Work will be completely reimagined over the next ten years. Starting with the erosion of the forty-hour working week, as flexibility and output based contracts become widely adopted. Global citizens working on global projects as part of collaborative, cross-disciplinary teams will become widespread as employees focus on the work they live, delivered from the location of choice. Technology and the adoption of smart productivity tools and collaborative platforms as the tools of choice will support distributed teams across different time zones. Positive and supportive workplace culture will become the most highly valued attribute for employees as geographic barriers are lifted to provide greater access to new opportunities in other markets. 

Generation Z and then the Alpha generation will drive the sustainability argument and hold organisations accountable for their decision making and their outputs. Equity, access, responsiveness and accountability will become more than catchphrases to be a core part of the pitch to attract great staff. More people will choose to have a portfolio career, working on a range of different projects for different organisations simultaneously. Side hustles in areas of interest eg. writing, fitness, cooking etc will be adopted as a means to benefit from higher-paying roles on a part-time basis combined with passion projects.

Companies that can demonstrate true diversity of people, including thought, age, ethnicity and skills will continue to produce better financial outcomes, but also a stronger, more engaging culture.

More companies will diversify their hiring processes to engage and employ a diverse workforce representative of the communities they operate.

Listen. The answers won’t come from reports or advisers, research or ratings. The answer to creating a strong cohesive team is right in front of you. Start with a candid, no rules, anything is possible conversation with all members of the organisations and have them co-create and agree to how they would like things to change. Start slowly, and feel things out as they evolve. No one size fits all will work, so accommodating a wide range of preferences will be key. 

There is no one individual who has contributed to building a better world if you compare the power of one against the force of disruptive change. The biggest catalysts don’t arrive at any predetermined time. The most controversial of the recent catalysts, and yet the most influential is Covid. A novel pathogen that was so ferocious that we all stopped in our tracks and found ourselves living, connecting and working in very different ways. Against the backdrop of uncertainty and fear we found solace in new ways of working, that included new daily rhythms that worked with other priorities including children, pets and fitness. I believe in silver linings. I believe the world will only improve through the introduction of circuit breakers. While world wars, economic collapse, and natural disasters have long been viewed as instruments of extreme disruption, they are also significant levers of change. 

We can now imagine what working from home looks like, what it feels like and how it works with our own life and lifestyle. We know what it is like to reconnect with nature when crowded environments become off-limits, and what it means to put a different lens over economic priorities, family needs and personal goals. 

Our world is as fragile as it is robust. Systems don’t last forever, and neither do the rules of the past. There are so many things from as little as ten years ago that seem entirely inappropriate or tunnel-visioned by today's standards.

Through adversity we build understanding and through understanding, we activate positive change.