtedly, age and gender will shape the future demographics of XOXO Communications and how we will function over the next decade. Generation Y & Z As technology grows vast, Generation Y (born1980 – 2000) & Generation Z (born after 2000) will place enter the workforce changing how business function. According to Simons (2010), “Gen Y… is typically team-oriented, banding together to socialize rather than pairing off. They work well in groups, preferring team over individual endeavors. They’re good multi-taskers, so expect them to work hard. They expect structure in the workplace, acknowledge and respect positions and titles, and want a relationship with their boss” (p. 31). Generation Y will be focused on getting the job done, and getting it done right. This generation will be more focused on work-life balance and put less of a focus on completing 10-hours days. This will cause a shift in the expectations of XOXO Communications. Generation Z “was born into a totally different technological world than what their immediate predecessors were” and will rely more technology to accomplish their day to tasks (Young, 2009, p. 207). Geck (2006) goes on to say, “It can be assumed that, as the commonly cited Generation Z birth years closely correspond to the birth of the World Wide Web, this will be a generation that is connected electronically far more than any preceding generations (Young, 2007, p. 207). This generation will utilize the Internet as a major source where information is widely available. They will utilize alternative communication avenues, such as smart phones, texting, video chat, and live web. XOXO Communications will need to utilize alternative management styles to communicate to both Generation Y and Z. Currently; we operate under an authority compliance style of management which places importance over the task at hand and achieving results, and not the individual (s) behind completing the task. It will be vital for us to include the middle –of –the –roads and team management styles as we turn into the new decade (Leadership, 2010). These styles will allow for us to effectively manage the new demographics by embracing the need to recognize individuals and building relationships, while maintaining the need to achieve goals and succeed. It will be imperative for XOXO Communications to incorporate web-focused communication into the day-to-day activities. This will provide unlimited benefits for the company. One benefit is that it will create interdepartmental relationships and communication at your fingertips. Applying theses management styles, along with enhancing the communication sources throughout the company, will allow us to flourish throughout the future years. Women in the Workforce According to Reference for Business, women share a series of characteristics, such as “the use of consensus in decision making; viewing power in relationship terms as something to be shared; encouraging productive approaches to conflict; the building of supportive work environments; and the promotion of diversity in the workplace. This contrasts with the general leadership styles of men, which tend to be more hierarchical and authority oriented” (2010). Over the next decade, women will continue lead in areas of business, politics, education and technology. This will have a direct impact on the once male dominated workforce. Women will spend more time handling business and less time with their families. It will be vital for XOXO Communications to synergize work and family life. This synergy consists of more flexible working environments, such as telecommuting. Telecommuting provides both the employee and Company to benefit from time normally spent on commuting to and from their work location. “Availability of family-friendly benefits would suggest a more family-friendly workplace (Wayne, et al., 2006)”, which will ultimately create a happier employee for the Company. This level of understanding and work/life synergy will result in conflict resolution due to the Company recognizing and embracing flexibility within the workplace (Beutell, 2010, p. 652). Social Trends Technological advances will alternate how employers interact with their employees. It will alter how well businesses communicate with their clientele. XOXO Communications will need to embrace future social trends surrounding the Internet in order to attract new breed of consumers while maintaining our old consumers. Social Networks
Over the next decade, technology will continue to flourish and develop new and improved ways to stay connected. This opens the doors for business to utilize alternative ways to capture new clientele while keeping the attention of their loyal consumers. Social networks such as Facebook and Myspace have allowed employers the opportunity to capture reach markets across the globe. “According to a 2007 CareerBuilder survey, 22% of employers use on line social profiles such as Face book as a way to judge potential employees prior to their hiring. Face book has become this generation's way of connecting and now it could become the new interview” (Mishra, etl, 2010, p.15). A social network provides an avenue for collaboration and a transfer of thoughts between individuals and groups. It provides a revolving door of information for the Company, consumers and employees.
Social networks will create alternative methods for advertisement. XOXO Communications will need to embrace the information age and develop ways to reach more consumers for less. What better way to accomplish this task, if not through social networking? Through the click of a button, we can create a profile and connect with unlimited amounts of consumers in an effort to promote our products and services. Also, consumers will be able to stay connected with the Company and provide feedback on products and services. This grassroots approach of advertisement will provide infinite benefits including increased revenue and improved customer experience. Customers Take Charge Over the next decade consumers will turn to the internet to collect information on companies’ products and service. Traditional broadcasting methods, such as television and billboards, will be replaced non-traditional methods, such as links to customer reviews and blogging. They will depend more on bloggers and social networks as a means for evaluating products. In this Information Age, it will be important for XOXO Communications to take advantage of all avenues to ensure our consumers are equipped to make the best decision, which is to use and continue utilizing our products and services. This means to embrace blogging, and provide a centralized location for customers to access product information. Also, the Company should embrace the fact that consumers will not depend on XOXO Communications providing transparent information, therefore seeking answers and decision making information from outside sources. Economic Trends Over the next decade, the U.S. will strive to shift the economic pit it has dug itself into. Energy and resource will become scarce forcing demand and prices to sky rocket. Business will continue to search for creative ways to cut costs, while increasing profit. Many businesses have identified two ways in ensuring success through the new decade, through outsourcing and the hiring of contractors. Outsourcing
According to Richarme (2009). “China has absorbed much of the manufacturing businesses formerly done in the United States, and China’s economic composition is now about 49% manufacturing and 40% services, compared with about 20% manufacturing and 79% services in the United States” (p. 41). Outsourcing, whether it be sending your products to be manufactured in China or routing all of your IT calls to India, has been identified as a viable way to cut cost. As demand increases, so will the need for outsourcing.

XOXO Communications must be prepared to manage team globally through utilization of technology and newly established communication tools. The Company must be aware of cultural differences, between the country in which it will decide to do business, and its management team. The Company will need to be educated on the cultural barriers in order to effectively communicate and avoid conflict. Appropriate training and the careful selection of outsourcing opportunities will provide XOXO Communications the ability to flourish throughout the decade.
Full-Time to Contractor Over the next decade, it will be imperative for employers to reduce production cost and increase revenue to stay ahead of the game. One way to accomplish this would be to reduce full-time employment and hire contracted workers. Contracting employees gives businesses the flexibility in eliminating fixed operating costs due to not having to offer various benefits. On one hand full-time employment will be scarce. On the other had contracted employees will have more control over their work schedules providing a better work-life balance. XOXO Communications should follow this trend over the next decade. The Company will benefit by hiring a staff that will be as dedicated as full-time employees for half the cost. Also, these contractors will be results driven and will increase productivity. We will adopt a task-motivated leadership whereas the focus will be on the completion of tasks and projects. Payment is contingent on the completion of the contract, which makes the need for relationship motivated leadership less required. Conclusion Through careful analysis, it has been identified that XOXO Communications will need to make some needed changes in order succeed over the next decade. When discussing demographic trends, the Company will need to shift management styles in order to effectively manage the Generation Y and Z, workforce that will emerge. It will need to embrace alternative communication styles, i.e. texting and web chat, in order to successfully keep the attention of these new comers. The Company will need to look at flexible working schedules and environments in order to effective synergize work and life balance for women leaders with families As the Company moves into the technology age over the next decade, they will need to welcome new social trends, such as Facebook, to touch the masses at little to no cost. Through these social networks, they will be able to connect with consumers and business-to-business consumers in an effort to stay connected and provide premier customer experiences. They will give their customer’s the power to investigate how the company can benefit their living through blogging and available posts. Lastly, XOXO Communications will need to eliminate cost through outsourcing .This will provide the Company with the flexibility to meet the demands of their consumers, while identifying new ways to be cost effective. The Company will utilize contracted workers in order to improve efficiency and reduce fixed cost. Combining the three trends will give XOXO Communications the tools in thrive throughout the next ten years.

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