The 2020 Workplace with Karie Willyerd

We were thrilled to have Karie Willyerd, co-author of The 2020 Workplace Latest Leadership Series webinar. Karie shared on 3 major shifts that are happening in the workplace today: globalization, changing demographics, and social technologies.

Some background on the research of The 2020 Workplace.

They surveyed over 2,200 people around the world including 300 heads of HR, they used the same research company as the conference board. She analyzed the results looking for differences in geography, ages and gender.   Specifically, she asked what people wanted to have and what they were looking for in their next job. Finally, after interviewing 100 companies, they selected half of them to feature in the book.

The full recording and slides are available on our webinar page — here are some key takeaways:

What’s going to shape the future?

- There are huge demographic shifts going on right now. In their research, they came to the conclusion that demographics defined the most significant differences found around the world.

- The US is moving down in the world. Companies around the world are increasing and growing each year.

- The generations. You are a Traditionalist if you were born before 1946, a boomer if born between 1947 and 1964, a Gen X if born between 1965 and 1976, a Gen Y if you were born between 1977 and 1997 and Gen 2020 born after 1997.

- Today there are: 38% Baby Boomers, 36% Millennials, Gen X is only at 22%. In 2015 Gen Y will makeup 45%!

A question to ask ourselves: does the majority demographic make up the work culture?

What Millennials Want.

- Gen Y’s are free agents. They have seen their parents and neighbors laid off and they realized that what they were doing won’t work for them. They are taking their future in their own hands and looking for ways to be employable and marketable.

- HR is not aligned. In this survey, HR said “will give me straight feedback” was last on their list of importance whereas it was number 1 or 2 for every generation.  Millennials also want to acquire technical skills, productivity skills and leadership skills.

How is the social web beginning to shape organizations?

Steve Jobs says democratize EVERYTHING.

The information revolution will empower individuals and democratize everything…

- Collaboration Revolution is here. If you look at the pace of change, what we are experiencing is the information revolution transforming into the collaborative revolution where we are working together.

If those are the shifts that are occurring in the world, so what?

- This phenomenon is not going to go away anytime soon. About 1/3 of companies have put a ban on twitter and facebook. 81% of millennials say they work around the ban to get to those site; through their phones.

- They reach out to their tribe for help. Gen Ys use social networks because the way they think of getting work done is to reach out to the tribe of their trusted friends

Team based learning

- Example: PWC. They learned from John Hopkins teaching hospital.They figured that it’s just a matter of creating a practice that turns the natural work environment into a learning environment too (residents to go on rounds)

• PWC then began to make sure that work was done by the associated the first day they came to work
• Also to push work down as low as they could and get the manager to oversee it.

Mentoring

- Millennials love it! Mentoring was found to be the number 1 way they want to learn (e-learning was the last in all cases). Learning needs to be more social! 4 different types of social learning: group mentoring, reverse mentoring, peer-to-peer learning and anonymous mentoring.

What are the implications for leadership?

High integrity is going to be even more important in the future than it is today. What else will be different?

• Leaders are going to have to have a more collaborative
• Many companies have 70-80% millennials
• They will also have to be up to date on the social

Some predictions:

• Every person is going to have a reputation score like Rate My Professors
• The phenomenon of apps will continue – applications inside the workplace will come next
• You will elect your leader – after having a reputation score,  electing your leader is not that far away.

What you can do to get ready now:

• Travel – if you have never had an international assignment, get one!
• Get on facebook – everyday for 30 days.
• Citizen leadership – openness and transparency
• Most importantly – we are going to develop people really fast

Karie answered some awesome questions at the end of the hour, to hear her answers check out the recording below.

What are you going to do to get ready for the future of Millennials?

Karie Willyerd Webinar Recording from Rypple.

Photo of baby on ipad by umpcportal.com. Photo of temwork by woodleywonderworks. Licensed under CC.