LAS VEGAS -
Any job that can be accomplished in a series of written steps that leads to a "right" answer has the potential to be outsourced, and that trend is driving "routine" work right out of the U.S., according to author Daniel Pink.
"In the last century, machines replaced human muscle. This century, software is replacing brains," he said. "White collar work no longer is immune from automation."
Human brains are divided into two hemispheres: left and right, Pink explained. He said abilities typical of the right hemisphere, such as artistry, creativity and empathy, are becoming more important. At the same time, he believes the logical and linear abilities of the left brain, "still matter, but matter less."
Outsourcing of jobs to developing economies such as India and China is just one of three reasons for this phenomenon, Pink continued. The three causes are: abundance, Asia and automation.
In the U.S., the standard of living for the middle class is quite high. Pink said people have more "things" than before, and every product or experience is on the brink of becoming a commodity.
"There is an Abundance Gap," he said. "Prosperity is up since 1950, but personal satisfaction remains the same."
Although outsourcing became a hot-button issue during the 2004 presidential campaign, Pink said the number of jobs lost to Asia over the past few years is "overhyped in the short term, but underhyped in the long term."
He said India's population is more than 1 billion, and in 2010, it will become the largest English-speaking country in the world, replacing the U.S. The growing middle class in India, China and other countries including Vietnam will do the same work for significantly less money than American workers. How can people keep their jobs in the face of this global competition? "High concept, high-touch skills are hard to automate, hard to outsource," he said, suggesting concentrating on right-brain functions such as design, empathy, context, and synthesis rather than analysis.
The "20-10 Test," popularized in the Jim Collins book "Good to Great," applies, Pink said. He believes people should be in the job they would be doing if they suddenly were given $20 million or told they had 10 years to live.
"The fact you are working for a credit union, rather than a for-profit financial institution, shows you do something with meaning," he told attendees of CUNA's America's Credit Union Conference here.
