Employment Is Dead. What Comes Next Will Change Everything - with Josh Drean

In this episode of Work’s Not Working… Let’s Fix It! Siân Harrington sits down with Josh Drean, workplace futurist and co-author of Employment is Dead, to explore why the traditional employment contract may soon be a relic of the past – and what’s rising to take its place.

In a world shaped by AI, blockchain, Web3 and an emerging generation of workers questioning everything about how we work, Josh argues that the real disruptor isn’t remote work or the return-to-office debate. It’s that employment itself – rigid, outdated and increasingly ineffective – is being replaced by something entirely new: a fluid, tech-enabled ecosystem of contributors.

From smart contracts to billion-dollar one-person businesses, Josh paints a radical but compelling picture of work’s future and why HR, business leaders and everyday workers need to be paying attention now.

Whether you’re a burned-out employee, a forward-thinking HR leader or a curious CEO wondering how to retain talent in this next era, this episode is packed with insight, foresight, and a dash of provocation.

💡 Key takeaways:

• “Employment is dead.” That’s not a metaphor, Josh believes our existing model of full-time work-for-pay is collapsing. And with Gallup data showing employee engagement at its lowest ever, it’s hard to argue.
• Goodbye jobs, hello contributors. The future of work isn’t about roles and hierarchies but about ecosystems of talent. People won’t want to be controlled. They’ll want to own, contribute and collaborate on their terms.
• The next workforce revolution is powered by AI, blockchain and smart contracts. Think DAOs, not departments. Think output, not hours. Think talent clouds, not talent pipelines.
• Gen Z is not lazy, they’re rejecting broken systems. 79% of leaders say they won’t hire Gen Z. But maybe it’s the system that needs to evolve, not the generation that sees its flaws.
• Hope is the new trust. In a surprise insight from Gallup, it’s not trust employees want most right now, it’s hope. That the future can be different. That their work can matter again.

Josh reminds us that the future of work is coming fast – and the only way to prepare is to start reimagining now.

Interested in insights about people leadership, HR and the future of work?
Seize and shape the future of work with The People Space, a leading digital HR magazine for forward-thinking leaders. We empower you to put people at the heart of work, navigating the evolving intersection of technology, business and human insight. Join us in building a future where people and machines collaborate for a more human-centric workplace

• Sign up for our free fortnightly newsletter on the future of work, human-centric organisations and people-first leadership
• Follow Siân on LinkedIn
• Are you an HR professional seeking to raise your profile or thinking of becoming an independent consultant? I can help!
• HR vendor or consultant? Check out how I can help you reach senior HR leaders
• Follow The People Space on Facebook