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5 Critical Drivers for Workplace Change heading to the 2020s shift - #1 - The Impact of Technology

02/12/2015
Technology in the hands of businessmenThere is an awakening...can you feel it..? No, not Star Wars, but the dawning realization that we are headed for a perfect storm of workplace shifts and changes in less than 999 days.  How we prepare our Organizations, Leaders and Managers for success NOW, as we head to the workplace shift of the 2020s, will define our medium term competitiveness, long term success, agility and flexibility in some of these uncharted waters to come.In this series of 5 posts I will consider 5 key drivers for workplace change, individually. For each driver I will highlight why it is important to consider and some of the challenges that lay ahead.In fact we are conducting a survey around these very drivers, globally right now. We are trying to sort the "truths" from the "myths" to provide business leaders and managers with the facts and actions to help them prepare for the future, now. We would appreciate your input also – it will take 10 minutes only! Please click here to have your say. Complete the 2020 surveyThe 5 key Drivers for Workplace Change we will consider are:Driver #1: The Impact of TechnologyDriver #2: The broadening cross generational challengesDriver #3: Diversity and Bias (both conscious and unconscious)Driver #4: The Future of work as we know it nowDriver #5: Leader and Manager readinessLet's start at the beginning...Driver #1 – The Impact of TechnologyGlobalization, mobilization, socialization, collaboration — all these are mega trends we are experiencing daily and which are giving technology a platform from which to thrive and adapt to the changing needs of individuals, organizations and countries everywhere.Science fiction writers often talk about the "singularity" — the point at which technology perpetually improves, often self-replicating and adapting. We could be forgiven for considering we are close to that point.New technologies, apps, software and tools are launched or made better each day, whether they are supporting huge infrastructure projects or simply a new smartphone application to make our lives easier. In short, the rise of technology tools and applications are changing the way we live and work and, importantly, learn.So how do we separate some truths from myth? What fears are we creating ourselves and what opportunities are we missing? For example some statements we are hearing more and more:
  • Robots will take our jobs in the future
  • AI is a reality and only a matter of time
  • Human / tech symbiosis is just around the corner
  • Augmented reality is how we will do business & learn in the future.
All plausible in their own way – but what does the world of Enterprise think? Here is your opportunity to define what is Truth what is Myth! Please complete our 10 minute survey here to help us get to the bottom of this and then come up with some fact-based ideas, innovations and best practices out there. 2020s workplace truths and myths surveyTechnology is a part of how we live, work and learn – just look at the Education sector and consider how your kids learn compared to how we may have learned.Online support groups, project collaboration, TedEd and Khan Academy changing the game with video based learning. Edmodo as THE tool supporting teachers and students in a secured network and much, much more.The key around the impact of technology is to have in mind the following from Mr Justin Bovington, chief executive officer of London-based virtual world agency Rivers Run Red. He states:"Ideas and innovation happen all around us; technology is an enabler and unifier, and we need new spaces of operation."The key to technology helping our businesses and people success? Let it be an enabler and unifier, don’t let it overwhelm, over-process and stagnate the human touch. The blend of the human with appropriate technology will most certainly be a powerful tool as we move forward into more hyper-competitive times, with more remote and dispersed workforces and with a need to communicate, develop ourselves and collaborate to far greater levels.The second post in this series of 5, Drivers for Change #2, the broadening cross generational challenges, is coming next week!