Future of Work: research resources

Technology is changing work as we know it. Cultural norms are undergoing tectonic shifts. A global pandemic proves that we are inextricably connected whether we choose to be or not. So much change, so quickly, is disorienting. It's undermining our sense of identity and challenging our ability to adapt. But where so many see these changes as threatening, Heather McGowan and Chris Shipley see the opportunity to open the flood gates of human potential—if we can change the way we think about work and leadership. They have dedicated the last 5 years to understanding how technical, business, and cultural shifts affecting the workplace have brought us to this crossroads, The result is a powerful and practical guide to the future of work for leaders and employees. The future can be better, but only if we let go of our attachment to our traditional (and disappearing) ideas about careers, and what a "good job" looks like.

The office is dead. Long live the office. Despite decades of predictions that the office is on the verge of extinction, it is surviving and thriving. Of course, things are changing. And changing fast. Digital technologies are transforming not only the work we do, but also the ways our workplaces are designed, built and operated. Automation and AI mean that some jobs will no longer exist whilst others will be created.

But the very essence of the workplace — human interaction and collaboration, remains as necessary as ever. In fact, it is the human focus that is driving this new age, with four generations now in the workplace together for the first time.

Taking an interdisciplinary approach, this book discusses the impacts of these changes on the future of work and workplace. The latest technologies are also explored from voice and digital twins, to new materials such as graphene and battery-powered buildings.

As society evolves in the direction of innovation, digital influence, and rapid information delivery, workplaces must follow suit in order to remain relevant and engaging to modern employees. Bill Fox, a thought leader and author with decades of experience in the business world, has interviewed 31 global business leaders about how they create workplaces that continue to adapt with the times, where each team thrives at each level. These lessons go beyond the limitations of “best practices” and “working smarter”, and instead focus on insights and strategies to bridge the gap between the Industrial Age and the new “Forward-Thinking Age”.

Humanity Works shows you how to lead the organizations of the future. The professional landscape is poised on the brink of transformation and the only way to have a sustainable competitive advantage in this constantly evolving, virtual, global and automated world is by maximizing the unique human skills of your workforce. Bestselling author, global workplace consultant, and futurist Alexandra Levit provides a guide on how to make the most of the human traits of creativity, judgement, problem solving and interpersonal sensitivity. She studies what the 'robot takeover' will really look like, how talent and machines can work side-by-side and how organizational structures need to change to become more agile and innovation-focused.

Prepares leaders for the 2020s by offering an accessible guide to the key technologies that will reshape business in the coming decade.

This book is about seeing into the future, how we can expect the world to evolve in terms of demographics, general economics, technologies, business models, resources, environment and lifestyles. This book addresses how to predict the future, what we can expect from it, and how companies and government should adapt to the accelerating change.

The definitive guide to maximizing workforce value, The Talent Revolution exposes work-life longevity as the most influential driver transforming today's workplace--a competitive edge for organizations smart enough to capitalize on it. This is a first--a book that positions older workers as revolutionaries and reveals how organizations that engage employees across all life stages will outperform their competitors.

Digital technologies are disrupting organizations of every size and shape, leaving managers scrambling to find a technology fix that will help their organizations compete. This book offers managers and business leaders a guide for surviving digital disruptions, but it is not a book about technology. It is about the organizational changes required to harness the power of technology. The authors argue that digital disruption is primarily about people and that effective digital transformation involves changes to organizational dynamics and how work gets done. A focus only on selecting and implementing the right digital technologies is not likely to lead to success. The best way to respond to digital disruption is by changing the company culture to be more agile, risk tolerant, and experimental.

In this book, Colin Crouch takes a step back and questions the logic of the 'gig economy'. He shows how the idea of an employee - a stable status that involves a bundle of rights - has, despite many changes and threats, shown a curious persistence. It is for this individual that Crouch proposes an agenda for a realistic future of secure work.

Workforce readiness is an issue that is of great national and societal importance. For the United States and other countries to thrive in a globally interconnected environment of wide-ranging opportunities and threats, the need to develop and maintain a skilled and adaptable workforce is critical. National investments in job training and schools remain essential in stimulating businesses and employment agencies to collaborate productively with educators who provide both training and vocational guidance.