Any work in any sphere of life is a process involving five essential dimensions. Data and Materials are Inputs that get transformed from one state (Raw) to another state (Finished Product); while Funds, Talent and Infrastructure are the mechanisms that need to constantly transform and grow themselves to be relevant to enable the transformation of data and materials. The Key operative is the relevance of the outputs for the Customer and Consumer of that process. Data and Materials that are inputs to the processes need to be continuously Inquired, Explored and Discovered.
This demands the mechanisms their Capabilities Cap acity to Transform + Abilities (Skills) to Perform) that enables to shape the outcomes of the process better. In the process is the sustainable outcomes that shape every sphere of life to the emerging relevance. Let us step back to first understand the evolution of Work from a historical standpoint to appreciate its relevance today: Manual Data Research and Processing through travels in the pre-industrialized era. Usually monarchs and Oligarchs funded these efforts to increase their Power and Exploit the diversity of the planet. And thus work was created. Discrete Card based Data Processing at the advent of Industrialization in the hope of creating operational efficiencies within an enterprise.
Thus workers became dispensable at the inability of maintaining efficiencies. The advent of Internet introduced Web 1.0 to connect disparate data processing Objects coinciding with the Maturity of Industrialization that required the mass goods produced in factories to be sold. The exploitation of diversity and resources of the planet continued with expansionism; with the transfer of power from monarchies to democracies post the world wars. The computing power scaled from Microprocessors to Microchips. But humans continued to still be ruled by a few, even though democracies offered the avenue to exercise free will.
(The Maturity of Internet to Web 2.0 facilitated the advancement of individual processing stations and the 1:1 system connections to Networks; Local Area to Wide Areas to Worldwide Web to Wireless. Accompanied by greater computing and connecting power. From processing enterprise information systems to commercializing applications (Marketplaces), enterprises invested on exploiting human vulnerabilities to sell products and services to millions of customers concurrently worldwide. A new warfare technique was adopted that was funded by Trade Exchanges (EX: Wall Street) operated by a few rich and powerful who also control the narrative of governance; unleashed on a majority of the population. The exploitation of the planetary resources continues unabated.
Just the actors who fund have changed. The Maturity of Internet to Web 3.0 has unwittingly awakened the so far exploited to the power of aspiring for a better life. But those still invested in the previous version use it as a powerful tool of propaganda and fake fear mongering. This conflict of agenda between monopolistic and Progressive Sharing and Collaboration is the Strategic Inflection Point of departure for The Future of Work. Future of Work is Capitalizing the Human Spirit for Excellence ; where not just a minority but rather a majority can create Transformational and Sustainable outcomes for our planet.
What is Work?
Work is a means for each one of us to gainfully contribute Valuable Outcomes to life that take the shape of Products and Services. Such contribution should be valued and the return should be equitable to the contribution. This is the way financial ecosystems work, isn’t it? But this has not shifted to the People who actually make the Value happen. The great resignation wave in the United States has focused on People quitting jobs. But they are not quitting work , are they? Isn’t the message clear that they want to do more meaningful work, get an equitable return and enjoy a higher quality of living? This disruption will be worthy only when the Workforce and Workplaces are transformed to the relevance of functioning on Valuing Work and its Outcomes.
Digital Technology is the new fire that will catalyze disruptive Work and its outcomes transforming the Quality of Living in every station in the Wheel of Life we pass through everyday including Environment, Governance, Health, Wealth, Mobility, Technology and Education. Illustration 1: The Wheel of Life that each one of us travel every day of our lives It should be clear by now that there are no aliens who are going to make this transformation happen. It is each one of us who need to be galvanized to play our roles in each sphere / station of life to transform; working in a shared and collaborative ecosystem.
Why are we Working?
Each one of us is working to improve the Quality of Life of our own selves and those we love. Whatever work we do therefore impacts a larger cross-section of society. The Industry 3.0, Web 2.0 and Society 4.0 versions Valued and focused on Maintaining and Supporting for Productivity. Profitability was driven out of Productivity which might otherwise be coined as Time to Market. We are at a Strategic Inflection on the Planet when we don’t need new schemes. We need new Structures, Synergies and Systems. Structure is Power that must shift from Enterprises to Individuals manifested through Privatization of Data. Synergies is the Culture of Shared Collaboration that results in Glocal (Global +Local) ways of Working.