The New World of Work

The world of work is changing dramatically. As I wrote in 2007, jobs that have been around for long periods of time are disappearing, new jobs (typically at lower pay and without benefits) are coming on the scene, individuals are being replaced by artificial intelligence (think robots etc.) and more people are working on their own, outside of organizations than ever before. This trend has only accelerated in the last decade and we know little about this new world. I’m particularly interested in how people who work independently, outside of organizations survive and thrive? Such settings demand what we might call “radical self-management” and intentional proactivity. These workers face particular challenges. Their work is both more precarious (their livelihood depends on market reactions to the choices they make) and more personal (they get to make their own choices, leaving themselves on the line) than work done in traditional organizations.

I am very interested in research on what helps individuals survive and thrive in the new world of work in whatever form that work might take (e.g., gig working, protean careers, and independence). I believe that success in such settings depends on a set of personal characteristics, but also particular skills and habits. If this is the future, I want to help people survive and thrive within it.