“Real generosity towards the future lies in giving all to the present.”
—ALBERT CAMUS
At 64, Louisa is about to go on her first job interview in 40 years. After a rewarding career as a high school French teacher, it’s time to retire, but she’s not ready to sit on the porch watching the world go by. She loved teaching, but now she asks, “What else can I do?”
Completing an online skills inventory, Louisa was surprised to find out how many skills she had acquired over the years. Communication and listening skills had been a big part of her job as a teacher, of course, but she had never given any thought to how much time she had spent leading, mediating, planning, analyzing, and problem solving. Her excellent people skills meant she was able to relate to everyone, and she was even current with her tech skills—a big bonus. Her best friend, Mimi, the high school’s Spanish teacher, came upon the perfect match for Louisa’s skills and interests.
Mimi and Louisa roamed the world together during their many summer vacations, and this got Mimi thinking. “What,” she asked Louisa, “were the things we always did no matter where we traveled?”
“You mean shopping?” Louisa said with a laugh. “Well, after shopping and sightseeing,” she continued, “we went to every gallery, saw every ballet and concert, and went to all of the museums.”
“That’s it!” Mimi said, “Why not look at a new career in the art world, in a museum? I even know someone right here in our city you could call.”
That’s how Louisa landed her interview as an arts education coordinator for the city’s museum of fine arts. First, she packaged her résumé to align her skills with the responsibilities of the job. She became thoroughly versed in art terminology and familiarized herself with the museum’s current and future exhibitions. She also got up to speed on what was happening in other major museums around the world.
Quietly confident but excited, Louisa dresses impeccably and arrives early and ready on the day of her interview. She immediately hits it off with her interviewer, and they share stories of their world travels and the museums they had both visited. Louisa’s interviewer suddenly reveals a pleasant surprise. “I want you on my team. When can you start?”
Tomorrow is coming. In some cases it is already here. Technological advancements, increased automation, outsourcing, and a concept of work largely defined and designed by and for millennials will shape the near future of our professional lives. This will happen in ways we cannot yet truly comprehend. The good news is that the interpersonal skills you have mastered so far will position you well for what comes next. But you will need to exhibit even greater judgment and dexterity in deciding when, how, and to what extent to employ them.
Wedded as we are to technology, it will never replace the need for human connection. In the future workplace, technological skill will be common among all employees and no longer a distinguishing competitive advantage. What will distinguish individuals is what has distinguished them throughout time: the ability to establish respectful relationships.
In its 2016 Evolution of Work study, ADP Research Institute says there are five overarching trends employers need to know about: choice and flexibility, real-time learning, increased autonomy, stability, and personally meaningful projects. The report also finds that the workplace will see increases in global recruiting, contract hiring, social media collaboration, mobile device-centered work, flexible retirement, flat corporate structures, work-life integration, and technology-monitored productivity.1
In his Forbes article, “Ten Workplace Trends You’ll See in 2016,” Dan Schawbel writes about an increase in the rehiring of baby boomer retirees, either as consultants or to take on leadership roles. He sees a revamp of parental leave as 80 million millennials embark upon a baby boom of their own, and he also sees a redesign of office spaces to accommodate workers’ preferences.2
Jacob Morgan, author of the Forbes article, “The Future of Work Is About Flexibility, Autonomy, and Customization,” has created the acronym FAC: flexibility to work where, when, and how one chooses, autonomy to be responsible for one’s work effort, and choice to work on projects that are most individually meaningful.3
In her article in Fast Company, “What Work Will Look Like in 2025,” Gwen Moran says the jobs that will be most in demand are those that require emotional intelligence such as sales positions, those that are hard to automate such as health care and personal services, and those requiring trade skills, or specific training, such as science, technology, and math.4
Among the challenges for professionals in the future workplace is an acceptance of the fact that job security no longer exists—there is no gold watch for 25 years of faithful work. In her Daily Mail article, “Will YOUR Job Exist in 2025?” Jenny Awford quotes Martin Chen, chief operating officer of Genesis Property, a real estate developer in China. Chen says that “experts now believe that almost 50 percent of occupations existing today will be completely redundant by 2025.”5 As artificial intelligence, robots, drones, and smart machines continue to redefine the workplace, jobs requiring repetitive tasks are particularly at risk. Higher skilled jobs in the administrative, clerical, and production areas are also on the chopping block, along with the roles of tax preparer, loan officer, and insurance appraiser.
Stress levels will be high and burnout will be a widespread problem as companies and employees try to do more with less time, money, and resources.
Yes, burnout, a term introduced in the 1970s, is rearing its ugly head again. In her Forbes article, “Overcoming Burnout: Five Ways to Get Back on Track at Work,” Vicky Valet quotes Christina Maslach, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and author of the “Maslach Burnout Inventory.” Dr. Maslach says, “It’s not just that people have a bad attitude, it’s that they are working in a socially toxic workplace.” She says it is not primarily workload, time pressures, and exhaustion that cause burnout; it is a lack of workplace civility. “Something as little as someone rolling their eyes can wear away at you. It’s also sarcastic tone of voice, being nasty and rude. It’s what you say, how you say it, and how you act.”6
Two separate 2015/2016 studies by Willis Towers Watson, a global risk management and insurance brokerage, offer another view. These studies indicate that employers and employees alike think insufficient staffing is a major contributing factor to burnout, but they disagree on its other top causes. Employers rank lack of work-life balance and technology that keeps employees tethered to their work as the biggest stressors, but employees say low pay and organization culture are the real issues.7
Burnout has dramatic personal and organizational consequences, impacting physical and mental health, employee absenteeism, tardiness, and productivity.
Communicating and collaborating across divergent schedules and time zones with team members and business partners, some continents away, will require enormous flexibility and well-honed communication skills. Members of the “gig economy” will find the number of bosses with whom they will need to get along expanding exponentially. The allure of being one’s own boss will be quickly balanced by the realization that each new client brings a new boss, and sometimes decisions are made by a team with multiple stakeholders.
Gloria Larson, president of Bentley University, says, “Specialty skills, which were once assigned to dedicated positions, are now expected and required across several job categories.” Social media skills will be required of everyone, not just those on the marketing team.8 Richard Newton, author of the book The End of Nice: How to Be Human in a World Run by Robots, says, “The profoundly human skills of interpersonal communication, empathy, and compassion, along with others such as creativity, problem-solving, and caring, are the ones people will get hired for in the future.”9
By having a respectful attitude, professionals can develop the soft skills of communication, empathy, and collaboration that their future success requires. Professionals will also need agility to quickly change gears when necessary; humility to admit what they do not know; generosity to help others in need; tenacity to see projects through; courage to deal with uncertainty; tolerance to work with people of different ages, cultures, and levels of experience; good judgment to keep things in perspective; kindness to encourage others; and resilience to try, fail, and try again. A sense of humor and sufficient rest, nutrition, and exercise will also help.
Take responsibility for your future career. Know that you are now responsible for creating and managing your career, where once employers dictated career paths and next-step promotions.
Commit to continued career development. Take advantage of free company training or invest in training at your expense and time. Stay current on industry trends and changes, follow thought leaders, and nurture your professional network. You could repackage your skills as a consultant, trainer, or freelancer.
Hone your interpersonal and technical skills. Understand that these are the nonnegotiable assets for success now and in the future.
Consider a new career. Know what you like and what you are good at—then prepare to do it. The future holds great opportunity for creative boutique businesses.
The workspace has undergone dramatic changes. Designed to increase productivity, inspire creativity, facilitate collaboration, and promote health and well-being, workspaces are beginning to look more like homes, gardens, and pubs than the soulless, monochromatic grids of the past. If you happen to work for Deloitte, the professional services organization, in its new Montreal office space unveiled in late 2015, you have 18 different workspaces from which to choose. In addition to a personal workstation (with or without a treadmill), you have quiet rooms, flex spaces, lounges, cafés, bistros, outdoor spaces, fitness facilities, and a concierge at your disposal.
Companies understand workspaces have a great impact on employee experience and help them attract and keep key talent. They also know that the more comfortably and efficiently they allow for work-life integration, the happier, less stressed, and more productive their employees will be.
Employees need to respect their employers’ intent in providing on-site amenities. One client said that literally nothing is safe from being taken home at her company, from food, drinks, and supplies to toilet paper! Such unprofessional work behaviors do not go unnoticed by employers and coworkers.
Many now no longer choose to fight traffic to get to the office. Using electronic devices and team collaboration tools such as Slack, they do their jobs wherever they are. Those who want or need space for meetings, a sense of community, or a roof over their heads on a temporary or occasional basis, can use shared office space as an option. Organizations such as WeWork provide monthly rental of desks and private offices. Business is booming. Founded in 2010, this organization now boasts 109 locations in 30 cities around the world. Freelancers, entrepreneurs, and knowledge workers are huge fans of this shared office concept. Businesses also see the benefit, especially for their remote workers.
However your workplace is configured, your brand is always on display. This means being aware of your surroundings and of those you might inadvertently disturb with audible conversations, noise-emitting electronic devices, or wafting food aromas. It also means paying attention to your attire, grooming, and everyday behaviors. By attending to such seemingly small considerations as holding doors open, keeping common areas clean, and being professionally cordial, you will be viewed as an all-star office mate. There could also be ancillary benefits, as that person next to you might be the source of your next great idea or a potential client!
It has been a particularly exhausting week, and Dan, manager of recruiting, is weary. A lengthy email had just come to him from the vice president of Human Resources, ending with “I’ll need your report and recommendations next week. We need to understand these Gen Zs and what we have to put in place to attract them.”
In his 37-year career in commercial insurance sales, Dan has worked with three generations in addition to his fellow baby boomers. He has listened to countless stories about the early days from the firm’s 76-year-old founder, has commiserated with the boomers about whether they will ever be able to afford to retire, has reassured his 40-something colleagues that they are not being overlooked in favor of tech-savvy millennials, and has tried to keep up with the millennials’ constant need for positive feedback.
Dan is simply worn out by the disparate, never-ending expectations of an employee base that spans more than 50 years. And now his boss tells him he has to start planning a strategy for ways to attract an entirely new generation—Gen Z.
Dan knows this is going to be a huge challenge, compounded by the firm’s 20th century corporate culture: Old school values, hierarchical management, and pay-your-dues-and-you’ll-get-promoted thinking prevail as surely as they did when the company was founded. Sure, they have installed the obligatory foosball tables and now offer unlimited snacks to keep millennials quiet, but these are merely stopgap measures. The company has an enormous amount of catching up to do, especially if it wants to compete for the most talented members of this new generation. Maybe the expectations of Gen Zs will provide the push the company needs to finally get into the 21st century.
Dan writes his report, addressing the challenges the firm will face in appealing to this huge new cohort as well as the expensive initiatives they will need to offer. He just hopes they don’t shoot the messenger.
No discussion of the future of work would be complete without an eyes-wide-open look at the next generation knocking at the door. Most agree Gen Z is the first generation of true digital natives. The oldest of them are just a year or two away from joining the workforce. Born approximately between 1994 and 2014, Gen Z could be some 60 million strong and is poised to redefine the workplace once again.
Who are the Gen Zs? According to Anne Kingston’s article “Get Ready for Generation Z” in Maclean’s, “They are smarter than Boomers, and way more ambitious than Millennials,” and are “educated, industrious, collaborative, and eager to build a better planet.”10
“Meet Generation Z: Forget Everything You Learned About Millennials,” a presentation by the New York advertising agency Sparks & Honey, says members of Gen Z are mature, future thinking, humble, realistic, and entrepreneurial. They embody a collective social consciousness and value education and working for success. They like live-stream media such as Twitch and Ustream and communicate via FaceTime and Skype. Gen Zs also have challenges that may be related to the extent of their electronic device use: short attention spans, a lack of situational awareness, imprecise communication, and obesity.11
Gen Zs, known also as centennials, iGeneration, and Homeland Generation, are thought to be far more private and pragmatic than their millennial brethren. The children of Gen Xers, they have seen the problems brought on by over-sharing on social media and prefer sites like SnapChat and Whisper to the permanency of Facebook posts. Having lived through global conflict and the Great Recession, Gen Zs are also considered cautious, serious, and prone to worry.
Hannah’s mom is worried about her 20-year-old daughter. She wonders what ever happened to the energetic, happy young girl she once was, the girl who would come bounding through the front door after school eager to share her day’s activities or her newest crush, with her cheeks ablaze after soccer practice. Hannah’s mom remembers a healthy, athletic young woman brimming with vitality, cheer, and confidence.
Over the past year, everything has changed. Her daughter now has bags under her eyes, has gained weight, and is so pale. Hannah’s college grades are falling. And she never seems to leave the house! The few times her mother actually sees her, Hannah seems depressed.
Hannah’s mom gets up her courage again and knocks on her daughter’s door. She knows her concerns will not be well received, but she believes her daughter’s life is at stake and she just can’t ignore it. “I’m fine, mom. Just leave me alone!” yells Hannah from behind the closed door.
But something is clearly wrong, and Hannah’s mom is convinced it has to do with the amount of time she spends on her devices. She’s heard stories about the online bullying, the shaming, the trolling, and she knows that in some cases, these activities have had tragic consequences. If she could just talk to her daughter, face-to-face, she could find out what’s going on and maybe help.
So she knocks. And knocks. And knocks. After five minutes, the door opens. Hannah emerges from her room, seemingly resigned to a conversation and maybe just a tiny bit relieved. “Okay, let’s talk,” she says.
Constant connectivity brings real risks to users’ work, privacy, relationships, and health. Most of us know this intuitively, but few of us actually believe that these risks apply to us. In the article “Health Benefits of Unplugging and Going Screen-Free This July 4,” The Huffington Post reports “overengagement with social media can cause anxiety [and] feelings of low self-esteem.”12 A ceaseless barrage of photos of people engaged in awesome activities with their awesome friends can elicit feelings of jealousy, insecurity, and loneliness in those not similarly engaged. Increased social media activity often comes at the expense of decreased physical activity with weight gain and sleep affected as a result. A study from the website Science Daily found that the blue light of a tablet lowers melatonin, the sleep hormone.13
Online activity also harms relationships, interpersonal communication skills, and mental health, according to Sophie Breene, author of “Why Everyone Should Unplug More Often.” She says research indicates that “social media is the millennials’ ‘drug of choice’ and to many in this cohort, a self-described addiction.”14 Other potential problems include depression and poor posture, as well as sight, circulation, digestive, and skin issues. It can also cause wrist, neck, and other muscle strain.
Did you know there is a National Day of Unplugging? Starting on the first Friday each March, participants pledge to unplug from technology for 24 hours. An outgrowth of the Sabbath Manifesto, the National Day of Unplugging is meant to encourage one day a week to “unwind, unplug, relax, reflect, get outdoors, and connect with loved ones.”15 Its website, nationaldayofunplugging. com, offers resources and news about events, as well as some of the many great reasons people choose to unplug.
In 2010, the World UNPLUGGED project polled students from around the world who gave up social media for 24 hours. They reported feelings of freedom, liberation, peace, and solitude, and they had more time to engage in creative thinking, be with family and friends, talk, listen, read, enjoy the sunshine, laugh, eat, drink, chat, wander, jog, walk through the park, listen to the birds, and engage in hobbies.16
John can’t believe it. His company is coming up to the end of a very challenging quarter with sales goals unmet and now wants the management team to go on a “digital detox” retreat—whatever that is. “Why now?” John thinks. He is irritated. Every quarter, it takes a Herculean effort on his part to push his team to the finish line. Constant email status updates, texts of encouragement and warnings in equal measure, and links to the fabulous resort they will be going to if they come in first are just some of the ways he keeps them motivated.
Sure, he may rely a bit heavily on technology to keep his staff on task. And yeah, it’s been a while since he’s “seen” his teenaged kids other than on social media or “spoken” with his wife during the day other than by text. But that is just the way things are these days. This is not the time for him to be without his devices, especially for an entire weekend!
But knowing he needs to get on board if he wants to stay employed, John makes the trip to the beautiful campsite a few hours away. Dutifully complying with the rules, he turns his devices and watch over for safekeeping until the end of the retreat. At first, John literally does not know what to do with his hands. He reflexively checks his pockets for the phone not there and looks at his naked wrist where his watch used to be. “This is going to be hard,” he thinks.
In the common area, John takes a look at the activity board. A nature walk, hmm, that might be a good way to take the edge off. Archery? He hasn’t done that since summer camp. Then there’s yoga—that’s something he’s always wanted to try. John spies a colleague and is ready to commiserate about their forced getaway, when his relaxed-looking colleague tells him excitedly that he’s getting ready for the hike. Does John want to come? After the day’s activities, there is an evening around the campfire with an outdoor buffet, a corny but fun sing-along, and talks about their plans for tomorrow.
Maybe this isn’t so bad, John thinks. He has forgotten about reaching for his phone and the quarterly sales figures. Looking forward to the next day’s activities, he’d love to try his hand at printmaking and is not going to miss the scavenger hunt and tug-of-war. And he has a surprise for his colleagues at tomorrow night’s talent show: It’s high time they knew what a great singer he is! After an exhausting day in the fresh air, John is ready for sleep. He drifts off thinking about all the fun that awaits him. But he also knows, when tomorrow comes, if he chooses, he can do nothing at all but breathe in and out and look at the gorgeous scenery surrounding him. Nice!
Declare your independence. You are not your technology. It is a tool. You have control.
Start slow. Designate a time each day to power down. Fill that time with other activities: yoga in the morning, meditation in the afternoon, dinner with family or friends in the evening, reading a novel before bed. Work up to a tech-free half or full day.
Reduce temptations. Engage in activities that make the technology virtually impossible like skiing, cycling, swimming, cooking, painting, sculpting, dancing, knitting, board games, tennis, or playing the tuba. Work on a crossword or jigsaw puzzle.
Cut down on social media checks. Limit yourself to once or twice a day. Discover how little you miss it. Use an away message to let others know you are fine, just momentarily unreachable. Emergency messages will get through.
Ban technology from the bedroom and dinner table. Make it off-limits in conversations.
Take advantage of apps. Apps such as Offtime and Checky are designed to help you observe and limit your tech use.
Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook said, “Every year, I take on a personal challenge to learn new things and grow outside my work at Facebook.” In 2016, he announced he would run 365 miles at the pace of one mile a day. In 2015, he vowed to read one book every two weeks. “I’ve found reading books very intellectually fulfilling. Books allow you to fully explore a topic and immerse yourself in a deeper way than most media today.”17
“Boy, is he going to get an earful from me!” yells Matt, the owner/manager of a busy city copy shop, to his long-time employee, Leslie, and to anyone else within earshot. On any given day, he would have requests for a dozen rush jobs in addition to his regular customers’ orders. Matt is actually glad for the rush jobs because when people are in a hurry, they don’t mind paying more to go to the head of the line. “It’s great for business—and business is great,” he always says.
But there is one problem: the local delivery company he uses for these jobs. Matt has given them an enormous amount of business over the years, mostly because they are the only game in town. But WeDeliver’s employee turnover rate is high—really high—especially among its bicycle couriers. This means inexperienced workers and lost, late, missed, and damaged deliveries. On countless occasions, Matt has had to refund the money of many an angry customer and provide complimentary services just to keep them coming back.
Matt has complained dozens of times, and the owner of WeDeliver always promises to do better. But within a week, it is back to the same problems, accompanied by calls from unhappy customers. Matt has threatened to take his business elsewhere, but that’s an empty threat—there is no other place to take his business. In fact, Matt is pretty convinced the delivery company owner doesn’t even take his complaints seriously anymore.
So for the second time this week, the fifth time this month, and who knows how many times this year, Matt calls the owner with his usual frustrations and dissatisfactions. Afterwards, Leslie, his quiet, loyal, long-time employee, asks Matt if she can offer a suggestion. Gently reminding him of how many years this has been a problem, and the toll it has taken on them all, she asks, “Why don’t we hire our own delivery person?”
Merriam-Webster defines eternal truths as “valid for all time.” The phrase is usually associated with the words of major historical and cultural figures whose teachings have stood the test of time, such as Socrates, Aristotle, and René Descartes. Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Greatness, then, is not an act but a habit.” The principles in George Washington’s Rules of Civility: The 110 Precepts That Guided Our First President in War and Peace also provides examples of such timeless counsel. Inspired by the writings of Jesuit tutors, our first president copied out these rules and carried them with him as a guide for his life and work.
The precepts include the following:
“Wear not your clothes foul, ript or dusty, but see they are brush’d once every day at least, and take heed that you approach not to any uncleanliness.”18
Translation: Attire and grooming matter greatly!
Do eternal truths exist in today’s professional arena? By observing behaviors over a long period of time that result in similar outcomes, perhaps we can lay claim to our own set of personal truths. The year 2017 marks 22 years for me in the field of etiquette and protocol. Over these years, I have had the privilege of discussing the importance of respect and civility in the workplace with thousands of undergraduate and graduate students, newly hired employees, and tenured professionals. All have inspired me and shaped my perspective on life and work.
Past behavior is a strong indicator of future behavior. Individuals and organizations can change, but it takes a concerted, consistent effort and a long time to change others’ minds about them.
Insincerity can be spotted a mile away. A successful relationship, whether personal or professional, is not possible without both perceived and genuine respect.
Everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt. Adopt the belief that everyone is trying his or her best and you could probably eliminate 95 percent of workplace strife.
You will not always be liked. Do your best and hope for the best in return.
Everyone wants to be heard. You needn’t agree, just listen.
Things change. As time marches on, there is no percentage in not also changing.
Everyone makes mistakes. Stress, fear, and fatigue can bring out the worst in anyone. Cut others slack, and while you are at it, cut yourself some slack, too.
“I’m sorry” are two of the most powerful and underused words in business. Acknowledge mistakes and you strengthen relationships.
Reputations are fragile. Take great care with your own and with others’ reputations.
Time is fleeting. Think about how you spend your days. You will never get them back.
Learning is lifelong. It’s required of us all, and that’s a great thing.
What are your truths? Learn to trust your judgment and your gut feelings, and let your experiences and observations be your guide. Act in ways that respect rather than challenge the truths you have observed, both in your life and others’ lives, and you will save time, energy, and consternation. This will also allow you to focus on the things you can change.
Integrating all of this advice at once may seem daunting, but do not despair. While you are adding to your skills and burnishing your brand, there is a shortcut that can buy you time. One quality above all others will virtually guarantee your personal and professional success, regardless of where you are in your journey. It is the quality of empathy.
Renowned physicist Dr. Stephen Hawking said, “The human failing I would like most to correct is aggression. It may have had survival advantage in caveman days, to get more food, territory or [a] partner with whom to reproduce, but now it threatens to destroy us all.”19 The quality he would most like to magnify? Empathy—because “it brings us together in a peaceful, loving state.” Writer George Orwell, also a strong voice for empathy, lived briefly on the streets of London with those on the fringe of society. He wrote about his experience in Down and Out in Paris and London, a book still referenced more than 80 years later as one of the most powerful on the subject of empathy.
Practice the skills you have learned consistently. Try to understand rather than judge. Listen attentively and use nonverbal cues carefully. Try to “walk a mile in another’s shoes.” Further develop your empathy skills by showing appropriate curiosity, using affirming language, and being fully present in the moment.
Respect is the cornerstone of all successful relationships. The right attitude is not enough. Respect requires awareness, intention, and execution.
Technology is a tool over which we have complete control. Unplug and look up from your devices. Your health, happiness, productivity, and relationships depend on it.
Empathy is the most powerful of all human qualities. In personal and professional relationships, if you are able to display true empathy, you will succeed.
“Here’s looking at you, kid.” —Rick to Ilsa in Casablanca