Screen-Shot-2016-12-05-at-3.22.52-PM

A recent subject of the Humans of New York photography project said something very poignant about the people in his neighborhood who are among the working poor living paycheck to paycheck that we wanted to share.

While the identity of the man and where he lives exactly (though his Detroit Red Wings shirt gives us a hint as to what city he resides) are not known, his message is relevant to millions of Americans who are struggling to make ends meet.

“I used to think that I could write a prescription for a poor man: ‘Get a job, save your money, pull yourself up by the bootstraps.’ I don’t believe that anymore. I was ignorant to the experiences of poor people. […] When you’re down here, the system will continue to kick dirt in your face. You can’t pull yourself up when there’s nothing to grab onto. We aren’t paying our brothers and sisters enough to live. We want them to serve us, but we aren’t serving them.”

There will always be entry-level jobs that will need to be filled and while there is a persuasive argument that these jobs should pay enough to meet the standards of a living wage, there is also the argument that these jobs are not meant to be ones that provide a living wage for long-term employment, but as a way to help develop the skills needed to move on to a better job.

The security of entry-level jobs is also coming into question as of late because more and more companies are beginning to take notice of and see the benefits of automation as a cheaper labor alternative. McDonald’s is beginning to add kiosks to restaurants where customers can customize their order. Receptionists and customer service representatives are being replaced with AI technology. Factory workers are seeing their jobs being given to robots.

So, should wages be increased to meet the rise of inflation? Yes. But is it going to be enough? Probably not.

The best way to ensure your success in the workforce of the future is to educate yourself. Educate yourself on the new demands of the workforce, read the news, follow industries you are interested in or currently work in, and figure out what you need to learn to move ahead.

We invite you to read the thoughts of Humans of New York subject below, and join the conversation on our Facebook page.

Dana Beth Ardi

Executive Committee

Dana Beth Ardi, PhD, Executive Committee, is a thought leader and expert in the fields of executive search, talent management, organizational design, assessment, leadership and coaching. As an innovator in the human capital movement, Ardi creates enhanced value in companies by matching the most sought after talent with the best opportunities. Ardi coaches boards and investors on the art and science of building high caliber management teams. She provides them with the necessary skills to seek out and attract top-level management, to design the ideal organizational architectures and to deploy people against strategy. Ardi unearths the way a business works and the most effective way for people to work in them.

Ardi is an experienced business executive and senior consultant who leverages business organizational transformation through talent strategies. She uses her knowledge and experience to develop talent strategies to enhance revenue and profit contributions. She has a deep expertise in change management and organizational effectiveness and has designed and built high performance cultures. Ardi has significant experience in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, IPO’s and turnarounds.

Ardi is an expert on the multi-generational workforce. She understands the four intersecting generations of workers coming together in contemporary companies, each with their own mindsets, leadership and communications styles, values and motivations. Ardi is sought after to assist companies manage and thrive by bringing the generations together. Her book, Fall of the Alphas: How Beta Leaders Win Through Connection, Collaboration and Influence, will be published by St. Martin’s Press. The book reflects Ardi’s deep expertise in understanding organizations and our changing society. It focuses on building a winning culture, how companies must grow and evolve, and how talent influences and shapes communities of work. This is what she has coined “Corporate Anthropology.” It is a playbook on how modern companies must meet challenges – culturally, globally, digitally, across genders and generations.

Ardi is currently the Managing Director and Founder of Corporate Anthropology Advisors, LLC, a consulting company that provides human capital advisory and innovative solutions to companies building value through people. Corporate Anthropology works with organizations, their cultures, the way they grow and develop, and the people who are responsible for forming their communities of work.

Prior to her position at Corporate Anthropology Advisors, Ardi served as a Partner/Managing Director at the private equity firms CCMP Capital and JPMorgan Partners. She was a partner at Flatiron Partners, a venture capital firm working with early state companies where she pioneered the human capital role within an investment portfolio.

Ardi holds a BS from the State University of New York at Buffalo as well as a Masters degree and PhD from Boston College. She started her career as professor at the Graduate Center at Fordham University in New York.