1. The competition for skilled labor will increase. This will lead to more employee turnover, higher wages, and an uptick in inflation. The unemployment rate will remain near 5 percent nationally, but the number of Americans not in the workforce will decrease by 4 percent.
2. A new communication device will debut in late 2017 that will challenge the current smart phone industry.
3. Trade school applications will increase. The pairing of the prohibitively high cost of a college education with American infrastructure investments will drive renewed interest in the trades.
4. Americans will begin to use their smart phones to actually talk with other humans (the horror!). The rising Generation Z will lead this change by stressing the value of real, personal relationships.
5. The ubiquitous “free shipping” of consumer goods will be curtailed as e-commerce retailers look to increase their profits to cover their higher labor costs.
6. Facebook will be relegated to “grandparents looking at their grandkids’ pictures” and will be abandoned for a new social media platform. Marketers will have to adjust to the new technology.
Bill Murphey is Zweig Group's director of education.
About Zweig Group
Zweig Group, a four-time Inc. 500/5000 honoree, is the premiere authority in AEC management consulting, the go-to source for industry research, and the leading provider of customized learning and training. Zweig Group specializes in four core consulting areas: Talent, Performance, Growth, and Transition, including innovative solutions in mergers and acquisitions, strategic planning, financial management, ownership transition, executive search, business development, valuation, and more. Zweig Group exists to help AEC firms succeed in a competitive marketplace. The firm has offices in Dallas and Fayetteville, Arkansas.
