Develop talent, connect and shape the future of work: A call for responsible leaders

If 2017 is anything like 2016, “disruption” is set to become the word of the year. In politics, business and society, recent events have highlighted the shortcomings of predictability and the urgency of expecting the unexpected. The same applies to the labour market. Warp speed developments in technology – automation, artificial intelligence and the arrival of the sharing economy – are transforming how we work. Beyond technology, traditional working patterns are also being disrupted by changes in society, organizations and workforce management, leading to the rise of a more independent and dispersed workforce. Flexibility is, indeed, the key to this new age, with around 30% of the US and European working population already free agents. The “job for life” no longer exists, while the “multi-career” is the norm.