Over the next 5 years, 170 million jobs will be created (and 90mn will go away). 59% of employees will need retraining. Plus how to be HAPPIER and does it help to stare at your loved ones? And what on earth is Zebrastriping?
Non Tech Jobs Need Data Literacy and AI Skills
In the next five years, 170 million new jobs will be created says WEF. The most in-demand skills will be AI, Big Data, Network and Cybersecurity. Over 39% of workers’ core skills are projected to evolve significantly by 2030. 85% of employers plan to upskill their workforce in response to growing skills gaps. 80% of employers plan to provide AI training to their workers. Two-thirds of employers plan to hire talent with specific AI skills.
Non-Tech jobs will evolve to demand more data literacy. HR, Finance, Marketing, Supply Chain, Legal… every non-tech function will look different. Broadening digital access will change business models and the skills needed. It is time to beef up your skills in data literacy, basic programming, data visualization, and introductory machine learning. Do it before the market forces you to.
A great course on AI is this: https://www. datacamp. com/tracks/ai-fundamentals
For a great start to understanding data try this: https://www. datacamp. com/tracks/skill
Invest in a great talent management team
A strong talent management strategy matters
The most in-demand skills will be AI, Big Data, Network and Cybersecurity
Read this: https://www. datacamp. com/resources
90 Hour Work Week (including Sunday)
The internet went crazy over the Chairman of L&T’s remark about working 90-hour weeks and working on Sundays. Their PR team is trying hard to cover up the gaffe and pass it off as a strategy to draw attention to work-life balance. Hierarchical settings make it hard for the leaders to be in touch with the rest of the world. (see the cartoon below)
I have also worked with a manager who would routinely expect the team to show up on Saturdays. While he lived a block away from the office, others had to brave a long commute to avoid getting blacklisted. It’s like being asked to climb Mount Everest while your boss takes the elevator to the top.
Reason 1: Employees have lives outside of work. They need to look after their loved ones. Not everyone has an army of housekeepers to do their chores, not to mention the long commutes. Expecting employees to work 90-hour weeks is like asking them to juggle flaming torches while riding a unicycle—it’s just not sustainable.
Reason 2: Mental health matters. The expectation of such long working hours can lead to burnout and decreased productivity. Employees need time to recharge and maintain a healthy work-life balance to perform at their best. It’s like trying to run a marathon without ever stopping for water—eventually, you’re going to hit a wall.
You may remember Jack Ma’s call to work 9-9-6 ie from 9am to 9pm for six days a week. That still makes only 72 hours and Narayan Murthy wanted everyone to work 70 hours. Students put in all-nighters before an exam but if the average student has to pull all nighters regularly, it will be unsustainable.
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What do you think of this version?
Here are some science backed ways to be happier.
Africa will create 50% of the Global Workforce by 2035
As the rest of the world ages, fresh entrants to the workforce will come from Africa. It will be one fifth of the world population. Every country needs to have a Ministry of Talent to be able to craft a strategy about how to address the specific demographic shifts in their country.
Rolls Royce sold only 5712 cars in 2024
Each Rolls-Royce car is meticulously handcrafted. It takes around 450 hours to build a single Phantom, with the leatherwork alone requiring 17 days of work by skilled artisans. Check out the way the fabric captures the famous monogram.
Hierarchy in organizations – visible and invisible
The Economist also had a post about hierarchy – visible and invisible. Hierarchy is often made explicit in the organizations. The military of course makes it crystal clear by the stripes and medals. Who salutes whom first is another sign. It shows up in invisible ways too.
Organizational hierarchy reveals itself in subtle yet pervasive behaviors. When superiors speak, subordinates often unconsciously mirror their pace and tone, creating an echo chamber of communication styles. Space dynamics tell a similar story – junior employees instinctively yield prime spots in shared spaces to their superiors, physically manifesting power structures. The “hierarchy of interruption” permits top-down disruption while demanding bottom-up patience. Communication patterns shift too, with lower-ranking staff responding swiftly and formally to superiors, who may take their time and stay casual. Perhaps most tellingly, innovation often gets reattributed up the chain, with individual contributors’ ideas becoming “team efforts” as they ascend the hierarchy. These unspoken rules form an invisible choreography of power that shapes daily workplace interactions.