This Week's Top 3 Must Reads on the Future of Work

These are my top three article picks for the week of April 4th on the future of work, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and humanizing work. This week's selection includes insights on digital transformation goals, futureproofing the workplace to meet talent expectations, and the latest global 4-day work week experiment. I hope the articles inspire and ignite your imagination about the future of work and provide insights and strategies that you can leverage to help your organization thrive and make work more human.

7 Goals Your Business Can Achieve Through Digital Transformation

This article made the top of this week’s list because of the profound impact digital transformation can have on an organization. I am frequently astonished that some of the largest organizations on the planet have not set clear goals or embarked on a solid digital transformation journey. The article not only explains digital transformation in a very digestible way, but also focuses on its core benefits. According to the article, “Thirty-nine percent of employees felt their organization doesn’t collaborate enough. Only 9 percent of employees felt their company had effective collaboration tools and systems.” Digital transformation can facilitate collaboration, inspire a collaborative mindset, and drive productivity and performance. The article explains how digital transformation enables organizations to gain efficiencies, build new business models, become more agile, and develop a competitive advantage. What’s clear is that digital transformation is far more complex than upgrading technology and that the benefits of a well-planned and timed strategy can be game-changing. I will end by saying that digital transformation is the gateway for organizations to experience their full purpose and potential as the future of work unfolds in both the physical world and in the metaverse.

From CX to EX: future proofing the workplace to meet the expectations of today's talent

This article captured my attention because it is a snapshot of a panel discussion from the Drum’s recent Digital Transformation Festival where panelists made the argument for applying customer experience strategy not just to customers but also to employees. It is yet another example of how concepts and strategies from marketing are highly relevant and transferable in the context of employee experience. This article also resonated with me because I spent the first half of my career in marketing and advertising roles in the media industry. When I launched my career 2.0 as a consultant, I immediately saw the cross-over from marketing to human resource processes and employee experience. But it was difficult for many human resource leaders to see the connections between customer experience, employee experience, and the future of work in 2009. Today, however, most recognize how employee experience impacts productivity, engagement, performance, and retention. According to the article, “The CX leaders of today are making significant changes on the inside – including better and more flexible work environments, closer alignment of culture and values, putting a greater focus on the mental health and wellbeing of talent and providing the best digital tools and technologies to empower professionals to make a real impact.” The article revealed that panelists prioritized humanizing digital transformation, navigating the messy balance of hybrid work, and positioning culture as the medium that defines the future of employee experience. Embedded in the article is a link to the video of the panel discussion. It is worth the watch. Enjoy!

Thousands of employees are testing a 4-day workweek starting today: ‘It’s inevitable we’ll see bigger companies doing this’

Newsflash…Did you know that a few days ago, 4 Day Week Global, a nonprofit associated with the University of Oxford, launched an experiment in which 10,000 employees from around the world will participate in a program that evaluates the impact of a 4-day workweek? The program runs for six months. Companies participating in the program are from diverse sectors, including tech, finance, professional services, manufacturing, nonprofit, restaurant, and politics. According to the article, “businesses go through workshops to figure out more efficient ways of working, get matched with a mentor company that’s done it before, and in the U.S. will work with researchers at Boston College to measure changes in productivity and employee well-being over time.” Instead of maintaining 40 hours within four days, employees will work 32 hours over the course of four days. 4 Day Week Global calls this the 100-80-100 model. It is an exciting model. Workers must maintain 100% productivity and receive 100% of their pay 80% of the time. One of my favorite quotes from the article is, “A lot of it is better management and being focused on the priorities and expectations of work, so teams don’t spend as much time navigating ambiguity.” A recent Qualtrics survey revealed that 92% of people prefer a 4-day workweek. The Great Resignation undoubtedly has spurred interest in exploring ways to meet employees where they are and to consider and evaluate viable approaches to flexible work. The article states that the 4-day workweek is inevitable. I will end with a compelling quote from the article. “The biggest risk isn’t trying this out and it not working. Your biggest risk is your competitor doing it first.”

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