system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
What would be a good alternative to how today's academic jobs are handled?

I've thought about doing a PhD on numerous occasions but have always been scared off by stories of a shrinking job market for traditional academics (tenure-track). It also seems like the adjunctification/post-doctorization (are these even words?) of faculty is a huge trend that doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon.

So this got me thinking. For the academics who are already established and have tenure or tenure-track positions, and for those who are hopelessly stuck in the post-doc/adjunct glut, what would be an acceptable alternative to how universities hire faculty?

Would you want to keep the system as is, or would you rather have academic positions evolve into more of how non-academic staff are managed (perhaps less pay, but benefits)? I may be completely wrong, but it seems like the way the system is run now is not sustainable for the long run.
gpt
Longterm contracts: at least 5 years so you can be enlisted in different shorter projects. It's more about constant insecurity rather than low pay. If you have a 1-year contract you have to start looking for the next one almost immediately after starting.   


If a contract ends, offer bridge funding if you are working on a grant application. Why would you, as a temporary  employee, work to get a large grant to an institution that does not want to support you?

Both measures also allow you to identify with a Uni/College, rather than feeling like a mercenary who sells his/her services to the best bidder.