In recent years, we have been experiencing rapid structural changes in economy, which has huge consequences for the socioeconomic environment as a whole. The paper analyses these changes at macroeconomic level and their relationship to industry, employment, social systems behaviour and performance of businesses connected with human capital development, but also to the (microeconomic) position of individual subjects. The solutions that are rooted in the acquisition, maintaining and utilizing of human capital will be discussed. We will discuss new incentives for social investment and providing productive services, identify barriers of economic growth in current socioeconomic system and show selected obstacles that prevent productive utilization of human capital. Although these issues are controversial by nature, have deep systemic causes and they cannot be resolved immediately or by simple measures, we take a scientific effort to search for opportunities that support adaptive processes, utilize the human potential that is available and can be improved further when decreasing our dependency on material conditions of existence.