This Week's Top 3 Future of Work Must Reads
Terri Horton, EdD, MBA, MA, SHRM-CP, PHR
Work Futurist: Consultant | Learning & Development | Generative AI | Talent Management | People & Culture | Board Advisor | Author | Speaker | Lecturer
These are my top three article picks for the week of February 13, 2023, on the future of work, AI, the Metaverse, leadership, and employee experience. This week's selection includes insights on how AI will continue to reshape organizational operations, developing a sense of community and social interaction in the metaverse, and the intersections between deep work and hybrid workers. You don't want to miss this week's picks. Let the articles inspire and ignite your imagination about the future of work and provide insights and strategies you can leverage to help your organization thrive and make work more human.
Generative AI will continue to move deeper into organizational operations. According to an AI and automation investor, despite the many headlines in 2022 showcasing the impressive capabilities of AI, the technology is just getting started. In 2023, companies will invest significant time and money into understanding AI, leading to widespread deployment in 2024. Currently, companies are still trying to understand AI from a business perspective and are still looking for the right engineers and data scientists to help direct implementation. However, in 2023, generative AI is expected to break into the enterprise, and forward-thinking business leaders will reimagine their products, service delivery, and operations based on what AI can do for them. In the next decade, companies that layer machine learning and generative AI over their own proprietary data sets stand to gain actionable insights that will help them jump ahead of competitors. The primary take-away from this article should be that Generative AI will profoundly impact the unfolding of the future of work. The question is, how are you preparing?
The Metaverse is not just a platform for entertainment and gaming; it is a space that allows collaboration and innovation. This creates opportunities for the development of new industries and job opportunities, as well as the creation of innovative technologies and products. As the Metaverse continues to grow and evolve, it will be necessary for companies to explore and leverage its potential for collaboration and innovation to remain relevant and competitive and meet the changing needs of employees and consumers. However, building and sustaining a strong and inclusive community in the Metaverse requires intentional design, clear guidelines and standards, proactive moderation and management, and strategies for fostering engagement and participation while managing conflict. The Metaverse represents a new frontier in technology and culture, potentially transforming the way we live, work, and play. My advice for HR leaders is to lean into this space, as you will play a critical role in the co-design of future organizations, both in physical and immersive worlds of work. To learn more about how artificial intelligence is transforming nearly everything about how we work, check out my LinkedIn Learning course, “HR Leadership in the Metaverse”
The hybrid work struggle is real! Economist Nick Bloom believes it is time for companies to fully embrace hybrid work and organize hybrid plans to make the most out of social work. Bloom suggests having anchor days where all employees come into the office for the most important meetings and social events while allowing them to focus on deep work while working from home on designated days. His research shows that this hybrid model can result in a 3 to 5% improvement in productivity, with workers spending the time saved from commuting on more work, child care, or leisure activities such as exercise. In addition to flexibility, organized hybrid work models have the potential to increase productivity, and companies should put more thought into what happens when workers are in the office to take advantage of the benefits of deep work and quiet environments. Without question, organizations that win on hybrid will win on employee experience in 2023.
Recommended by LinkedIn
There is a lot of work ahead in 2023 as work continues to be re-imagined. The possibilities are limitless. Be resilient, be relevant, be bold and lets thrive in the unfolding of the future of work together! Want more insights? Sign up for my newsletter.
Want to learn more about how the metaverse is shaping the future of work? Check out my LinkedIn Learning course, “HR Leadership in the Metaverse”
Want to learn more about how to prepare leaders and teams to thrive as the rapid unfolding of the future of work continues? Take a look at my signature corporate training and workshops, and schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation.
Need a speaker for your next event? Download my speaker sheet and schedule a complimentary consultation.
Are you ready to thrive on your terms this year? Be sure to purchase your copy of my book, Force Majeure: A Futurist's Guide to Boldly Thriving on Your Terms in the Future of Work. It is a must read for 2023!