Punk Rock HR 031: Humanity Works with Alexandra Levit
How do you future-proof your business or career? Are robots taking over all our jobs? On the show today is Alexandra Levit, an author, speaker, influencer, and futurist. Alexandra helps us understand how leaders and employees can prepare to become more successful in 5-15 years time. Will you be in on the next big trend? Alexandra believes the future will be project-based business.
- Who is Alexandra Levit? She started her corporate journey back in 2004. She wrote a book called, “They Don’t Teach Corporate in College,” and taught young professionals how to succeed in Corporate America. That was when she realized how Human Resources would have a much more strategic function in the 21st century.
- As a futurist, Alexandra analyzes and makes predictions on how businesses can be successful 5-15 years into the future. The goal is to prepare these companies and their employees for better, more meaningful careers in the future workplace.
- Alexandra wrote, “Humanity Works: Merging Technologies and People for the Workforce of the Future.” She discusses how people shouldn’t be fearful of the future of work. According to Alexandra, there’s going to be a lot more meaningful work opportunities for people, and that’s something to look forward to. We also have to embrace how some aspects of our jobs will become automated because it’s a GOOD thing. When robots do the boring work, we’ll be able to focus more on functions that rely on the human touch - like empathy and intuition.
- In terms of fixing work, Alexandra believes that there’s a need to set boundaries for personal and professional life. Technology has allowed us to be “on” 24/7. It lets us connect 24/7, but it also makes us think about work 24/7. We check our phones for emails and get more work done because it’s great to be productive, but this is also the fastest way to get burned out. Instead of trying to outwork technology, we should focus our efforts on cultivating skills that match tasks reliant on human intelligence - leave the repetitive stuff to the machines.
- You might need a mind shift when it comes to starting your career if you want to make sure you are future-proofed. Ask yourself: “What are customers asking for that I can become an expert in and deliver consistently?” Let the answer be your guide.
- Another cause for concern is how the project-based workforce still has corporate-driven benefits. Alexandra talks about the tension this topic stirs and how corporate structure must change in order for it to stay relevant in the market.
- Futurists are thought leaders that make predictions based on current trends. Their forward thinking is invaluable for employers and employees because they can strategize ahead of time. Doesn't it sound like a good idea to create systems to make the transition as smooth as possible? Change is coming whether we like it or not, we might as well be ready for it.
FREE Financial Wellness Telesummit
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Alexandra Levit