The Future of Work: How to Survive and Thrive Amid Creative Disruption

Demographic & Workforce Shifts

• 75% of the U.S. workplace will consist of millennials by 2025.
• Massive numbers of baby boomers are retiring, creating significant knowledge gaps in sectors like aerospace and pharma.
• By 2025, over half of all work in organizations is projected to be performed by individuals not employed directly by the organization.
• One-third of the current U.S. workforce already spends part of their time working independently.
• Individuals are expected to hold 11 jobs before age 50.

Strategic Shifts in Talent Acquisition & Retention

• Deloitte:
  • Now employs 17,000 direct staff with a total global community of 200,000, including 2,000 temporary/contract and business process outsourced colleagues.
  • Anticipates 50% of its workforce will operate under alternative career models where they design their own career paths.
  • Mandated that all partners must spend time on learning and development to elevate talent strategy to the executive level.
• Bloomberg (Peter Grauer):
  • Emphasizes "intimacy" with colleagues (referring to them as such rather than employees) and investing in their future control and growth.
  • Believes long-term retention is possible (20–30 years) if the organization provides the right environment for commitment and gratitude.
  • Rejects part-time/telecommuting models for its core team due to a culture rooted in daily in-person customer service.
• Intello (John Bischke):
  • Cites a "war for talent" where companies failing to prioritize talent acquisition relative to sales or engineering lose out.
  • Uses big data to predict flight risk, identifying over 70 variables and noting high propensity for employees to leave at calendar year anniversaries (e.g., 10, 22, 34 months).
  • Interviews candidates with the question, "What do you want to do after Intello?" to signal support for future growth, which paradoxically increases retention.
• BrightRole (Beth Steinberg):
  • Notes that companies often hire high-level executives who have never managed teams before; advocates for "guerrilla learning" to scale leadership development quickly.

Evolution of Talent Models

• Access vs. Ownership: Organizations are shifting from "owning talent" to "accessing talent," a transition highlighted by GLG's peer-learning platform model.
• GLG (Alexander Santamon):
  • Operates as a peer-learning platform with 500,000 members and 1,500 paying customers, expanding beyond Wall Street research to general professional growth.
  • Utilizes the "see one, do one, teach one" methodology, noting that teaching deepens the expert's own understanding.
  • Facilitates mentorship between CEOs and emerging leaders to help them learn mission-building and other skills.
• Future of Employment:
  • John Bischke predicts the 25-year employment tenure model is largely dead in Silicon Valley, though may persist in other global regions.
  • Peter Grauer counters that loyalty remains viable if the organization fosters an environment of opportunity and mutual respect.
  • Diana O'Brien (Deloitte) describes a "personal board of advisors" strategy, connecting employees to mentors 3–5 years ahead in their career to accelerate growth and bring external ideas in.

Diversity & Inclusion Initiatives

• The 30% Club: Peter Grauer chairs the US branch, noting that diverse cultures make better decisions, though no company currently executes this perfectly.
• Deloitte's 23-Year Journey:
  • Started with a CEO-led Women's Initiative 23 years ago, resulting in the first female CEO for the U.S. business.
  • Prioritizes "sponsorship" over mentorship, actively placing women in high-risk, high-growth roles.
  • Achieved success with part-time leadership roles; Diana O'Brien became a partner while working part-time.
• Bloomberg's Approach:
  • Integrated sustainability and diversity into commercial strategy early (2007).
  • Reports 80% of its leaders are women, many working part-time by choice.
  • Acknowledges that traditional rank-and-yank performance reviews often exclude high performers working reduced hours.
• Systemic Challenges:
  • Chief Diversity Officers often lack funding and rely heavily on "tone at the top."
  • Employee referral programs often perpetuate homogeneity (white males), necessitating pipeline expansion beyond existing networks.
  • Beth Steinberg notes unconscious bias is more prevalent than deliberate discrimination in Silicon Valley.

Technology & Data in HR

• Predictive Analytics: John Bischke (Intello) and others note a shift from historical HR data to predictive modeling, such as scoring applicants for future performance or predicting flight risk.
• Public Data Signals: Algorithms can detect job-seeking behavior through public profile changes (e.g., updating LinkedIn) and specific timing patterns (anniversary-based attrition).
• Education Pipeline:
  • Bloomberg opened a finance lab at a Singapore high school to bridge the gap between liberal arts education and corporate skill needs.
  • Deloitte University now invites high school and college students to participate in simulation exercises to build problem-solving and creativity skills.

Ageism & The Knowledge Gap

• Boomer Knowledge Exit: The retirement of boomers creates a crisis in specialized fields; companies are increasingly leveraging platforms like GLG to retain this wisdom via mentoring and consulting.
• Relevance of Experience: While some tech startups initially rejected older executives, there is a growing appreciation for experienced talent who can provide global perspective and strategic wisdom that cannot be learned in college.
• Skill Obsolescence: The half-life of technical skills is shrinking to 4–6 years; older workers must commit to continuous relearning to remain viable.

The Gig Economy & Legal Framework

• Independent Contractor Status: The rise of Uber and similar models raises critical questions about reclassification of workers; the panel notes that labor laws are antiquated and fail to protect independent contractors.
• Economic Impact: Without protections like health insurance, the gig economy poses risks for workers who may be forced into independent status against their preference for stability.

Forward-Looking Statements (Next 10 Years)

• Education: Executive education will undergo fundamental change within 5–10 years, shifting away from traditional models.
• Diversity: Diana O'Brien predicts diversity discussions may become obsolete in 10 years due to the sheer volume of women in boardrooms and leadership.
• Skills Gap: Alexander Santamon identifies the widening gap between "haves" (those with tech/design skills) and "have-nots" as the primary challenge for the 21st-century economy.
• Culture: Beth Steinberg asserts that future workplaces will prioritize mission and values over compensation as the primary retention driver.
• Performance Management: A move away from "rank and yank" toward direct development and strength-based feedback loops.