Senior Consultants Consider Trends Affecting Future Work
A couple of weeks ago, Ibbaka Talent conducted one of a series of open conversations to understand trends that will impact our work economy. We spoke with a group of twelve senior consultants at our office in VentureLabs in Vancouver. The exchange was fueled by the standard start-up fare of pizza and beer.
The consultants at the group all had at least twenty years experience (and there were a few with thirty years or more). They came from business (marketing, change management, strategy), education, and of course IT (usability, business analysis, project management).
Demographic Change
Baby boomers have a lot of experience and expertise to offer. This group of consultants are approaching retirement and tend to have a good sense of which projects they would like to associate themselves, focusing on work where they can make a significant impact. See our post on “What will you be optimizing your next gig?”
Seasoned consultants do think about their younger counterparts. Millennials are joining the consulting mix and cross-generation teams are becoming the norm. This poses some interesting challenges. There is the perception that the younger generation is still looking for ways to demonstrate their experience and expertise. Of course the younger generation are often looking for different things from projects. Share your own motivations in our short survey, “What matters most when choosing a job.”
The Contingent, On-Demand Economy Leads to a DIY Attitude
There is a growing recognition that traditional jobs are falling by the wayside. As it becomes challenging to find jobs, more and more people are hanging out their own shingles. There is a rise in the do-it-yourself (DIY) mentality where people are building their individual consultancies.
Although not internal staff, consultants are committed to making a mark at work and truly want to contribute to success. They think of themselves, and want to be seen, as part of the team. A feeling of being part of an organization is very important to their identity as consultants.
Consultants are Asking Themselves
How do I know what projects are coming up?
How do I put up my hand to signal interest in certain types of projects?
How do I know what the team dynamics will be like before committing?
Specialist vs. Generalist Knowledge
There is increased demand for specialization in the market. Companies are looking for specialists. Specialist knowledge can take the different forms, ranging from specific experience in packaged software to deep process understanding within a defined professional role such as project management and business analysis.
Still there is recognition of the need for the generalist who is able to build alignment with the overall requirements. The really great generalists are able to take a group of individuals and make them into a real team!
Globalization
Globalization is still a key concern for consultants in North America. High-end senior consultants are often engaged in projects outside their home country. They gravitate to the most interesting work wherever it may be (one of our participants had led a project in Mongolia!). Local consultants also execute on high-value specialized strategic consulting.
On the other hand, custom development and quality assurance are more likely to be outsourced to Asia and Europe as companies look for cheaper solutions. People in our focus group found that there is still demand for local talent in areas of innovation. Also, while the protection of intellectual property and knowledge retention are seen as critically important for firms consultants find that they are valued more and get work when they share their knowledge and expertise.
Top consultants need to know how to work with both internal teams and outsourced teams. Situations can lead to some long hours when the teams are in very different time zones.
Future Ibbaka Talent Open Conversations
Ibbaka Talent is committed to helping individuals and organizations thrive in their work engagements. We are building a solution that will enable your success and we need to hear from you about your needs and aspirations.
We have a series of open conversations lined up throughout the year. If you are interested in participating, send an email to info@ibbaka.com and we well keep you posted.
