Summary of the editorial from IDS Pay Report 981, July 2007

The empty raincoat finds a wearer…

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the British economy went through an intensive period of restructuring, as the number of manufacturing jobs declined and the service industries expanded. In line with this, the shape of the labour market seemed to be altering as the number of part-time and temporary jobs increased, apparently at the expense of full-time positions.

These changes prompted an avalanche of speculation from employment commentators about the world of work that awaited school-leavers at the end of the century and beyond. One of the most memorable predictions came from management guru Charles Handy who wrote in his book, ‘The Empty Raincoat’ (1994), that ‘before very long, having a proper job inside an organisation will be a minority occupation.’ Other writers talked about ‘portfolio careers’ – a succession of projects and short-lived stints of employment that was destined to replace the notion of a ‘job for life’.

... the full editorial can be read in IDS Pay Report 981