The Doc Says Open Wide

by Jonas AltmanAugust 31st, 2016

Too Long; Didn't Read

I just interviewed someone for a book on the Future of Work. My calm and cool respondent said that looking ahead there are really just two distinct directions:

Companies Mentioned

Image from LondonTopia

I just interviewed someone for a book on the Future of Work. My calm and cool respondent said that looking ahead there are really just two distinct directions:

Work Opens Up. Organisations tap into the creative capital of their greatest asset — people (both inside and outside of their walls). It also means there’ll be a new way of organising ourselves to create value in a post capitalistic world — a new ism yet to be coined.
Work Shuts Down. Yes, we just call it a day. We’re doomed to a dystopia where automation wins, the middle class disappears and the divide between cleaners and super managers is irreparable.

I’ve been thinking more and more about this latter version, and it’s scary as hell. In my distorted version, maybe you’re at home playing on your Vive — just hanging out. Your doing jack all (not so different than when you had a real job), but now within the confines of your virtual cubicle. Next thing you know you’re wielding a semi-automatic.

This office of the future is one of sheer terror:

Just another day at the office from magic leap

Thankfully this isn’t in store for us.

I’ll place my bet on a version where work is opened wide up — and business transparency, basic incomes, creative intelligence, and new value networks help us to get there. It’s a version where work, works.

I confess I’m trying to stir the debate. So if you’re in London the evening of October 6, 2016 — then come along and chime in.

Book on and join the conversation HERE

Details below..

The number of creative independents steadily increases while the number of corporates flexing tired post-industrial organising models are on the decline

Leading organisations have embraced a new model of operating that rewards productivity over presence.

Technology and innovation continue to flip every industry on its head.

This is the 6th edition of the Future of Work and the biggest and brightest one yet. You will rub shoulders with others that are designing a future where they wake up every day doing their best work. Conductors on the night include:

Gillian Davis / PEOPLE & CULTURE @ USTWO

As a leading company culture expert, Gillian knows what it takes to make teams work. She thrives when in those meaty organisational development and transformation challenges. As head of people and culture at leading innovation studio ustwo, Gillian works to ensure a strong and healthy culture by leading on employee experience design. She is author of First Time Leader which provides frameworks and tools to help leaders and their teams deliver better results faster. She brings a wealth of knowledge on how organisations are evolving, how human capital can be best utilised and what the future of work might very well look like.

Victoria Stoyanova / COMMUNITY ARCHITECT

Victoria works at the intersection of industries, ideas and people. Her expertise is where startups and big company culture meet as she helps build strong communities for top organisations including the BBC, Microsoft Ventures, EY, Hyper Island and the V&A. Previously she worked as a community developer at Techstars and before that in Adland for the likes of Buzzman (Paris), Your Majesty (New York) and Mother (London). Victoria hosts the London chapter of CreativeMornings and with a regular window seat in the sky — she trots the globe advising businesses on community and growth.

Julian Wilson / HEAD OF MOBILE INNOVATION @ BARCLAYS

Julian is a technology veteran with over three decades of experience working with some of the brightest folks turning ideas into services and businesses. Whether at Apple, AT&T, the UK Government or as a co-founder of several software companies — Julian has a proven track record for predicting and designing how the web impacts our lives. At Barclays, Julian heads up mobile innovation which is really a business within the business — where leads fluid teams to tell stories and invent the future. As rare as they come, Julian has the vantage point of looking to the early days of the technology revolution — and aptly has some strong views on where we are heading next.

Go on already, book on and voice your views HERE