Will skills and title matter as much in the future of work?

“At 24, I haven’t had many years in the work force, but like many of my peer and associates, I often hear about the dissatisfaction of work … Rethink Work isn’t so much about my experience at work but the idea of work as a whole. Something needs to be changed if we are to remove the negative connotation associated with work and rehumanize the workplace.”

So before sneering behind our theoretical bifocals, perhaps we should listen to a 24-year-old who wants to disrupt the way we think about work. The issues plaguing youth and employment certainly need some fresh ideas. A Statistics Canada report issued last week showed that fewer young Canadians who are not in school are working full-time today compared with 1976, citing the rise of part-time work trends.

While those low full-time employment rates applied specifically to those of ages 17 to 24, full-time workers of ages 25 to 34, who would fall under the “millennial” category, were also very likely to hold temporary jobs.

On the other hand, employers find it hard to retain younger talent, with an entire subsection of the human-resource industry dedicated to hiring and keeping younger workers, who are expected to spend fewer than three years in a job.