Status is in KNOWING: Are You Aware of This Trend?

The other day on DriveThruHR I talked about the importance of paying attention to the "future" for HR. Listen Here One to the trend newsletters I read, TrendWatching.com recently talked about what they called the "Statusphere". They defined that as:
"STATUSPHERE: As consumers are starting to recognize and respect fellow consumers who stray off the beaten consuming-more-than-thou-path, 'new' status can be about acquired skills, about eco-credentials, about generosity, about connectivity... All of this makes for a far more diversified 'STATUSPHERE' than most brands and organizations have traditionally catered to. Time to really figure out how and where your customers are now finding their status fix."

They defined five areas that they thought today's consumers would be seeking status. One of these I thought was particularly relevant to human resources. That is the trend toward seeking status in:
"... find(ing)  pleasure (and STATUS STORIES) in mastering skills and acquiring knowledge. They attain status from finding an appreciative audience that's impressed with what they know, and can create, instead of what they consume."

In HR we are always looking for ways to reward and motivate employees. Perhaps, knowing this trend, you can identify employees (consumers) who like the status of knowing and learning. You can direct their work experiences around being the acknowledged expert in the department.

Think about it. Do you have knowledge status seekers working for you? Are you paying attention to that need and interest? Money doesn't always have to be the reward.