I’m fascinated by the evolution of work and our changing demography.
We often get so stuck in our own head that we forget to look up at the horizon.
And the horizon is shifting.
The Australian population heat-map has historically shown extreme density around our coastline. But that is changing.
Higher property prices, lower wage growth, political uncertainty, artificial intelligence, dual-wage households being time poor, the extension of the working day outside of hours due to technology and the loss of traditional industries/vocations are just some of the challenges facing workers.
Many factors have seen the evolution of work change vastly in recent times and I can only foresee more change with Geoarbitrage internationally and more locally the gig economy.
Individuals and families are making changes to their lives to counter the impact of evolution.
I thought it might be useful to explore some examples of change and the needs/opportunities that result.
Dual-income families struggling to service exorbitant mortgages have seen increased demand for outsourced services like dog walking, cleaners, garden maintenance and takeaway/delivered meals.
In the city, we have seen an unprecedented increase in high density apartment living. This has led to an explosion in cafes, takeaway food restaurants and home-delivered meals. Many residents have ditched the car for walking, cycling, public transport, taxis, private car services or carpools.
The outer suburbs have experienced huge demand with new estates emerging at the city’s fringes north, east, west and south for miles. These new estates’ growth has outpaced infrastructure regarding schools, transport, supermarkets and community services.
In the country, we have seen the boom of sea-change or tree-change moves where individuals and families relocate to cheaper housing and hopefully greater lifestyle. Many towns have experienced shortages in services, trades and infrastructure to support a higher population. Progressive thinkers have brought their skills to country towns to meet this demand.
The evolution of work and our changing demography will continue to create needs and opportunities to meet this emerging demand.
How does the evolution of work and changing demography affect your business?
Think about how to tap into our evolving economy through reviewing your existing products/services or innovating new products/services to meet the needs of our ever-changing economy.
For further reading on social commentary and Australian demography, I recommend you look into books by Hugh Mackay and Bernard Salt.