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Abrupt Future. The Future of Work Happened Faster Than we Thought.

Abrupt Future. The Future of Work Happened Faster Than we Thought.

By Benoit Hardy-Vallée

For HR executives and transformational leaders. Each week we feature conversations with experts in leadership, management, human resources, culture and technology to help you succeed in this new normal. Benoit Hardy-Vallee covers topics such as Virtual Workforce Management, Distributed Leadership, Online Culture, Digital HR and Employee Experience.

More content at www.abruptfuture.com/
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07 - On Asynchronous Communication, a conversation with Amir Salihefendić

Abrupt Future. The Future of Work Happened Faster Than we Thought.May 21, 2020

00:00
28:41
33 - On Product Management in HR & Employee Experience, a conversation with Jonathon Hensley
Aug 29, 202230:22
32 - On the new compensation experience - a conversation with Matthew Kopko

32 - On the new compensation experience - a conversation with Matthew Kopko

A conversation with Matthew Kopko,  Vice President of Public policy at DailyPay


  • What is On-Demand Pay ? What problems is it solving?
  • Will that  make the bi-weekly payroll cycle a relic of the past?
  • What is the impact of on-demand pay for workers? For employers? Any other stakeholders?
  • Did the pandemic changed attitude toward pay or payroll? What have you seen evolving differently in the last 2 years?
  • What do you see as the future of payroll practices or technology?

Matthew Kopko: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattkopko/ 

DailyPay: https://www.dailypay.com/

Mar 25, 202223:17
31 - On business ecosystems, organisations and talent - a conversation with Roland Deiser

31 - On business ecosystems, organisations and talent - a conversation with Roland Deiser

A conversation with Roland Deiser, Executive Chairman at Center for the Future of Organization, Drucker School of Management (https://futureorg.org/)

  • what is an ecosystem
  • the impact of ecosystems on organisations
  • the challenges of ecosystems; leadership, agility, talent and operating systems
  • Industry dynamics
  • Technology and ecosytems
Feb 14, 202233:25
30 - On meaning and leadership - a conversation with Stephen de Groot
Jan 24, 202235:17
29 - 10 things I learned about the “Future Of Work That Happened Faster Than We Thought”

29 - 10 things I learned about the “Future Of Work That Happened Faster Than We Thought”

In April 2020, I started this podcast to think through the different workforce, HR and organisational impacts of the global shift to remote work.  

The idea of remote working wasn’t new to me, but this was different though—a new global experiment. Now everyone was working remotely, regardless of role or work preference, and that brings a lot of questions, especially if we are to have more of these alternative work arrangements in the future. I decided to have conversations with a variety of experts—HR, management consultants, academics, leaders, CEOs, start-up founders, remote work experts and an ex-military. Of all these conversations, a few key points stand out. This episode is a summary. Read the article here:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10-things-i-learned-future-work-happened-faster-than-benoit/. 

Jan 03, 202217:40
28 - On the possible futures of work and leadership - a conversation with Dustin W. Seale

28 - On the possible futures of work and leadership - a conversation with Dustin W. Seale

Dustin W. Seale is a partner in Heidrick & Struggles’ London office and managing partner of Heidrick Consulting in Europe. He focuses on CEO and board advisory, specifically on improving leadership and talent, and transforming organizations through culture

https://www.heidrick.com/en/people/s/dustin_seale


Topic covered: 

4 different scenarios for what post-COVID work would look like

What leaders need to do differently - and what  the C-suite needs to do differently

Why leadership impact on sustainability and inclusion is not inspiring 

Advice for organisations navigating the change to hybrid work 

Dec 01, 202141:36
27 - On the evolution of Diversity and Inclusion, a conversation with Priya Radia

27 - On the evolution of Diversity and Inclusion, a conversation with Priya Radia

A conversation with Priya Radia, D&I Management Consultant at Included

How was Included created?
What is “Inclusion 3.0”
Do we still need to convince leaders that inclusion and diversity are worth achieving, or are we past the “business case for D&I”?
How do clients start to improve the diversity of the workforce and the inclusiveness of their culture. Are there specific levers, “low-hanging fruits” that leaders can look for?
How do you measure the diversity and inclusiveness of the workforce?
Is D&I changing with the rise of remote and hybrid work? If yes, how?
How do you see D&I practices evolving?


https://www.linkedin.com/in/priyaradia/

https://www.included.com/

Nov 20, 202116:45
26 - On the Future of HR Shared Services, a conversation with Emma Leonis
Sep 27, 202139:10
25 - On Communication, Conflict and Compassion at work  - A conversation with Liz Kislik

25 - On Communication, Conflict and Compassion at work - A conversation with Liz Kislik

In this episode, Benoit Hardy-Vallee talks to Liz Kislik. She is a management consultant, executive coach, author, and an expert in leadership, management, culture and so much more.

  • Approaching conflict meaningfully and dealing with conflict avoidance.
  • The dynamic of conflict and conflict resolution in a remote environment.
  • Advice on returning to the office.
  • Compassion and surveillance.

“The fact that a team has no public disagreement does not mean that they are in good shape and happy and everything is perfect. It’s much more likely to mean that good ideas are being withheld and that there is some discomfort ranging from anxiety to full-on resentment present in the team that’s not being expressed as the leader.” - Liz Kislik


Aug 17, 202135:55
24 - On HR Operating Models  - A conversation with Nalin Rajaure

24 - On HR Operating Models - A conversation with Nalin Rajaure

***We are very proud to announce that Abrupt Future was ranked no. 9 on that list of "Top Workforce Management Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021" by Feedspot***

In this episode, Benoit Hardy-Vallee talks with Nalin Rajaure, Director at OrgVantage.


  • What is an HR operating model
  • The evolution of HR operating models and  org design
  • How enterprise should rethink their structure when they digitize their business model. 
  • The Zero-based approach to operating model
  • Agility in designing models
  • The impact of remote/hybrid work on operating models
  • How to help employees adapt to the ways of working
Aug 06, 202132:02
23 - On the Evolution of Remote Work - A conversation with Iwo Szapar

23 - On the Evolution of Remote Work - A conversation with Iwo Szapar

***We are very proud to announce that Abrupt Future was ranked no. 9 on that list of "Top Workforce Management Podcasts You Must Follow in 2021" by Feedspot***

In this episode, Benoit Hardy-Vallee talks to Iwo Szapar – Remote work Advocate and CEO at Remote-how.

Topics covered

- The story of Remote-How
- How  Remote-How helped its client during the pandemic
- What Iwo learned by surveying Remote Managers
- What is a "head of remote" and why companies need it
- What is the "next new normal"

Jun 04, 202133:44
22 - On Recruiting in the age of Googlisation - A conversation with Ira Wolfe
May 26, 202142:16
21 - On business automation - A conversation with Richard Schnitzel
May 04, 202129:58
20- On military leadership, resilience and thinking, an interview with Richard Lawrence

20- On military leadership, resilience and thinking, an interview with Richard Lawrence

On military leadership, resilience and thinking, an interview with Richard Lawrence, 04/12,2021

While serving in the military, Richard was posted in Northern Island, Iran, and Afghanistan. Post leaving the Army, he sought ways to bring his experience and knowledge to the business. He married his military experience and business knowledge into one and launched CounterStrike. The company is responsible for handling all aspects of corporate problem-solving, planning, and resilience training.

  • what  business can learn from the military
  • the biggest misconception about the military
  • how can military techniques help improve resilience
  • How to apply Wargaming in the workplace
  • What leaders can do to help their staff be more resilient

Resources Mentioned:

https://www.counterstrikeuk.com/ 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Awakening-Warrior-Richard-Charles-Lawrence/dp/1984179527/

Apr 26, 202135:46
19 - On the Future of Meeting - A conversation with James Kelley

19 - On the Future of Meeting - A conversation with James Kelley

James Kelley is the CEO & Co-Founder of qChange, a real-time end-to-end Leader Experience Solution that prompts, measures, grows, and predicts leader success in Microsoft Teams. In August 2020, the first product - Leader Experience (LX) was launched in Microsoft Teams. LX is a low-touch high-impact solution that improves leadership development with real-time prompts, measurement, feedback, and growth. qChange partners with employee experience, coaching, and assessment organizations that have relationships with large global organizations.

Topics Covered:

  • What was the driver behind launching qChange?
  • James discusses the power of creating an engaging meeting culture by asking the right questions.
  • Are you having a one-way conversation or  a two-way dialogue?
  • James points out how psychological factors are affecting an organization’s growth?
  • What is a top-down approach in a meeting?
  • Do we spend a lot of time in the same agenda-based meetings?
  • Is it an absolute necessity to attend  meetings?
  • Are the employees adding value in  discussions, asking questions or bringing some impact to the table?
  • James discusses how qChange is aimed to help leaders show up better in meetings?
  • How to drive more inclusions in meetings?


Apr 07, 202136:17
18 - On Frontline Worker Experience - A conversation with Jordan Boesch

18 - On Frontline Worker Experience - A conversation with Jordan Boesch

Jordan Boesch is the CEO and Founder of 7shifts, a labor-management platform used by about 16,000 restaurants across North America. 7shifts allows restaurants to control labor, manage staff, manage compliance issues, and keep staff engagement high by providing a mobile app to the employees. Starting out as a side hustle, eventually, 7shifts made enough money for Jordan to quit his software engineering career and focus on changing the restaurant industry!

Topics Covered:

● How did Jordan come to start 7shifts?

● What is the experience for the managers and employees?

● How does 7shifts changing the employee experience?

● What does the future look like for restaurant workers and those outside the food industry?

● Jordan discusses employees’ desire to learn and advance their skills.

● What else would Jordan like to change in the restaurant industry and how does technology impact that?

● Jordan discusses the opportunities in front of 7shifts.

Mar 24, 202120:11
17 - On Skills for Success (That No One Taught You), a conversation with Mark A. Herschberg

17 - On Skills for Success (That No One Taught You), a conversation with Mark A. Herschberg

Mark A. Herschberg is the author of The Career Toolkit, Essential Skills for Success That No One Taught You. From tracking criminals and terrorists on the dark web to creating marketplaces and new authentication systems, Mark has spent his career launching and developing new ventures at startups and Fortune 500s and in academia. He helped to start the Undergraduate Practice Opportunities Program, dubbed MIT’s “career success accelerator,” where he teaches annually. At MIT, he received a B.S. in physics, a B.S. in electrical engineering & computer science, and a M.Eng. in electrical engineering & computer science, focusing on cryptography. At Harvard Business School, Mark helped create a platform used to teach finance at prominent business schools. He also works with many non-profits, including Techie Youth and Plant A Million Corals. He was one of the top-ranked ballroom dancers in the country and now lives in New York City, where he is known for his social gatherings, including his annual Halloween party, as well as his diverse cufflink collection.

Leadership, networking, negotiation, teamwork, effective communication–all skills we’re told are essential for success, but skills rarely ever taught. Mark and Benoit discuss how these

Topics convered: 

  • what is missing from secondary education
  • Why we all need a career plan
  • What  "learning beyond your role" means
  • How being an interviewer helps become a better interviewee
  • Influential vs. positional leadership
  • Mental models 
  • How should people build their network
  • How systems are designed to incentivize unethical behavior

Link: https://www.thecareertoolkitbook.com/ 


Mar 11, 202146:38
16 - On the rise of On-demand Workers and the Future of Work, a conversation with Jeff Wald

16 - On the rise of On-demand Workers and the Future of Work, a conversation with Jeff Wald

A conversation with Jeff Wald, Founder of Work Market (now an ADP company). Jeff has founded several other technology companies including Spinback (eventually sold to Salesforce). He is an active angel investor and startup advisor, as well as serving on numerous public and private Boards of Directors. Jeff is the author of  The End of Jobs: The Rise of On-Demand Workers and Agile Corporations.


  • Lessons from past industrial revolutions
  • The real size and impact of the on-demand labor market transformation
  • Robotics and Automation
  • The challenges of upskilling 
  • The $10M  "Future of Work Prize"
Dec 28, 202037:28
15 - On Talent Acquisition Technology, Candidate Experience and Nurturing Talent - A conversation with Graham Thornton

15 - On Talent Acquisition Technology, Candidate Experience and Nurturing Talent - A conversation with Graham Thornton

A conversation with Graham Thornton, CEO of Change State and Podcast host at the Changing State of Talent Acquisition

  • The evolution of Talent Acquisition - where were we 10 years ago? What was it like to apply for a job, what kind of technology were TA leaders using?
  • How do employers today stand out to attract top talent?
  • The importance of marketing and relationship management in TA
  • Common mistakes that organizations make in trying to evolve their TA process?
  • Candidate nurturing and the future of TA technology




Dec 10, 202033:10
14 - On the skills of the future - a conversation with Diana Rivera and Joshua Zachariah

14 - On the skills of the future - a conversation with Diana Rivera and Joshua Zachariah

<ul>
<li>A conversation with 2 of the authors of a new research report on how labour market could evolve by 2030.</li>
<li>Context and drivers behind the “Ahead by a Decade” research (https://brookfieldinstitute.ca/ahead-by-a-century-employment-in-2030/)</li>
<li>Occupations that are forecast to change</li>
<li>Which skills are foundational for the workforce of the future </li>
</ul>
Nov 20, 202039:59
13- On the social and economic impact of telework during lockdown, a conversation with Pr. Murtaza Haider

13- On the social and economic impact of telework during lockdown, a conversation with Pr. Murtaza Haider


Oct 04, 202040:16
12 - On leadership, coaching and resilience, a conversation with Shonna Waters

12 - On leadership, coaching and resilience, a conversation with Shonna Waters

A conversation with  Shonna Waters, VP Behavioral Science, Professor, Author, Certified Leadership Coach at BetterUp. 


· How BetterUp uses behavioral science to help employees and organizations to grow

· Why resilience is increasingly important for organizations 

· How to build resilient organizations and resilient leaders

· How coaching improves resilience and other benefits of coaching

· The future of leadership development



Resources for thriving in unprecedented times




Aug 11, 202026:60
11 - On VR Learning and Soft Skills, a conversation with Imran Mouna
Jul 07, 202029:37
10 - On AI in Hiring and Racism in Canada, a conversation with Maaz Rana and Maurice Forbes

10 - On AI in Hiring and Racism in Canada, a conversation with Maaz Rana and Maurice Forbes

A conversation with Maaz Rana, co-founder & COO, and Maurice Forbes, HR Solutions Consultant, at Knockri (https://www.knockri.com/)

  • Knockri is an AI skills-based assessment tool, that helps reduce unconscious bias and shortlists the best fit job candidates to interview, during the early screening process of hiring
  • How AI systems can figure who should be short-listed, and how it increases diversity
  • The story of Knockri 
  • What should organizations do to really reduce discrimination and racism
  • Racism, the Canadian way
  • The forgotten story of Africville
Jun 23, 202034:23
09 - On Digital Nomads, a conversation with Dave Cook

09 - On Digital Nomads, a conversation with Dave Cook

A conversation with Dave Cook – PhD Researcher, Anthropology, UCL (University College London).


  • Academic Profiles
  • https://theconversation.com/profiles/dave-cook-507256
  •  https://www.ucl.ac.uk/anthropology/people/research-students/david-cook
  • Project Website
  •  http://thenomadproject.org/
  • Original research: interim 4 years findings
  •  https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40558-020-00172-4
  •  Five workplace trends will shape life after lockdown 
  •  https://theconversation.com/five-workplace-trends-will-shape-life-after-lockdown-138077
  • Specific article on digital nomads
  •  https://theconversation.com/digital-nomads-what-its-really-like-to-work-while-travelling-the-world-99345
  • Articles issuing guidance on working from home for those new to it. 
  •  https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2020/mar/freedom-trap-how-manage-remote-working
  •  https://www.myscience.org/news/wire/the_freedom_trap_how_to_survive_remote_working-2020-UCL
  • Some non-English/International syndications
  •  https://theconversation.com/la-covid-19-force-le-teletravail-une-etude-leve-le-voile-sur-ses-risques-caches-134176
  •  https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/commentary/commentary-remote-working-promised-freedom-but-seems-to-be-12585756
  •  https://theconversation.com/nomadas-digitales-el-reto-de-trabajar-mientras-se-viaja-por-el-mundo-100777
  •  https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/318832


Jun 12, 202030:45
08 - On Employee Experience Management, a conversation with Dr. Benjamin Granger
May 29, 202029:33
07 - On Asynchronous Communication, a conversation with Amir Salihefendić

07 - On Asynchronous Communication, a conversation with Amir Salihefendić

A conversation with Amir Salihefendić, Founder and CEO of Doist.  (https://doist.com)

  • The backstory – how Amir came with Doist, what the experience is like for the user
  • How to balance synchronous and asynchronous communication
  • Upside and downside of async
  • Suggestions on adopting async for an organization that is not used to it
  • Creating a culture and a sense of community in a remote workplace

Remote Work Guides: https://doist.com/blog/remote-work-guides/  

May 21, 202028:41
06 - On Imagination Work and Online Design Thinking, a conversation with Mariano Suarez-Battan

06 - On Imagination Work and Online Design Thinking, a conversation with Mariano Suarez-Battan

A conversation Mariano Suarez-Battan, CEO or MURAL. 

The nature of imagination work

The story and use of MURAL

Remote vs in-person imagination work

Best practices for online creative work and collaboration

Online imagination work and asynchronous communication

The new normal and the future of imagination work

May 16, 202029:27
05 - On the Economics, Management and Psychology of Distributed Work, a conversation with Laurel Farrer
May 07, 202029:47
04 - On The 2020 State of Remote Work Survey, a conversation with Hailley Griffis

04 - On The 2020 State of Remote Work Survey, a conversation with Hailley Griffis

A conversation with Hailley Griffis, Head of Public Relations at Buffer, a fully distributed organization of 85 people living and working in 15 countries around the world, as well as co-host of the MakeWorkWork podcast.

For the last few years, Buffer publishes a State of Remote Work Research report (https://lp.buffer.com/state-of-remote-work-2020). In this episode we explore the key insights and their meaning for the future of work.

Topics discussed:

  • Background on the research project and Buffer's own commitment to being fully remote
  • What respondents think about remote work
  • The main benefits and the top challenges of remote work
  • Why some people don’t recommend remote work 
  • Recommendations for communicating asynchronously
  • How to make collaboration and communication flow better
Apr 30, 202025:35
03 - On Relationships within Remote Organizations, a conversation with Andreas Eckhardt

03 - On Relationships within Remote Organizations, a conversation with Andreas Eckhardt

With Pr. Dr. Andreas Eckhardt, Professor of Human Resource Management at the German Graduate School of Management and Law (GGS), an expert in Digital Transformation in HR Management and on the Adoption, Diffusion, and Use Of Information Systems.

Organizations that succeed in establishing remote working practices
The challenges faced by remote workers
Collaboration accross locations, time zones, and schedules
Establishing virtual trust
Why the social ties among virtual co-workers are stronger
Professional personas when working from home.
Apr 22, 202022:11
02 - On Generational Attitudes Toward Remote Work, a conversation with Giselle Kovary

02 - On Generational Attitudes Toward Remote Work, a conversation with Giselle Kovary

How the rapid, forced virtualization of work is received by the different
generations at work
Generations and the use of technology at work
The leadership behaviours that are needed to effectively lead a virtual team
The virtual team’s challenges that can impact engagement and how to overcome them
What “followers” should do to better support and enable their leaders
What HR can do to help leaders and business units
Apr 11, 202030:44
01 - On Distributed Work and Personality, a conversation with Dr. Laura Hambley

01 - On Distributed Work and Personality, a conversation with Dr. Laura Hambley

A conversation with Laura Hambley from Work EvOHlution.
Topics covered:

What “distributed work” is
The biggest myths about distributed work
Personality and distributed work
Self-management in work from home
What should managers be doing to better manage their teams

Apr 09, 202025:42