Is Employment Dead?

This week's Amplify Talent Briefing includes January's jobs report, RTO or else, the rise of incivility, Elmo needs a hug, layoffs as "content", rethinking coding tests in the age of ChatGPT, the projected racial wealth gap caused by GAI, and more.

Author

Lars Schmidt
February 06, 2024

Hello, friends. We’re officially one month into 2024. A lot happened in the past week. Trauma dumping on Elmo. Tracy Chapman’s amazing Grammy performance. Stellar U.S. jobs report numbers for January. I dig into all of it below. Let’s go.

❶ One Big Thing

Is employment dead?

It’s the provocative title of an upcoming book by Work3 cofounders Josh Drean and Deborah Perry Piscione.

In this week’s Redefining Work podcast, I sat down with Josh to break down the intersection of Web3 and work and see where it’s all going. You can listen to the full episode below.

Zooming out from the pod, I’ve been thinking more about this concept beyond Web3. What does it mean to work today? The modalities of work are evolving. Full-time, part-time, contract, guilds, outsourcing, fractional.

How we think about work is evolving, too. Employees increasingly feel expendable and have taken to social media to put their feelings, and layoff videos, on blast.

In this new world of work employees loyalties and choices will be to themselves first - and rightfully so IMO.

What does this mean for hiring?

Be honest and clear about what’s in it for employees - not just the company. Approach employment in shorter intervals in terms of ramp-up and productivity, while clearly conveying what employees will be adding to their portfolio of skills and experiences.

I don’t think employment is dead. I do think industrial-era concepts of work are in their waning days.

Why Work Tech Advisor Josh Drean Believes Employment is Dead

On this episode of Redefining Work, I’m joined by Josh Drean, work tech advisor, co-founder of the Work3 Institute and author of the upcoming book “Employment Is Dead” to discuss disruptive technologies and the future of employment models.

playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=LLPME3426729450

📍This Week’s Top Stories

  • Digging into January’s strong U.S. jobs report [read]

  • IBM tell employees to RTO, or else. [read]

  • What happened to civility? [read]

  • Elmo thinks you need therapy (and he’s probably right) [read]

✨ Workplace Innovation

  • Are we entering the age of layoffs as “content”? [read]

  • But can’t we just fire employees without getting shamed on TikTok? [read]

  • What’s next for the future of health, wealth, and work? [read]

  • Rethinking coding tests in the age of ChatGPT [read]

  • Are portfolio careers the key for employees over 50? [read]

Ready to level up your people team?

Learn more about Amplify Talent’s HR Executive Search services, leadership development community, Redefining Work Podcast, Redefining HR book, or book Lars to speak at your next event.

👀 Eye Candy

McKinsey explores the potential racial wealth gap created by generative AI.

🎧 Ear Candy

Maybe we can do more with less. Josh Bersin weighs in on over-hiring and Meta’s success in the wake of a 22% layoff.

Why Do Companies Hire Too Many People? And What About Meta's Earnings?

This week Meta (Facebook) announced revenue growth of 25% year over year and a headcount cut of 22%, with net income soaring to $14 billion, almost a 35% net profit. That spectacular outcome is a result of focus and a clear and rigorous process of reducing headcount. But the big story is not this company, it's the big idea that companies often over-hire. And this over-hiring results in bureaucracy, slowdown, and loss of innovation. Just as Meta has learned this, I believe every company has to learn this lesson. In today's talent-constrained global economy, it's time to run our companies with a focus on "fewer people" and "more clarity." This podcast explains. Additional Information The Myth of the Bell Curve The Dynamic Organization Research HR and HR Technology Predictions for 2024 The Four Day Work Week Arrives  

josh-bersin.castos.com/episodes/why-do-companies-hire-too-many-people-and-what-about-metas-earnings-1

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