The future of work: A journey to 2022 by PwC
Table of Contents
I. Journey to 2022
II. Three worlds of work
III. The Worlds
IV: Summary
I. Journey to 2022
We’ve been having a digital revolution in the workplace that has been flying under the radar for us all. This is exciting, on one hand, we are making technological breakthrough, on the other, millions of workers are going to be displaced. Let’s go through a timeline 👇
2006 - Launch of Twitter
2007 - Apple Launches the iPhone
2008 - Recession
2009 - Urban Dwellers World
2010 - China is the largest manufacture
2013- Mobile Devices + Connections surpasses # of people on planet
2017 - Vietnamese Workers start wearing sensors to gauge concentration, work rate, and mood
2019 - Doctor carries out remote surgery on patient in Ghana
2021 - Liceses for driverless cars
2022 - Fully Automated Robo-Hotel
There has been a ton of change from the moment that both the iPhone & Twitter have been launched. Ranging from socio-economic to geo-economic to technological innovations to resource scarcity to new business models, all of these had an impact on the worker. Shifting from Blue-Collar to White Collar, hands-on to automated, and relationship based to data based. Workers are looking for a way to find their place in the world.
II. Three Worlds of Work
Three Concepts bring about the rise of a world that is broken up into three different s scenarios stemming from values help by workers in the world.
To summarize easily - a push-and-pull of individualism vs. collectivism and corporate integration versus business fragmentation.
Large corporates turning into mini-states and taking on a prominent role in society. Specialization creating the rise of collaborative networks. The social and environmental agenda forcing fundamental changes to business strategy.
Most orgs are likely to be a mix of all three worlds of work. Yet these challenges leave a ton of issues for businesses and HR departments to figure out:
The need to create ever more sophisticated people measurement techniques to monitor and control performance and productivity. Increasing importance of social capital and relationships as the drivers of business success. The boundary between work and personal life disappearing as companies assume greater responsibility for the social welfare of their employees.
You can imagine that this will then change the way that HR works, and will go in three ways:
Driver for corporate social responsibility within the organization Transactional and Outsources Shift focus to business strategy and begin to influence other parts of the business. III. The Worlds (explained)
So you’ve noticed the the chart above graphing these worlds. You’re curious to learn but also see what these are all about in the real world for employees.
Blue World - Corporate is King
Big company capitalism reigns supreme
Driving Goal : profit, growth, and market leadership
How to compete : scale is the crucial differentiator. it allows these mega-corporations to reach out across the globe and compete for talent and resources- constantly innovating and keeping pace with customer demands.
Employee Value Proposition: Job security and long-term service with an organization in return for employee commitment and flexibility.
Questions to Consider
How can you develop the more sophisticated human capital metrics needed to constantly improve performance? How do you develop a broader resource optimization and human beings work side by side? Where is the line between performance monitoring and personal space and how can you make sure the organization stays within it? Learnings
Metrics and data are used to drive business performance through complex staff segmentation strategies which identify thousands of skills sets. The challenges include how to integrate talent from different markets into the overall corporate culture, Consumer preferences, speed to market, and dominating other entrants. HR convinces employees that the ‘price’ of data release and close monitoring is worth paying. This includes developing the right balance between the benefits and productivity gains of this personal data. (44% of employees around the world hold JOB SECURITY as dear to them) The Green World - companies care
Where consumers and employees force change
Driving Goal : Positive social and environmental impact
How to compete : A social and environmental conscience is demanded by customers and staff right through the organization and its supply chain. The organization must get it right in order to compete and survive.
Employee Value Proposition: Ethical values and work - life balance in return for loyalty towards an organization that does right by its employees.
Questions to Consider
How can you turn your values into a compelling element of your employer brand? Is your function set up to work with people who want a greater say in designing their working responsibilities and rewards? How can you monitor the desired ethics and behavior most effectively?
Learnings
Green Firms practice co-creation – engaging with customers, partners, external agents and the local community to create new product and services that benefit the customer, the company and the broader community Organizations in the Green World will embrace and embed Sustainability, understand and manage their total impact, and drive opportunities that reflect good growth ie. growth that’s responsible, real, lasting and inclusive. The CEO drives the people strategy for the organization, believing that the people in the organization and their behaviors and role in society have a direct link to the organization’s success or failure. The Orange World - small is beautiful
Where big is bad, for business, for people and for the environment
Driving Goal : Maximizing flexibility while minimizing fixed costs
How to compete : Embracing the rise of the portfolio career, hiring a diverse mix or people on an affordable, ad hoc basis.
Employee Value Proposition: Flexibility, autonomy, and varied challenges in return for working on a short-term contractual basis
Questions to Consider
How can you identify and attract the contract staff needed to meet different objectives? How can you verify the authenticity of the data being used to select staff and associates? How do you effectively manage non-owned resource?
Learnings
Efficient systems and processes are the key to success of Orange companies. Maximum operational flexibility, lean staffing models, collaborative partnerships and minimal m/e. Workers are categorized and rewarded for having specialist expertise, which will create increased demand for people to have a personal stake in the organization’s or project’s success Orange pioneers will give a new lease of life to professional guilds, associations and trade bodies – relying on them for training, development and innovation. IV: Summary & Problems found
Blue World Problems
Measuring employee performance Training modules to upskill poor performing employees
Green World Problems
Co-Creation tool for Customers plus community for impact on company mission Volunteer and ExtraCurricular tool for HR What problems does wendy have?
Orange World Problems
Reward Management Tools & Systems for Workers or 1099s Training and Development Guilds for xyz roles Remote Talent Selection (how to get the right person) The Future of Work by Deloitte plus Future of Work in Technology
Table of Contents
I. The-Worker- Employer Relationship
II. Future of Work in Technology
I. The-Worker- Employer Relationship
Summary
We’re not family, so what are we?
One of the dangers of a digital world is the constant involvement and seemingly intertwined relationship with work. To cope, many companies take on the mantra, “we’re a family”.
What if we told you... that’s changing? Here are the reasons:
COVID-19: Testing the limits of the worker-employer relationship Talent supply & government impact Talent supply can influence whether companies need to reskill, lean on technology to automate, or make changes. Government was one of the most influential external factors. Their effectiveness in social change affects workers and the resources are set toe provide for them. We increasingly find that talent supply and governmental impact are shaping up what the world/ work-employer relationship will pan out to be:
Organization will likely find themselves in some combination of the futures depending on the needs and expectations of their workforce, their industry, their regions, and communties where they operate. [see the figure below ]
Work as Fashion
The worker-employer relationship is REACTIVE: Employers feel compelled to respond in the moment to workers’ expressed preferences, and to competitor moves, without connecting those actions to a sustainable workforce strategy. Signals of Work as Fashion
Increased employer reliance on worker surveys and other listening tools. Increased employer activity in measuring themselves against competitor and industry benchmarks, and of adjusting practices to align to benchmarks. Low government impact can also help create the conditions for this future Continuous changing and rollout of worker programs and policies. Increased external marketing of worker incentives. New levels of social activism from employers. How to navigate the future for organizations ?
What matters first may trump what matters most - if employers treat meaning and purpose mainly as attraction and retention tools, they may overlook that what workers are actually looking for is consistency and a more sustained commitment. Diverse voices re drowned out - Many people hold unconscious biases that reinforce prevailing but discriminatory social values, and this may affect the way they develop and execute organizational workforce strategies. In many organizations, diverse individuals are underrepresented to begin with. Listening efforts may not be designed to adequately capture their view Listening becomes surveillance - Using technology to understand the workforce may cross the line into worker surveillance, raising potential risks around data privacy Differentiation gets lost in competition - Worker loyalty may last only until someone else offers them incrementally more compensation, training, or other incentives that have come to be commodities. Dig Deeper - Ask nuanced questions that get at more basic issues of concern to the workforce than their desires in the moment Walk the talk - Leaders should be prepared to highlight the organization’s actions in areas that have been identified for changes, clearly communicating what the priorities are and how the organization is addressing them now Focuse empowerment where it matters most - Most workers want to be empowered where it matters most, which is in the work they do and how to advance their careers. By providing internal mobility via opportunity marketplaces, employers may be able to satisfy workers’ desire for empowerment by putting them in control of their careers The thrive differentiator Being thoughtful and selective in responding to worker needs is necessary, but it’s not sufficient to thrive in this future. employers need to build a sustainable and differentiated worker-employer relationship built around a core set of ideals that are important to both the worker and the employer A sustainable, differentiated relationship is only partly about benefits, policies, and programs. Rather, it extends the consideration of worker needs to the broader workforce experience. Everything from well-being, personal and professional growth, and meaningful work is on the table. War Between Talent
The worker-employer relationship is IMPERSONAL: Employers view workers as interchangeable and easily replaceable, and workers are more concerned with competing with each other for jobs than with the quality of their relationship with their employer. Signal of War Between Talent
Organizations put limited investment into developing their talent. The amount of gig and fractional work, including ghost work, is growing. Organizations’ AI and automation initiatives focus on using technology to replace workers. Organizations increase their use of offshoring. The proportion of people funding education out of their personal resources is increasing. Navigating the war between talent future
Innovation is stifled at the source Certain roles go from hard to fill to impossible to fill Social divide becomes a social chasm Stakeholders question the organization investement Onboard with expediency - Workers who can get up to speed quickly on organizational culture and workflows will be more productive sooner, whether they are entirely new or being moved to new roles. Invest where talent is scarce - Using this insight effectively means employers should be prepared to make investments in identifying, attracting, developing, and retaining top talent in these areas. Mitigate turnover costs - No matter how easy it is to replace workers, employers will still incur the cost of bringing those replacements up to speed, creating an incentive to retain workers who are hard to find and to train The thrive differentiator One way to enhance worker performance through investment is to create a “good jobs” environment in which job quality is high, workers have a voice, and the employer offers training and skill development. The motive is not altruism: Research shows that employers where “good jobs” prevail—jobs with higher wages, better hours, more predictable schedules—reap financial gains that put them ahead of competitors with less “good” jobs. Work is work
The worker-employer relationship is PROFESSIONAL: Each depends on the other to fulfill work-related needs, but both expect that workers will find meaning and purpose largely outside of work. Purpose unleashed
The worker-employer relationship is COMMUNAL: Both workers and employers see shared purpose as the foundation of their relationship, viewing it as the most important tie that binds them together. Signals that the future could be headed toward “purpose unleashed
Workers, customers, regulators, and interest groups are requesting or mandating new purpose-aligned measures from employers. Purpose is showing up in job descriptions, hiring practices, and performance metrics. Organizations are taking stances, internally and externally, on issues they otherwise may have stayed silent about in response to growing demands from workers and customers. Strengthening both purpose and business is a stated criterion for leadership positions and driving key executive promotion/succession decisions. Increased depth and transparency of reporting on purpose-driven outcomes. Navigating the purpose unleashed future
The instinctive response
Suspicions of greenwashing become the order of the day. Employers may assume that delivering a loud message around purpose is enough to satisfy workers’ expectations. But if that message is overstated Public statements may have unintended consequences. When communication and visibility are top priorities, leaders may not take the time to think carefully about the implications of what they’re communicating Some workers are pushed to the fringes. Over-communicating one’s response to social or political issues could isolate workers who do not agree with it.
The survive strategy
Incorporate purpose into core talent programs. Make sure purpose is reflected in the organization’s core talent programs: benefits and policies, measurement and performance management, recruitment and retention, and learning and development. Clearly communicate real, tangible progress. Backing up statements of purpose with action is a powerful force in solidifying the worker-employer relationship. But action only helps an organization’s relationship with workers when workers know about it. Model commitment to purpose. Workers look to their leaders for clarity and expect them to model commitment to purpose. The thrive differentiator
Organizations that engage their workers as co-creators of their purpose will be positioned to go beyond surviving to thriving. Co-creation goes beyond merely soliciting workers’ input; rather, it’s about workers having influence and decision rights over what the organization stands for, what outcomes it wants to achieve, and what actions it takes to pursue those outcomes Leaders must understand that being vocal about their purpose is not enough, and that advancing purpose through external action is only half the battle. Ideas and Problems for People to Jam On
Lack of Co-Creation Tools between Management & their Direct Reports leading to over communication and loss of enthusiasm or purpose from the staff Archaic Onboarding Content, Moduling, and Reporting which leads to a need for reskilling, refreshing of training, Referrals & Contracting Ecosystem
Analyzing Business Waste
Every entrepreneur will encounter the point that eliminating waste and trimming the fat from their baby is the only way to keep it alive - to make it easy; check out the EB Framework.
1. Find P&L Waste
2. What's your Unit Economics?
3. Is there a less painful way to run this Business?
4. Look at Customers / can you decrease CAC, increase LTV?
5. Analyze
6. Replace/ Hire bodies based on your analysis
This six-step framework should allow you to narrow your scope on strategy and dedicate energy to hiring, customers, and Unit Economics.
Raising Venture Capital
You've made it - you're on Sand Hill Rd. or found yourself chatting it up with an Angel Investor. Congratulations!
So get ready for the feedback of your life; you'll either feel like an absolute winner or a complete f****ing loser.
Let's make sure you're the former over the latter.
When you're pitching your idea or presenting your pitch deck, you should keep these questions in mind that the Investor is thinking, 'Okay, that's super cool, but how will I make money and return my fund?'
You will need your TAM - What is it? How big is the market? Where is the Potential for me as an Investor?
So, cool, TAM makes sense, but what's your PAM? (People Addressable Market)
Or, in other words- Where are people spending money on products that are similar to yours? How do you plan to get that 1% of the TAM? That is PAM.
You're almost done.
Tell me more about how you're going to going to get people to spend money on you? What's your business model, and what's your competitive advantage? CAC - tell me everything. Focus on how you'll decrease CAC, increase LTV, and increase customers.
Only after these points are you able to detail the problem, technology, traction, etc.
Your job when you're pitching is to dance not how you want to dance but How this investor will make their money. More importantly, at a 10x multiple.
Overcoming Challenges as a Founder
Life is a funny thing that brings individuals situations that seems unbearable and out of one's control at an immediate level. This feeling and urgency stunts many individuals from taking steps in the direction they find most 'correct.' To mitigate this, it's essential to understand the different types of challenges that we may face -
Personal Obstacles - Personal obstacles relate to our psychology and state of mind. They include unhealthy emotions, paralyzing fears, and limiting beliefs.
Social Obstacles - Social obstacles are related to people who either do not cooperate with you, sabotage you, or are incompetent and unable to fulfill the responsibilities assigned to them.
Environmental Obstacles - Environmental obstacles are often unexpected conditions and circumstances that you typically have very little control over.
What are the indications that this is a problem for you?
Identify the details of the problem: How did it happen? How did it get here?
Take control of your behavior: What aspects of this problem can you control? What facets of this problem can’t you control?
Gain proper perspective on the situation: How are your assumptions contributing to the problem? What is another perspective you haven’t considered?
What could you do differently? What are your criteria for success?
How do you live in the moment when it feels like your world is falling apart? Acquire a Different Perspective Breathe, Take Control, and Take Action Crash Course on Employee Resource Groups
Employee Resource Group(s)
Goal of Document
Create a framework on ‘how to start an ERG’ within a company and use best industry practices to create a starting point for clients to personalize.
Overview of ERGs
These are the types of ERGs that are common:
• Disability
• Veteran Status
• Race, Ethnicity, Identity, and Culture
• Religion
• Age (recent graduates, Millennials, over-60)
• Family Structures (working parents, single parents, adoptive parents)
• New Hires
• Job Responsibility
Employee Resource Groups are networks of employees sponsored by the organization they work for. Usually, ERG members share common needs in the workplace.
The groups advocate for themselves, in addition to fostering their professional development and their community members. They become a valuable resource to their employers, providing information about their identities, performing community outreach, opening new networks for recruiting, supporting business objectives, and serving as a visible sign of their employers’ commitment to a diverse, empowering, and inclusive workplace.
Business Use Case for ERGs
Companies both large and growing use ERGs as both a D&I tool and employee perk. ERGs can contribute to the success of an organization. Increased employee engagement in the organization is only the beginning. The act of forming an ERG creates a space for conversations about diversity, empowerment, equity, and inclusion and what it means for the organization. Here are some of the use cases of ERG creation to empower employees:
An increase in ideas and perspectives in general but also along with underrepresented customer segments. ERGs strengthen and amplifies minority voices and increase their visibility. Give back + Contribute to the local community, these are ways to understand different customers, hire talent, and spread the mission/vision of the company. Learn and grow professionally and personally, these are generally great ways to ‘upskill’ workers internally. By giving them autonomy and resources, they can venture out to Actual Case Studies of successful ERGs
Toyota North America Increase Recruiting Power Using ERGs
Leveraged 50+ ERGs to recruit micro-networks in new sites, team-led re-location plan, and team-led evaluations of location/sites. 60-65% Retention Rate for those who have decided to move sites vs. 45% baseline at Toyota Increase offer rate to new college graduates +50%
AT&T's ERGs Play Critical Role in Workforce Skills Transformation Strategy
Created and invested in ‘Workforce 2020’ ie: a platform with a My Career Profile + Learning Series to help internal + external personnel upskill alongside business initiatives. Since implementation in 18 months, there have been over 6M courses taken and over 10000 certificates. ERGs have been leading proponents in growing ATT University and finding talent on college campuses How Dell Leverages Success of ERGs to Get More Leaders on Board
ERGs led governance changes for organizations that transformed from in-person to remote-first This has been a retention lever for talent increasing over +15% ERGs impact the bottom line by being incentivized to give product feedback Common Structure ERGs
According to, this is the way that most successful ERGs operate and are structured for constituent leadership and processes: (Co-)Chairs - Leadership roles meant to foster collaboration, communication, and diversity of thought from the ERG members. They are usually the founders of the group and ‘bootstrap’ it from the ground up. Pillar Leads - These report to the (Co)Chairs and leads the functions of the ERG. There should be enough people to help run these functions: Business - adding value to business teams by ensuring that business decisions are made with equity and inclusion in mind. Education - Plans and executes events that help educate the broader employee population about issues facing the community. Events - Plan and execute heritage month celebrations, social events, and outings. Community - Plan and execute community volunteering and giving events to enhance employer brand and support communities in need with vital resources. Executive Sponsors - Each ERG should have at least one executive sponsor that reports directly to the CEO. Additional sponsors can be added as necessary. Diversity Council - Co-Chairs of each ERG are automatically added to a company-wide diversity council that meets regularly. At least one meeting per quarter should include the CEO. This fosters accountability and collaboration and demonstrates the company's commitment to hearing underrepresented voices at the highest level. Budget ( Treasurer) - each ERG should have a budget to use at their discretion for training including conferences, swag, speakers, events, food, and outings. Additional budget can be allocated for community giving grants at the discretion of each ERG. Needs for a Successful ERG
Easy to follow Values that align with Mission Measurable Goals and Consistent Tracking Allow Room for Differentiation Make value-based decisions Create a ‘Starter Kit’ to help scale out different ERG ‘charters’ across the company Specify Roles for Members and Leaders Regularly make the Structure transparent Communicate the Need for Structure Steps on How to Create an ERG
1.) Gauge employee interest
You need to make sure you have enough employees interested to make your efforts worthwhile. To do this, use employee demographic data to determine if your target population is big enough to help with the ERG's upkeep, or ask for a show of hands during a company all-hands meeting
2.) Get executive buy-in
Once you know your employees are interested in creating an ERG, you need to secure executive buy-in to ensure the new group is successful.
Find an executive sponsor to help you find even more buy-in. Explain the group’s purpose and share qualitative and quantitative data from employee experience surveys and employee demographics to prove you have an internal need for such a group. Next, make a plan for how the ERG will run (like a Go-To-Market Plan) then request a budget to support your target activities.
3.) Define the group’s mission
Before you launch your group, you’ll need to give it a clear purpose or mission. This mission statement should be one to two sentences that clearly and concisely share what the ERG is for and why it matters. This statement will hold your members accountable and act as a north star for all of the group’s initiatives.
Here’s an example from Linkedin:
Black Inclusion Group (BIG)
Connecting Black employees at LinkedIn! Utilizing data, resources, and business alignment to close the opportunity gap for Black people in tech.
4.) Recruit members
At this point, it’s also important to consider whether or not allies ( those who stand for the mission/vision of this group) should be allowed in an ERG. If so, let's go recruit... If not, why not? Diverse voices matter!
Raise awareness for the upcoming ERG. Market the group in all-hands meetings and company newsletters. You can also host a kick-off event to drum up internal support and catch the attention of workplace allies. Lastly, you can personally reach out to specific employees if you know they are passionate about particular causes or if they’ve previously expressed interest in creating a similar group. These employees might be good candidates for an ERG leadership committee too.
5.) Host a meeting
Once your ERG is up and running, it’s time to host your first meeting as a group. You can review your mission statement, create goals, decide on causes to support, brainstorm company events you can throw, and share any relevant articles, topics, or media that would promote engaging discussions. This should remain casual and resemble a very early-stage startup meeting.
Once the group goes, more processes will need to be put in place.
6.) Maintain organizational support
Work with senior leaders to define how your company will support your group, its initiatives, and its members.