What Is The Future Of Work?
Jacob Morgan
Keynote Speaker, Professionally Trained Futurist, & 5x Author. Founder of "Future Of Work Leaders" (Global CHRO Community). Focused on Leadership, The Future of Work, & Employee Experience
A lot of people ask the question, “What is the future of work”. But that is not the right question we should be asking. Why? Because it leads to two major assumptions.
Click here to listen to the podcast minisode.
First, we assume that there is one single future that could happen. Second, we assume that the future is something that happens to us and that we have no control over it. But both of these assumptions are incorrect. There is not just one singular possible future, there are multiple potential futures that could happen based on the decisions and actions we take. And the future is not something that simply happens to us without our control.
What we need to do is flip the question, what is the future of work, around and instead of phrasing it that way we should ask, what are the potential futures that might happen and what are the factors that we need to influence today to get to the future we would like to see.
Phrasing the question this way allows us to be more active in creating our future than we would be if we just sit back and wait for the future to play out in front of us. We are then able to impact the future instead of waiting to react to it after the fact.
The future doesn’t happen to us; the future is something we create, shape and build. Let’s take a step back and ask ourselves, what do we need to do to build the future that we would like to see.
Watch the companion video here.
Jacob Morgan is a best-selling author, speaker, and futurist. His new book, The Employee Experience Advantage (Wiley) analyzes over 250 global organizations to understand how to create a place where people genuinely want to show up to work. Visit TheFutureOrganization, get his free training series to create powerful Employee Experiences, or become a member of the new Facebook Community The Future If…and join the discussion.
Chair & CEO, Otis Elevator Co.
6 年Interesting perspective, Jacob. We’re building tomorrow’s workforce with the skills and technology available today, and harnessing the influence we have in these spaces now can ultimately shape our future potential – both individually and collectively.
In "building the future we would like to see" I wonder if that consists of more virtual work and disconnection or finding a way to remain connected and become more engaged as the working environment changes.? Great post and can't wait to listen to podcast.
Co-Founder of The Frater Family Foundation
6 年Great insight. I strongly believe that we have the power to shape the future we want to see. Just like Mahatma Gandhi said "Be the change that you wish to see in the world." Your article speaks volumes to the questions we as humans beings need to be asking to create the future that is superior to our present. Thanks for sharing this! I am looking forward to checking out your podcast!
Guiding teams from frameworks to practice I AI Consultant I Learning Designer I Change Coach
6 年Agreed. Well said, Jacob Morgan. I would amend further to ask, not just what factors we need to influence, but what factors we are responsible to influence to adress those possible futures...an important question for both employers and employees alike.