Thoughts on the Future of Work and Business

Some thoughts about the future.

These are largely thoughts from from a YouTube video I saw of Cliff Ennico posted sometime in 2013.

I will jump right into it.

What will the future of work and business look like?

1. The future is digital

Organisations must begin to accept this. The legal profession, for instance, must adapt to the changing times. The legal profession is one steeped in tradition. In his famous characterisation of the law, Fred Rodell in his book “Woe Unto You Lawyers” said:

“The Law is the killy-loo bird of the sciences. The killy-loo, of course, was the bird that insisted on flying backward because it didn’t care where it was going but was mightily interested in where it had been…. Only The Law, inexorably devoted to all its most ancient principles and precedents, makes a vice of innovation and a virtue of hoariness.”

To survive the changing times, lawyers, law firms and bar associations must begin to adapt with the times. Beyond knowing the law and understanding the endless myriad of precedents, lawyers must begin to learn the importance and the applications of new technologies to their practice. The future is digital.

2. The future is global.

The world is closer than it has ever been. It is now a global village. Conducting trade and commerce has never been easier. Technology is making this possible. Through e-commerce today, it much easier to access goods and services from anywhere in the world without the rigour and stress that came with earlier approaches. The future is global.

3. The future is virtual.

This is different from it being digital. It means that more work will be done out of the traditional brick and mortar offices. This is an age where everything is smart. Smart phones, smart TVs, smart cars, smart homes, smart cities. Getting work done from anywhere has never been easier.

If the the COVID-19 pandemic has proven anything, it has particularly proven that work can be done from anywhere; that employees can work from home; that global organisations can be run from the comfort of a bedroom. The future is virtual.

4. The future is 24/7.

It will become increasingly difficult to separate work day from a play day. Every activity will be happening simultaneously. As Cliff Ennico puts it: “Everyday will be a work day. Everyday will be a play day. Everyday will be a study day.”

Nonetheless, this is an age where a balance must be more delicately created to preserve our health so as to avoid the mental and physical stress that may come with associated burnouts. Even though it is now much more possible to work and play everyday, this flexibility must be properly managed. The future 24/7.

Even as we speak of a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic today, organisations, individuals and governments must adapt to/with the changing tide. We must be keen pupils of the changes happening today, even as we strive to produce a new wave of solutions and innovate business models that will adapt to the changing circumstance.

This is my life today with Aspen Sahel Legal. Our sci-fi is gradually becoming a reality.

Welcome to the 21st Century!