The future of work and talent has arrived, and change is not only constant but also accelerating. Worldwide, the growing impact of technologies (especially artificial intelligence), digital transformation, globalization, intergenerational and cultural shifts, diversity, as well as the changing nature of careers and the “gig economy,” are raising people’s and companies’ productivity and connectivity. At the same time, these factors, along with social media, geopolitical turbulence, educational system issues, among other causes, are increasing stress, anxiety, fear, and already intense competition. These trends are occurring while the G20 has declared that the future of work is one of its top three agenda priorities. Just this past weekend, the G20 Summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina (the G20 host country for 2018) concluded with the publication of the G20 Leaders’ Declaration. Here is an excerpt of this declaration by the Presidents and Prime Ministers of the 20 largest economies: “We remain committed to building an inclusive, fair, and sustainable Future of Work by promoting decent work, vocational training, and skills development, including reskilling workers and improving
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labour conditions in all forms of employment, recognizing the importance of social dialogue in this area, including work delivered through digital platforms... We will continue to foster cognitive, digital and entrepreneurship skills, and encourage the collection and exchange of good practices. … We underline the importance of girls’ education. To equip our citizens to reap the benefits of societal and technological innovations we will promote coordination between employment and equitable quality education policies, so we can develop comprehensive strategies that promote key competences such as learning to learn, foundation and digital skills, in a lifelong learning perspective from early childhood. We acknowledge the need to foster evidence-based innovative pedagogies and methods for all levels of education.” As a leading member of the Business 20 (B20), the private sector’s voice of the G20, having served on its Employment and Education Task Force from 2014 to present, I pay particular attention to the future of work, talent, and education, the impact of AI and technologies, and digital transformation.