The Future of (My) Work
If there is one thing I’ve learned over the last decade plus working at startups and starting companies, it’s that ideas often pick you, not the other way around. 2017 has been simultaneously scary and interesting, daunting and rewarding, shocking and exciting. After the 2016 election I, like many, felt I couldn’t sit back and only be an active dinner party guest commentator on what’s going on in the country. In late January we started Tech for Campaigns and it’s been amazing to see it resonate with 4,000+ community members and dozens of campaigns and truly make an impact. I believe in it and the power of what it can accomplish more than ever before, but something else has been gnawing at me. As my exposure to politics increased and, quite frankly, as the rhetoric led by the current President was dialed up I wondered what else could be done.
I generally believe that civil and social unrest stem, at least in some significant part, from a lack of economic opportunity and mobility. While the level of unrest and situations are at a different scale, I believe that to be the case in all parts of the world — from the Middle East to Africa to the United States. Since the 1990s, the U.S. has seen both a greater increase in income inequality and higher overall levels of inequality than any other G7 nation.
And here are a few more stats that have had me concerned:
- The labor force participation rate for men 25–54 has declined from 98% to 88% over the last several decades — this is the second largest decline of any OECD country (Italy holds the top spot).
- The decline has been concentrated around men with a high school degree or less and coincides with a decline in relative wages.
These are already concerning trends. Then juxtapose them with the varying but conclusive data that many parts of jobs will be automated in the not too distant future and that:
- On average, by 2020, more than ⅓ of the desired core skill sets of most occupations will be comprised of skills that are not yet considered crucial on the job.
- A significant portion of middle and low income groups in advanced economies who are experiencing flat or falling real income are pessimistic about the future and hold particularly negative views about immigrants (McKinsey: Tech, Jobs and the Future of Work 12/16)
The disappearance of a middle class and the ensuing state of dissatisfaction is something I can’t ignore. It’s something I can’t stop thinking about and thus, it’s picked me. Creating real economic opportunities for large swaths of the population is one of the biggest problems of our time. So, I’ve decided to try to be part of the solution and focus my time on the future of work.
What does future of work mean?
Fair question. My own definition of the ‘future of work’ is quite broad. It’s anything to do with what we will work on and how we will work, including areas that we are used to getting from work and may not in the future e.g. healthcare and community.
To do it justice and dive deeper into what’s possible I’ll be working as an EIR at Social Capital. I’ve been impressed with Social Capital’s willingness to take on gigantic problems and desire to do things differently. I’ll continue to be involved in Tech for Campaigns as a board member as we bring in senior leadership which I’m excited about.
Over the next few months I’m learning and refining where opportunities exist to make a difference and build businesses. As part of that process I’m talking to everyone working in and around the space — this is inclusive of people and organizations that have social and/or political perspectives, this isn’t just technology. If you’re interested in the space or know of great people or companies already doing interesting work in the area please reach out. This will be a hugely collaborative effort.
“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.” -Albert Einstein
