A
new breed of worker is emerging as people fail to identify with belonging to
the traditional white-collar and blue-collar labels, new research claims.
The
research, carried out by Mori on behalf of Microsoft, has identified a new type
of worker – those who collect and process information using technology – or
i-workers.
According
to the research, 79 per cent of UK workers reject the white-collar/blue-collar
description, preferring to define themselves by their specialist skills and job
functions.
Mori
surveyed more than 1,000 workers and found that 64 per cent now see themselves
as ‘professional’, ‘skilled’ or managerial. Just 13 per cent class themselves
as ‘semi-skilled’ or ‘unskilled’.
Carsten
Sorensen, of the London School of Economics, and a member of the advisory board
of the Work Foundation’s I-society, said: “In many ways, the UK is at the
forefront in the rise of the i-worker.
“The
challenges we now face are to embrace this cultural change and find ways to
harness the pioneering potential within the British workforce that is driving
it.”
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