The present working environment, whether it is a commercially-focused corporation or a not-for-profit organisation, is demanding and has a short-term cycle. It will be influenced by the short-term trading culture that is so prevalent in today’s market.

Influencers such as global markets, off-shoring, employee mobility, technology

growth, interest rates, booms, recessions, credit crunches, wars and global warming

collectively and interactively create an ongoing and dynamic change in world

economies.

A significant new development in today’s commercial environment is the fact that

work or the task takes priority over the people factor.

Historically, many large corporations had a strong people-focused culture. To ensure

promotion, employees would endeavour to establish strong positive associations

with influencing managers. Companies’ paternalistic attitude to their employees

and the employment benefit package reflected this with subsidised luncheons,

education subsidies, generous pensions and an active policy of ongoing training

and development. The general culture was such that if an employee made a request

that would enhance their career prospects, then that request would be positively considered.

But what does that mean in terms of my career plan?

{Extract from Career Coaching by John Lowe on amazon}