Layoffs, Freelancing Flexibility, and the Future of Work

Work and employment have faced significant transformations over the past few decades. The COVID-19 pandemic required us to rethink the value of remote and hybrid work arrangements. But there have been various other shifts that have led to the current state of work and the trends of remote and flexible work.

This blog details the shifts that led us to the rise of remote and platform-mediated work and the implications for today’s employers and future generations of workers.

Lean organizations: Shifting from employee-focused to growth-focused

Since the 1970s, we’ve seen a transformation of work, driven in part by a market shift toward individualism and high performance work organizations. Simply put, organizations have shifted from focusing on creating a loyal workforce to a focus on growth and profit to benefit their shareholders.

This shift toward growth — combined with labor market deregulation and economic downturns — has led to organizational cost cutting measures like downsizing, outsourcing and offshoring work. This is exemplified by the many layoffs over the past few months in tech and other industries. Companies are laying off workers to remain competitive and produce higher profits.