Workforce Learning

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Alice Waagen, PhD, of Workforce Learning interviews futurist Andy Hines on the workplace of the future.

RESTON VA, December 12, 2008 — What will the world of work be like in 2010? 2015? 2020? That’s what Workforce Learning president Alice Waagen talked about today with futurist Andy Hines, who since 2006 has been the director of custom projects at the DC-based research and consulting firm Social Technologies.

Here’s a glimpse into the future of work.

Alice Waagen: What are the key drivers of change in the world of work?

Andy: To make sure we don’t overlook the obvious, the shift to knowledge-based work is the overarching driver behind the changes in the world of work. A big way that is showing up, finally (we futurists can be impatient at times), is that working with digital information frees us from the tyranny of sitting at a desk. No longer do we work only where we need to work — increasingly we are working where we want to work.

Of course, we know people and organizations tend to not like to change. Inertia is a strong force. But it no longer makes any sense to force people to battle a congested commute to travel downtown, head up to the 35th floor, and spend their whole day working on a phone and computer in an office. That can be done from home, at a coffee shop, or at one of the emerging co-working collectives that serve telecommuters from different organizations. Going to what I call the “glass tube” downtown simply wastes time and energy (gasoline and the emotional sort), and doesn’t help the environment.

Just to be clear, I’m not suggesting that there are no good reasons for people to meet face-to-face. In fact, I’d argue that a face-to-face meeting will become even more important in the future. But I think we need to be smarter about it and decide what chat, email, phone or even a computer camera can handle, versus what really requires a face-to-face.

Alice: How will the global economic crisis affect work in 2009 and beyond?

Andy: Beyond the obvious impact, economic downturns tend to lead to belt-tightening and cost-cutting, which often means cutting back on investments in new technologies and innovative approaches. Ultimately, it means a slowdown in terms of change. Now, one could argue, and many do, that if an organization has been smart in planning, they will make such investments during this period when things are cheap so they will be well-positioned when the economy recovers. Unfortunately, that is often an element of wishful futurist thinking.

That said, some interesting innovations are likely to emerge out of necessity. Rather than cut people from the staff, for instance, organizations could experiment with work-sharing arrangements. So, while a crisis slows investment, it can also stimulate creativity and innovation.

Alice: Our first generation of knowledge workers is approaching retirement age, but I don’t think most of them will retire because their savings got fried. How do you see things playing out?

Andy: I agree that I don’t think most boomers will actually retire. They will move from the jobs they had to do to make a living to the jobs they’ve wanted to do for self-fulfillment. These knowledge workers will be well-positioned to be choosy about whom they work with, how long and for what purposes, and it won’t be about the money.

My hedge was that I do think there will be a difference in the workplace because although boomers will continue to work, they will be moving out of positions of power and influence. We will see the generational transfer. What’s going to be really interesting, particularly for large organizations, is to what extent Gen X and Gen Y are going to be the kind of dedicated, loyal, long-workweek types of employees that the boomers were. You’re chuckling, too! Not bloody likely, right? Hard to see that same kind of work ethic — I am not suggesting they will not work hard, but I think they will pay a lot more attention to work-life balance. And thank goodness for that!

Alice: What advice would you give business leaders who want to flourish in these tumultuous times?

Andy: Don’t get caught up in assuming tomorrow is going to be like today. We will emerge from the current turmoil. In the meantime, be open to the creativity and innovation that is likely to emerge to deal with this difficulty. We all know that layoffs, cost-cutting and bad economic news can be de-motivating — so I hope employers combat that by encouraging creativity and innovation, and providing a vision of how we want to be in the future. That strategy will really help an organization weather the storm, and come through it stronger and poised for growth.

Alice: What advice would you offer 20-somethings just starting out in the work world?

Andy: Be patient! They don’t want to hear that, do they? But I want them to know that it will be their turn soon. They have the opportunity to make significant changes in the world of work, ones their own descendants will be proud of. But it will probably take longer than they want. Again, people and organizations would rather not change — and inertia is strong. I hope they hang in there.

About Alice Waagen

Alice Waagen, Ph.D. is president and founder of WORKFORCE LEARNING LLC, a leadership development company that since 1997 has provided managers and C-level executives with the skills and knowledge they need to build a more productive work environment.

Since earning a BS in Art Education from the New York State College at Buffalo, and MS and PhD degrees in Art Education from the Pennsylvania State University, Alice has conducted hundreds of workshops and training classes at many of the country’s top Fortune 500 companies, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies in the Washington, DC area. In just the last three years, more than 55 leaders from 20 regional organizations have graduated from her unique leadership development workshop series.

Giving back to the community is also important to Alice, who currently serves on the District Training Committee for Boys Scouts of America and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Human Resources Leadership Forum and Habitat for Humanity, Northern VA.

About Workforce Learning

Workforce Learning LLC is a leadership development company that provides managers and C-level executives with the skills and knowledge they need to build a more productive work environment. Since founding the company in 1997, owner Alice Waagen, PhD, has developed highly effective leadership programs and coaching workshops that teach the people in charge how to motivate and inspire employees. “Research shows that the single reason most organizations fail to thrive is a lack of strong people skills among those at the top,” Alice says. “We work to ensure organizations are healthy from the top down, and ultimately if an organization has happy, energized, effective employees they find it reflected in the bottom line.” For more information, visit “www.workforcelearning.com“http://www.workforcelearning.com.

About Andy Hines

Andy Hines is one of the seminal thinkers in the field of future studies. Before joining the global futurist research and consulting firm Social Technologies to lead its Custom Projects division, he worked as an organizational futurist at Kellogg and Dow Chemical. He was also a partner at the analyst firm Coates & Jarratt. Andy has an MA in future studies from the University of Houston and now teaches in that program. He co-founded and served as executive director of the Association of Professional Futurists. Thinking About the Future (Social Technologies, 2006) is his third book. Andy is also an expert speaker, facilitator, and writer who has led hundreds of workshops and published numerous articles about aspects of future studies. For more information, visit www.socialtechnologies.com.