\u201cSlashie.\u201d Are you familiar with this word?<\/p>\n
It made a cameo appearance in the movie Zoolander in 2001. The scene: Fabio<\/a>, with glass statuette raised high, accepts the \u201cFabio Slashie Award\u201d for \u201cBest Actor \u2018Slash\u2019 Model.\u201d He\u2019s not just an actor or a model, but both\u2014an actor\/model.<\/p>\n Fast forward to 2007, when author Marci Alboher coined \u201cslashie.\u201d Her book One Person\/Multiple Careers: A New Model for Work\/Life Success <\/a>asks: \u201cAre you a \u2018slash\u2019? With technology giving us the ability to work from anywhere and the nine-to-five grind becoming a thing of the past, more and more people are building careers filled with slashes.\u201d She cites: lawyer\/chefs, police officer\/personal trainers, mom\/CEOs. Although these folks are doing different things, they have one overriding element in common. They are straddling multiple roles, deriving income from not one but several activities.<\/p>\n MediaSilo reports the \u201cslashie\u201d label, \u201cwidely used abroad,\u201d is making its way to this corner of the world. As such, it asks: \u201cWill 2020 Kick Off the Decade of the Slashies?<\/a>\u201d To answer, it references a Bankrate survey, which shows 45% of U.S. labor force participants had a \u201cgig outside their primary job.\u201d An Upwork study confirms this trend from the other end. That is, about 60% of employers use flexible workers, such as freelancers and temps, who may pursue various routes and projects. As for the future, these hiring managers expect this number to increase 168% over the next 10 years.<\/p>\n This career style pertains mainly, but not exclusively, to Millennials<\/a>, or those born in the 1980s through mid-90s. Again, Bankrate offers metrics: \u201c40% of Millennials identify their side hustles as making up at least half of their monthly earnings.\u201d<\/p>\n It makes sense. Millennials largely \u201cwant to define their own identities: to select and control how they are perceived.\u201d Per HuffPost:<\/a>. \u201cAs this generation has matured and begun careers, they have applied to their professional descriptions the same meticulous self-curation they perfected on their Instagram accounts.\u201d Previous generations favored lifelong careers in one facet or organization, Millennials \u201chop around, both to fast track their ascent and to taste-test different companies and roles.\u201d<\/p>\n As the slashie way gains momentum, organizations need to respond accordingly. Flexibility is paramount; that pertains to structuring work as well as hiring, managing and optimizing this cohort.<\/p>\n \u201cSlashies thrive on creativity<\/a>, and could get bored easily if you aren\u2019t able to feed that need for creativity or variety in daily work.\u201d Another angle is empowerment. HuffPost<\/a> suggests: \u201cCelebrate [slashies] for their side gigs, elevate their hobbies, and arm them with the tools to make their aspirations a reality.\u201d<\/p>\n LinkedIn reports<\/a> companies are adjusting. Since 2016, descriptions for jobs increased the use of \u201cwork flexibility\u201d by 78%. That term itself is multifaceted. It may entail offering modified workdays and hours. \u201cWorkplace flexibility<\/a> could be a tremendous help to not only the Slash Generation and their obligations but a healthy work\/life balance for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n Not all hiring managers may initially view slashies as assets; instead they may question their loyalty. A suggestion is to embrace a strategic view based on their far-ranging capabilities. That, in turn, may inspire companies to tweak job titles in line with the likes of this group. The key: use a broad perspective in considering slashies and give them incentives.<\/p>\n Slashies are real and gaining ground. \u201cAllowing these individuals to find meaning in their work<\/a> and do what they enjoy is crucial to their workplace engagement and success in your organization.\u201d<\/p>\n There are other reasons slashies have evolved:<\/p>\n Personal growth<\/strong><\/p>\n A multidimensional job path enables a person to pursue interests. It offers \u201cthe possibility to manage different passions<\/a>.\u201d In contrast, a one-dimensional career \u201ccan be frustrating if [people] are not able to tap into all their talents.\u201d And using free time to explore outlets has limitations, \u201cVery often doing something as a hobby may not be enough.\u201d<\/p>\n The modern answer to job insecurity<\/strong><\/p>\n The Guardian<\/a> suggests the 2007 recession created \u201cthe fastest increasing segment of workers in both the UK and the US, the portfolio careerist.\u201d Rather than depending on one channel for revenue, slashies branch out as a defensive play. \u201cWhen our entire income comes from a single position, it only takes one redundancy programme to drop us from comfort into terror. Compare that to the slasher with multiple sources of income: if she loses a job it doesn\u2019t matter: she still has five more.\u201d<\/p>\n Greater work-life balance<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cWhat Are \u2018Slash\u2019 Careers And Why You Need One<\/a>\u201d says this strategy promotes satisfaction and balance. \u201cBy adopting a slash career, a millennial who feels unfulfilled in a particular area, can work towards achieving balance in another area while still paying the bills and getting certain needs met.\u201d Forbes contends: \u201cThe possibilities of slash career options are truly limitless.\u201d They plug intellectual, emotional, spiritual and other gaps. Working in several spheres simultaneously or subsequently fosters well-being.<\/p>\n Enhanced marketability<\/strong><\/p>\n Career advantages accompany being a slashie per Forbes. \u201cSlash careers can make you more enticing to an employer.\u201d Having a mix of specialties expands a person\u2019s overall value. Slash careers \u201cgive you greater discipline, creativity, and a broader skills set. Companies are always looking for self-starters and innovators on their team to help them get to the next level, and people who have taken the initiative to develop a slash career are more likely to bring these qualities into their office.\u201d<\/p>\n Additional income<\/strong><\/p>\n It costs a lot to be a Millennial or member of any generation. But Forbes notes: \u201cIt\u2019s no secret that millennials are struggling with money. They had higher rates of being late with mortgage payments, overdrawing checking accounts, and trouble with medical costs. A slash career might not help with the financial literacy aspect, but it could help pay some of those bills.\u201d Moonlighting and side gigs can build cash reserves.<\/p>\n One Person\/Multiple Careers<\/em> referenced above sums it up. It casts slashies as \u201ccreative thinkers,\u201d who \u201chave discovered the antidote to boredom, burnout, job insecurity and many other workplace woes.\u201d<\/p>\n Possible Potholes<\/strong><\/p>\n There are advantages to the slashie style, but potential downsides too. They include time management challenges. In piecing together several jobs, slashies may exceed the standard 5 day\/40 hour work week by not just a small margin. \u201cFor those with two or more jobs<\/a>, scheduling time for self-care\u2014seeing a move, taking a walk, drawing a bath\u2014is even more important for mental and physical health.\u201d Billing and accounting factor into the picture too. The slashie needs to keep careful records and stay on top of monies owed and received. \u201cHaving multiple streams of income means being responsible for tracking it and ensuring you get paid on time.\u201d<\/p>\nProfile of Slashies<\/strong><\/h3>\n
The Big Picture<\/strong><\/h3>\n
The Making of a Slashie<\/strong><\/h3>\n