The New World of Work

We've spent a fair bit of time harping on inevitable changes to workplace configuration and strategy. In May, more than 100 CEOs from the top Global 1000 companies gathered at Microsoft Corp.'s Redmond, Wash., to talk about the next generation of tools that will move the concept from the drawing room to the workplace at the ninth annual Microsoft CEO Summit as discussed in this article. The theme of the event was "Pathways to Growth - The New World of Work."

It was here that Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates discussed some of the trends that are are at the forefront of change in the workplace:

"Information workers are the driving force behind business innovation. To adapt and succeed in the 'New World of Work' today and tomorrow, they need advanced tools that will help them make the most of their unique talents, experiences and judgment."

Gates described how workplace trends such as the shift from manufacturing- to services-based economies are shaping technology innovation in the coming decade, as is the growing need for people to collaborate across organizations and time zones. Other forces include the larger and more complex streams of information that employees must handle in today's "always on, always connected" technology environments, the demands for greater transparency and accountability in business processes, and more intense competition to recruit talented employees from a shrinking work force.

Clearly, "The New World of Work" is a new catch-phrase for Microsoft's new range of productivity products, but Tom Peters at www.tompeters.com uses the expression in his "About" description in his blog sidebar and scores #1 on Google for the expression.