How Jobs Change

This evening, as I was reading an article by Hal Hendrick, The Technology of Ergonomics, I was really struck by the significance of the number of changing mission statements of various organizations that support ergonomic professionals.

It seemed these organizations were struggling to understand, explain, and promote the value and practice of ergonomics to the outside world.

And then I realized, ergonomics isn't the only profession that is in a state of churn at the moment. Here are a few, and these just represent the careers that I've considered:

• Massage Therapists are seeking greater regulation in order to bring quality control into the profession and move public perception for the profession from "adult entertainment" to "therapeutic/medical treatment".

• Physical Therapists have also raised the bar for entry into the profession, as a doctorate of physical therapy is now required in order to gain a license as a new professional. As I understand it, the doctorate degree makes it ok for the insurance industry to allow patients to directly self-refer to a professional with a doctorate.

• Occupational Therapists are changing - the discipline will continue to exist, but frankly, I feel this role will be diminished in favor of its older, more developed (pardon the pun) Physical Therapy sister who's done more schooling.

• UX is changing, and so is user research/anthropology. Unlike the other examples, though, these positions have become FAR less regulated and academic, and as such, job requirements have drastically changed.

• Project management has changed, and sadly, it is practically obsolete in the software domain, due to the current Agile trend.

Why is this churn occurring?

If you think about it, the same factors that created a job can change or end it just as easily:

• Regulations

• Requirements for entry and continual practice

• Desire for respect or prestige

• Culture

• Process

• Quality control

I don't feel this is a result of the New (Service) Economy, aging Baby Boomers, or crop circles. In fact, I'm realizing that this process has been in place all along. The key is to be able to ride the wave, instead of maintaining a position of staunch opposition and being crushed by that wave.

Do you see change in your work, and how is it going for you? Drop me a line and let me know!

#ergonomics #UX #MassageTherapy #PhysicalTherapy #OccupationalTherapy