FROM OUR EXPERTS 🎙️

I keep a close eye on what our Future Work Experts are thinking, saying, and questioning. I break down the key conversations and brainstorm practical steps we can take to move forward.

​This week:

HUMAN-CENTRIC WORKFORCE INNOVATION

​New Launch: The Work in Progress Report By Sophie Wade​

We’re excited to introduce the launch of The Work In Progress Report, a bold new weekly newsletter from Sophie Wade, workforce innovator, advisor, and author of "Empathy Works". As the world of work shifts—digitally, globally, and humanly—this newsletter delivers sharp, human-centered insights for leaders to assess priorities, spot capability gaps, and stay future-ready in a fast-evolving world.

About The Work In Progress Report:​
This newsletter explores where digital transformation and human needs meet—covering core themes like:

• Digital DNA – AI integration and skills-based scaling
• Leadership in 4D – culture, belonging, and performance
• Generational EQ – cross-age empathy and team cohesion
• Distributed Works – remote work systems and flexibility
• Scaling Skills-First – shifting from job titles to task-based agility
• News & Muse – signals, surprises, and out-of-the-box thinking

👉 Next Week: Lessons from Hollywood producer Steven Puri and Harvard professor Prithwiraj Choudhury on productivity, creativity, and working from anywhere.

⚒️ Prompt: Subscribe Now and get ahead with Sophie’s expert strategies on the evolving world of work.

FLEXIBLE WORK

​Innovation Hits a Ceiling​

• ​Phil Kirschner emphasizes that in hybrid work, physical context is critical—and asking “Where are you working from?” can make or break innovation. At Accenture’s 67th-floor Innovation Hub, drones failed not from technical flaws, but due to FAA altitude limits—a reminder that invisible constraints like elevation, location, and network access can quietly block progress.
• In a distributed workforce, leaders must stop assuming shared environments. Innovation readiness now depends on understanding user context, enabling safe test zones, and fostering cross-functional collaboration across HR, IT, and Facilities.

How and how often they move between environments influences their behavior, preferences, and openness to new tools. Asking "Where are you?" has become essential before offering solutions or making recommendations.

⚒️ Prompt: Before your next initiative, ask: Where are your people really working from—and what boundaries (tech, physical, cultural) might quietly be holding them back? Then, create space for exploration without assumptions.

AI IN HR

​Lead AI in HR—Or Lose It​

• ​Anthony Onesto argues that HR is at a watershed moment: either rise to lead the AI transformation—or risk ceding the future to the CTO, CFO, or COO. With AI adoption in HR reaching 72% in 2025 (up from 58% in 2024), and HR professionals with AI skills earning $35,000 more annually, the urgency is clear. Yet, 43% of HR leaders still lack foundational knowledge of AI.
• Anthony outlines the essential capabilities HR must now build: AI literacy (from generative to conversational tools), data fluency, ethical governance, and strategic soft skills like communication, trust-building, and cross-functional collaboration. This isn’t about becoming a technologist—it’s about combining human and artificial intelligence to drive meaningful change.

⚒️ Prompt: If your CEO asked today, could you confidently lead your company’s AI-in-HR strategy? If not, act now—enroll in a course, volunteer for an AI pilot, or pair up with your IT team.

AI IN REAL ESTATE

​Real Estate’s Next Frontier: Exponential Industries​

• Amid the geopolitical fallout of Trump’s tariff-fueled U.S.–China tensions, one truth stands out: China has long bet on the future—semiconductors, clean tech, batteries—while the U.S. prioritized consumption and finance.
• Now, the West is racing to catch up by reinvesting in "hard tech" industries. Antony Slumbers argues this tectonic shift creates a historic opportunity—not in generic offices or warehouses, but in specialised real estate that powers exponential industries like AI, robotics, EVs, and biopharma. Backed by McKinsey data, these sectors could generate $29–$48 trillion by 2040, and demand infrastructure with ultra-high specs: cleanrooms, AI-ready data centers, GMP labs, and hyper-dense power grids.
• In Antony’ words: invest in the real estate technology creates, not the kind it leaves behind.

⚒️ Prompt: Review your portfolio: are you aligned with tomorrow’s industries? Focus on assets that serve innovation—not ones innovation will outgrow.

🔥 Quick Hits

(AI in HR) The HR-AI Revolution Is Happening—Ready? // Interviewed Edie Goldberg​

• AI offers phenomenal potential for HR—but only if we get smart about it. Edie Goldberg urges leaders to stop fearing AI and start leveraging it to reduce burnout, boost productivity, and eliminate admin drag. She likens AI to “a really smart intern”—full of potential, but not infallible. Key to success? Building AI literacy, teaching prompt engineering, and training teams to distinguish between generative vs. discriminative AI. But implementation requires more than tech—it demands an AI ethics committee, closed systems, and clear boundaries (hint: don’t use AI for employee relations).
• ⚒️ Prompt: Treat AI as a partner, not a replacement. Audit your team's AI fluency and roll out training on prompt design, bias awareness, and safe implementation—before someone else's intern rewrites your playbook.

​

(Employee Engagement) Employees Are Customers—Start Treating Them That Way // By Deborah Lovich et al.​

• The RTO debate misses the real issue: most companies treat employees as costs, not customers. A BCG study of 11,000+ workers found emotional drivers—feeling respected and supported—are far more predictive of retention than pay, which ranked just 15th.
• Using conjoint analysis and segmentation, leaders uncovered four key employee types: Builders (early-career, growth-focused), Jugglers (balancing work and caregiving), Mainstays (long-tenured experts), and Lodgers (comfortable but disengaged). The lesson: segment, personalize, and co-create—don’t dictate.
• ⚒️ Prompt: Identify your employee segments. Replace one-size-fits-all policies with cocreated solutions tailored to what truly motivates your people.

​

(Global Economy) Economic Anxiety Has Entered the Chat // By Brian Elliott​

• With consumer sentiment tanking and even the Walmart CEO admitting the economy is “not even worth trying” to predict, economic anxiety is hitting your team harder than you think. Employees are refreshing LinkedIn, delaying purchases, and quietly calculating their financial runway during meetings.
• Brian Elliott, drawing from five past recessions, outlines what works: radical transparency (as Wharton’s Peter Cappelli puts it, “If you don’t tell them, they’ll make it up”), aggressive budget clarity, ruthless prioritization, and directly addressing financial stress in your workforce. In times like these, ignoring the elephant in the room isn’t strategy—it’s denial.
• ⚒️ Prompt: Open the conversation. At your next team meeting, name the tension. Share what you know, what you're watching, and what you're prioritizing—and invite your team into the process.

​

(Leading & Managing) Delegating? Ask These Questions First // By Ashley Herd​

• Delegation isn’t just about handing off tasks—it’s about clarity, capacity, and support. Ashley Herd shares five essential questions to ask when delegating, like “What else is on your plate?” and “Would it help if I talked to other leaders about shifting priorities?” These prompts (and their thoughtful follow-ups) surface hidden workload conflicts, clarify priorities, and make your support visible.

⚒️ Prompt: Pick one question from the list and make it your go-to the next time you delegate. You’ll not only get better outcomes—you’ll build trust and psychological safety at the same time.

​

(Work Purpose) Is It a Job—or a Calling? // By Dave Ulrich & Chester Elton​

• The way people frame their work—as a task or a calling—shapes everything from engagement to culture. Dave shares that when employees connect their roles to identity, values, and purpose, their work transcends to something meaningful. Stories from Uber drivers to sales managers show that calling isn’t about title—it’s about impact. Leaders have a role too: sharing purpose-driven stories, developing leader competencies, and modeling passion help turn workplaces into mission-driven communities.
• This isn’t fluff—it’s a culture strategy. Work framed as a calling leads to more empathy, belonging, and long-term performance.

⚒️ Prompt: Ask yourself—and your team—“What do you want to be known for?” Then look for ways to tie day-to-day work to a higher purpose, one act of meaning at a time.

FUTURE WORK ROUNDUP 📰

I track what’s worth your attention—bringing you the news and updates that matter most to how we work, lead, and grow.

This week:

ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE

​Spotify Reboots Culture, Band-Style​

Spotify’s latest “Band Evolution” isn’t a new playlist—it’s a company-wide culture refresh aimed at re-tuning employee connection to mission, values, and purpose.

Using its in-house platform Bounce, Spotify is hosting videos, manifestos, and manager-led workshops to prompt global conversations about culture. It’s not a rebrand—it’s an invitation to co-create, with employee feedback shaping future strategy, hiring, and performance development.

The message is clear: culture is a shared rhythm, not a fixed playbook, and must evolve with the team. By treating culture as a dynamic asset, Spotify is reinforcing identity, alignment, and creativity across its 7,000+ workforce.

⚒️ Prompt: Ask: When was your last culture check-in? Invite employees to reflect on your values, voice what’s outdated, and co-create what’s next. Culture isn’t static—it’s your most powerful amplifier. Keep it in tune.

​

PERFORMANCE

​People vs. Performance? Choose Both.​

Leader doesn’t have to choose between supporting people and driving performance—they’re interconnected, says Jeff Smith of 15Five.

Using a “both/and” mindset, leaders can meet employee needs (like autonomy, psychological safety, and strength alignment) while also elevating business outcomes.

Research-backed tools from positive and humanistic psychology help assess whether people feel secure, empowered, and hopeful—critical conditions for unlocking performance.

Leaders often make false trade-offs (e.g., RTO vs. accountability) when what they need is clarity of purpose and a systems-level view of employee potential as a business asset.

⚒️ Prompt: Map a current tension—like performance reviews, RTO, or team structure—through a “both/and” lens: How can you meet employee needs and business goals simultaneously? Shift your approach from trade-offs to integration.

EMPLOYEE HAPPINESS

​The Return of Joy at Work​

With over half of workers under 35 feeling burnt out, companies are finding creative, human-first strategies to bring joy back to the workplace.

Spring Health designs “moments that matter,” hosting team-specific onsite events and offering Focus Fridays and Recharge Hours for mental recovery.

At Avia, two foster cats have sparked stronger team dynamics and boosted productivity, while Paycom’s campus-style HQ includes zen rooms, cafés, and fitness centers for personalized flexibility.

The common thread? Sustained joy isn’t a perk—it’s a cultural foundation, built on authentic connection, autonomy, and purpose.

⚒️ Prompt: Don’t just fight burnout—build joy. Start by asking: What helps your team feel connected, purposeful, and at ease? Then embed one small, recurring joy-focused ritual into your weekly rhythm. Joy scales when it’s sincere and consistent.

​

AI IN HIRING

​Smart Tech, Sad Talent​

Algorithmic hiring may promise efficiency, but it's creating a disconnect—high-precision matches with high turnover and low satisfaction.

While AI excels at screening resumes, it misses emotional cues, soft skills, and human context—what Jim Stroud calls the “Empathy Paradox.”

Research shows up to 85% of job success comes from soft skills, yet most systems focus 75% of their logic on hard skills.

Candidates like caregivers, gamers, or volunteers are often overlooked despite having transferable, high-impact experience.

The future of hiring isn’t algorithm vs. human—it’s empathy-enhanced, tech-supported recruiting that values connection over keywords.

⚒️ Prompt: Audit your current hiring process: Where have you replaced relationships with rules? Rebalance by integrating real human touchpoints—like conversations, context-based assessments, or mentorship moments—back into your candidate journey. Let AI speed things up, but let people make the calls that matter.

🔥 QUICK HITS:

• (THINK LIKE CEOS) Disruption Is the Strategy: According to the 2025 AlixPartners Disruption Index, 91% of high-growth leaders are pursuing transformative acquisitions, 87% are ramping up digital investments in AI and robotics, and 94% say DEI is a core competitive edge. With supply chains shifting and geopolitics heating up, they’re embracing disruption as the fuel for reinvention—not something to survive, but something to scale.
• (LEADING & MANAGING) Always Explain the “Why”: Telling employees the purpose behind requests doubles motivation, says research. Backed by Pink, Grant & Edmondson, the case is clear: purpose = performance. It boosts psychological safety and turns direction into inspiration.
• (FIRST-TIME MANAGER) Better Bosses Begin With Micro Habits: Sabina Nawaz’s You’re the Boss reframes great leadership as a daily practice. Key tips: shift success to team outcomes, use scaling language for clarity, delegate based on skill, and manage stress triggers. Tiny habits—under 2 mins everyday—build better managers over time.
• (GLOBAL ECONOMY) China Bets Long, Trump Bets Loud: Trump signals a US–China trade deal “in 3–4 weeks” even as tariffs spike to 245%. But Xi Jinping’s authoritarian edge gives China long-term leverage—especially with 85% control of rare earth processing, critical for US defense and AI. As both nations court allies (EU, Southeast Asia), Trump’s unpredictability risks global confidence.