Change isn't a new phenomenon. In fact, the only thing we can be certain of in this world is that change is going to happen all the time. So then why are the discussions around the future of work taking center stage at so many organizations, conferences, media publications, etc. around the world? Aren't we just going through another cycle of the same old? Absolutely not.
It's true that change is a constant we should all be used to but the type of changes we are seeing in the world are unlike anything we have experienced in the past for three reasons:
- The world is now connected
- The pace of change has never been greater and
- Every industry and every company in every geography is being disrupted.
Look at how Uber is disrupting transportation and logistics, Square’s disruption of payments, Fitbit’s impact on medical devices, the freelancer and sharing economies impact on traditional models and forms of employment. New marketplaces, platforms and technologies are disrupting pretty much every industry you can think of. As the saying goes, “Either you disrupt or get disrupted,” and this is what we’re starting to see. In the latest episode of the Future In 5 I talk about this in more detail and help explain why this time it's different.
Let me know what you think and what changes you are starting to see!
Jacob Morgan is a keynote speaker, author (most recently of The Future of Work), and futurist. You can get the first 30 pages of his book for free as well as weekly content on the future of work by subscribing to his newsletter.
