Humanity Works: Merging Technologies and People for the Workforce of the Future (Kogan Page Inspire) 1st Edition

On the very first day I began reading this book I was in a meeting where someone asked me for examples of significant trends businesses and employees needed to have in mind for now and the future. I basically recounted the first chapter of this book and then referred the asker to it. This is a well-researched and actionable glimpse of what the future of work looks like and a must read for anyone who is looking to stay ahead of the curve.

Like you, I can share all sorts of anecdotes about how technology has modified my functions and tasks in the workplace in the last 10-15 years alone. A great example: documents and materials that were pieces of evidence to be used in litigation used to be produced by photocopy machines in which dozens if not hundreds of banker's boxes would be filled with sheets of photocopies of the original files. It was not uncommon at the time to task several junior personnel to spend weeks in a typically windowless-room going through those documents to identify relevant materials. Today, that process has been mechanized into ediscovery databases that allow for complex search strings that account for the source document type, date, and whether it was an attachment to an email. What previously took weeks or months by several humans now takes seconds by computers.How lucky we are that technology has allowed us to mechanize those mundane tasks! The junior personnel once stuck in a room for weeks trying to find anything remotely useful are now tasked with replicating, modeling, and adjusting complex models in formula-linked Excel spreadsheets and presenting those findings to their supervisors.Such anecdotes fill me with both amusement and awe: I marvel that technology has so powerfully transformed a mundane, slow process into an instant click of a few buttons.But I also have a vague notion that much of what seasoned professionals like myself do in our day-to-day jobs could one day be mechanized by machines. After all, those machines lack the "human error" factor innate to all of us.Levit's book allows us to think critically about the ways in which our uniquely human qualities will keep ourselves, our children and grandchildren employed with rich, meaningful, important work, even as the computers take over many of the tasks currently conducted by humans. For example, as we nurture our children to pursue STEM fields, we ought to also make sure that they are strengthening their empathy, collaboration, creativity, judgement, and leadership. These human traits, Levit argues, will be central to our success in the future workplace.Insightful, well-researched and an enjoyable read, this is an instructive book with an overall optimistic outlook. "Humanity Works" helps us address fears about the future workplace and strategically plan today for the changes that we expect will occur tomorrow (but in fact are already present in our lives).Highly recommended, especially as a graduation gift or for anyone with a new job or position.

Humanity Works is timely, insightful and thought-provoking, but more importantly, Levit will move you to take specific actions to update both your company and your own career plan for the new reality of the workplace. I’ve read a lot about how AI, millenials and the gig economy will change work forever, but most of what I read implies a sense of futility and helplessness. Levit doesn’t take the easy way out with only observations and predictions; instead, she creates a clear roadmap for how to thrive in this new world. I recommend that every leader read this book, especially the Baby Boomers and Gen-Xers who are thinking about their own relevancy, and where to invest in training and upskilling.

So often we see individual employees advised on how they should prepare themselves for the increased automation of the workplace by "future-proofing" their careers. People are usually told to improve their soft skills, or to highlight in interviews how they've utilized human qualities, such as empathy, to solve complex business problems. But employers would be wise to think about future-proofing their businesses in a similar way! The truth is that you will need people alongside AI in order to truly take advantage of all it has to offer. Alexandra Levit provides that insight for business leaders who want to harness the power of the human element in their organizations and use that power to integrate technology successfully.

This is a terrific and terrifically though-provoking book, a great read for students and teachers, HR professionals and consultants, and anyone interested in AI and similar technologies. In the case of the latter, the author does a great job explaining technological advancements in an approachable way; I don't consider myself especially tech-savvy but I wasn't put off by these aspects of the book. Moreover, this book will put to rest any anxiety you have about jobs going away due to AI or robotics - the author explains the ways in which humans' unique characteristics will allow for great jobs in the future, perhaps better jobs than those in our current economy.

....only the future is here. In the interest of full disclosure, I am a friend of the author as we started writing career books for new grads back when Alex wrote the excellent "They Don't Teach Corporate in College". And in all this time - over a decade now! - I've watched as Alex has caught on to one workforce trend after another with precision, wisdom, and heart. I recommend Humanity Works to anyone who wants to know how to build better teams and shift your culture in a workforce where the old rules of power no longer apply.

The workforce is changing rapidly, and it can feel like people are getting lost in the shuffle as AI takes over more and more. "Humanity Works" is a practical, encouraging guide to help places of business (and employees) find their way in the midst of all this change. This well-organized resource covers topics from changing demographics to the increasing appeal of contract work, citing insightful case studies along the way. The workplace may be changing, but this book will help you become equipped to handle the change successfully. Highly recommend.

The robots are coming! What should we do?!Become aware of the coming changes and prepare to make the most of them by ramping up the *humanity* in the human workforce. Leaders who are determined to succeed in the years to come should read this book by Alexandra Levit and learn how to make the most of the vast opportunities that our future presents for those who know how to harness them.

Todo en orden, pero el libro llegó maltratado de los bordes.

Interesting insights

The topic is interesting but the book is a collection of ideas already present in the media. The effort seems to be to offer a mosaic of contemporary issues, but there is not a main idea, a clue to understand the world. A good wine to lose focus and attention!