For those of you close to my age, do you remember as a child thinking about what the year 2000 would be like?  I envisioned us all living like the Jetsons.  I even had my own personal robot.  But as we got closer to the actual year 2000, it didn’t feel that different. Yes, technology had advanced, but we weren’t the Jetsons!

Now when I think about the future, I’m a little more realistic.  I don’t imagine drastically different technology.  Instead, I ask myself questions like “with birthrates declining, where will our members find talent to fill their roles?”, “Will there be more remote workers than in-person?”, and “What new jobs will be created, and which ones will have disappeared?”

Recently we talked with some regional leaders and ASE Members and asked the question – How do you envision the future of work?  I thought I’d share their answers since I found them very thought provoking:

Rhonda DeLuca, Sr. VP Global Human Resources, Terumo Cardiovascular
"The Future of Work will look vastly different from our current reality in the very near term.  A work from anywhere philosophy will have businesses investing in technology and culture at a rapid rate.  To support the new ways of working and culture change, HR departments will need to retool recruitment, retention, benefits, and many related policies.  DEI principles in the workplace will be the expectation, not the exception." 
 

 Jennifer Janus, President, Pophouse
"We have learned a lot in the last couple years that has created tremendous opportunity to evolve how, when, and why we work. Everything from schedules, to benefits, to office space is open for reevaluation. Employees have a say, now more than ever, in creating work that is meaningful, flexible, and integrated into the rest of their lives. While much of the way we work is changing, connection, collaboration, and culture will be more important than ever to keep teams engaged and productive." 
 

J. Brian Coleman, VP of Total Rewards, Dawn Food Products
"This is an exciting time for Total Rewards. It will continue to look at total solutions in which compensation will be an element. We will be crafting solutions to meet our constituents where they are currently and change offerings as their needs change – assisting companies to meet their strategic goals and attract and retain top talent." 

Tiffany Buckley-Norwood, Associate Counsel, Employment, Trinity Health
"Issues surrounding remote and hybrid work will continue. Questions about mandatory vaccines will increase for healthcare employers in particular." 

For me, when I think about the future of work, I think employers will have to be more in-tune with their employees' needs and offer unique experiences in order to attract and retain top talent. Employers will need to stand out from the rest or get left behind. I think the organizations that thrive will have built a bench of qualified talent and will nurture them with talent development in preparation for future leadership opportunities. 

Let me know how you envision the future of work at [email protected].