50 leaders, thinkers and teams reshaping the world of work

What was your job like a year ago? Whether you’re working for the same company, were laid off or started a new opportunity elsewhere, it’s likely that your work—or at least, how you think about work—has changed greatly since the start of 2023.

With the holiday season upon us, it’s a good time to look ahead to what we can expect from the world of work in the coming year. From the use of AI to labor negotiations and debates over work-from-home culture, there’s plenty to dive into in Forbes’ latest Future of Work 50 . This list highlights top executives, up-and-coming thinkers and activists who are shaping how we think about work.?

As per usual, we’ve got plenty of other stories to help you tackle your next work challenge, so make sure to read to the bottom of this newsletter for tips on surviving your next networking event and get a look at family leave policies in the U.S.

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Featured story of the week: The Future of Work 50 highlights leaders, thinkers and teams reshaping the world of work

As we near the end of 2023, it’s surprising to think back on how much has changed in the world of work over the course of a year. ChatGPT burst onto the scene, creating concerns that AI will replace countless jobs. The tech industry laid off more than 200,000 workers. The U.S. economy slowed toward a possible downturn.

But despite plenty of negative headlines and thoughts surrounding work culture, there are lots of positives to look forward to. While AI could lead to some jobs being eliminated, it will also make others less tedious and even create new kinds of careers. The labor movement has scored big wins, with autoworkers, Hollywood writers and others gaining more power with new contracts. And even if some bosses are calling their workers back to the office, data suggests that remote and hybrid work options are here to stay.

Forbes’ second Future of Work 50 list highlights the leaders, companies, thinkers and teams helping shape where work is headed next. From architects rethinking the use of commercial buildings to entrepreneurs helping workers manage extreme heat to former CEOs investing in rural economies, this list is eclectic by design. Some members are top executives of multinational corporations; others are activists fighting for workers’ rights while still others are relatively unknown startup leaders with out-of-the-box ideas.

AI is, of course, a big theme on the list. But other areas of interest include “skills-based” hiring, the shift to hybrid work and new ways of managing people in a changing world.?

To create the list , Forbes queried more than 50 advisors, academics, investors and executives, asking who they feel is shaping how we think about the future of work or reflecting the issues that will matter most. After getting suggestions for nearly 200 candidates, we narrowed the list to 50, weighing impact, potential, currency and creativity.

Such a list is, by definition, a current snapshot, not a comprehensive catalog. Still, in a year when the future of work feels less certain than ever, it offers a picture of those helping to bring it into view.

See the full list here from Forbes’ Jena McGregor

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Thank you for reading! We'll be back next week with another edition of Forbes Edge. If you missed Tuesday’s newsletter, check it out here for advice on what to look out for in a job description .

This edition of Forbes Edge was written and curated by associate editor Chris Dobstaff .