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We are seeing increasingly that businesses are having difficulties in finding technically
skilled people with a good understanding of how to put their knowledge into a business
context. The term "Gold Collar" worker has been used to describe this pool of skilled and
sought after people and it is interesting to consider who these elusive people are and how to
manage them.
There is a wide range of definitions of a Gold Collar worker. In general they combine
the "hands on" approach and specific skill of the blue-collar worker with the more
general business knowledge of the white-collar worker. They are involved in translating
technical information into business growth. Gold Collar workers include those in a range
of roles that can be characterized as being complex, technical, problem-solving, and
non-routine. These people are imaginative and original and expect to be integrally
involved in decision-making and more often than not are more loyal to their profession
than the company. One area where the Gold Collar worker is typically prevalent is in
information technology. However, these characteristics sit well with many in research and
development and typify research areas such as biotechnology.
In a 1995 survey by Cornell Business School of 500 top Business Managers, 80% of them
said that the 'Gold Collar' worker of the future would be somebody with a science degree
and a further qualification e.g. MBA in business.
Organisations need people with the appropriate technical knowledge and business savvy to
respond to the changing work and global environments to maintain a competitive advantage.
Gold Collar workers are highly valuable employees because they are flexible, good at
self-management, have knowledge in different areas of an organisation, problem solving
abilities and commitment to the leading edge.
The flexible nature of the Gold Collar worker and the demand for their services means
that they are faced with many opportunities - which they can easily take up if they find
themselves in an unsatisfactory situation. The opportunistic and competitive qualities of
the Gold Collar worker may be valuable when they work for the organisation but it also
makes them more likely to move on to one of the many other options open to them.
Given the costs of recruitment of Gold Collar workers, new rules and structures may be
needed to retain them. Some of the areas that have been identified as important are:
- Competitive salaries and benefits
- Strong leadership
- The provision of meaningful jobs and the resources to do the job
- New technology learning opportunities
- Providing for the workers' personal development
While many of these are not new, they must all be addressed in a way that is appropriate
to the Gold Collar worker and the company. For example the opportunity for the person to
have a financial stake in the company is increasingly being seen as a means to provide the
need for involvement and the incentive for a long term commitment.
As well as specifically considering the management and retention of Gold Collar workers,
employers will also need to consider how they can increase the availability of gold-collar
workers. The current under representation of women in Gold Collar areas, the knowledge and
experience of older workers and highly qualified people forced into low skill employment
could all be considered. It is also important to recognise that the "highly skilled" asset
of Gold Collar workers does not necessarily mean skill acquired through academic training
but possibly skill gained through continual learning or experience. Communication skills
are a good example of this.
For the New Zealand environment finding Gold Collar workers is indeed a challenge. Our
own pool is small, and our isolation and low wage structure are a disincentive. The fact
that many businesses we know successfully attract Gold Workers from offshore is a credit
to the quality and appeal of their businesses.
We thank Jacqueline Rowarth, Dean, Graduate School and Director, Research, Unitec,
Auckland for bringing this topic to our attention.
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