Sophie Wade is a thought leader in workforce innovation, flexible working, and the future of work. With an enviable background in strategic development, financing, and entrepreneurship, Sophie has become a sought-after speaker, author, and consultant, helping organizations navigate the ever-changing landscape of work. She is particularly known for her insights into how businesses can adapt to the changing nature of work, embracing flexibility, and leveraging technology, including AI. Sophie is the author of Embracing Progress: Next Steps for the Future of Work, and Empathy Works: The Key to Competitive Advantage in the New Era of Work, in which she explores the intersection of technology, culture, and the modern workplace. In this episode of the Unlearn Podcast, Sophie joins Barry O’Reilly to share insights on the modern workplace, discussing generational gaps, cultural awareness, the impact of AI, and the anticipated cultural shift in the coming years. Listen to Unlearning through Cultural Context with Sophie Wade.
Culture Chameleon
Cultural awareness plays a pivotal role in shaping your professional life, influencing your interactions, decision-making, and overall success in the work environment. Having lived in various countries, Sophie emphasizes the importance of adapting to the climate around you, flexibility, and cross-cultural communication. She shares how in Hong Kong, work consumed a significant part of daily life, in contrast to Germany, where a clear separation existed between work and personal life. [Listen from 2:30]
Barry lauds Sophie’s expertise in understanding different generations, as well as her thoughtful and empathetic approach. Her journey began when she noticed a trend of complaints about millennials in the workplace during a conference about seven years ago. Instead of dismissing these complaints, Sophie took it upon herself to try to understand the perspectives and needs of the younger generation entering the workforce. She engaged in extensive research to understand the differences and similarities between generations. Sophie sought to empathize with their experiences, challenges, and values, recognizing that empathy is a crucial element in bridging generational gaps. [Listen from 4:25]
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The Gen Z Problem
Sophie’s awareness of generational differences did not stop with millennials. She also tried to understand Gen Z, recognizing the distinct perspectives and relationships they have with technology. Millennials, and subsequently Gen Z, grew up with technology as an integral part of their lives, she recognized. This helped her appreciate how technology influences their communication styles, preferences, and worldview. It’s important to stay current to adapt to the dynamics of the workforce, she points out. “Constantly being aware and gathering information to try and understand is one of my key ways to just keep current, to keep questioning myself. Am I actually understanding what’s going on?” [Listen from 8:25]
Barry and Sophie discuss challenges and dynamics associated with generational differences in the workforce, particularly focusing on Gen Z. Barry shares his experience of trying to understand his younger brother’s perspective, highlighting the impact of the pandemic on Gen Z’s perception of work as a social activity. Even when remote work became prevalent, it was challenging for his younger brother. The importance of workplace connections and community is a key aspect of younger generations’ professional experiences. Sophie suggests empathizing with the younger generation, understanding that their first impressions of the workforce are shaped by the current context, including the impact of the pandemic. She encourages a shift from blame to understanding, recognizing that Gen Z is responding to the world as they find it. She proposes the concept of bi-directional mentoring, where both older and younger generations learn from each other. For example, a senior executive giving real-world problems to new graduates fosters a culture of curiosity and humility, bridges the generational gap and promotes a culture of continuous learning within organizations. [Listen from 11:15]
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Nonlinear Career Paths
Sophie shares an interesting revelation from her discussion with Gen Z individuals. When asked about their career aspirations in the next five to ten years, the predominant response was a strong focus on continuous learning. The surprising part was the consensus that they would leave a company once they stopped learning or if they didn’t get a promotion. This challenges the traditional notion of long-term loyalty to a single employer. Sophie connects this focus on learning to the idea that Gen Z, given the uncertainty of future job roles (with 54% anticipating jobs that don’t exist yet), tends to explore and gather skills rather than adhering to a linear career path. The expectation of linear careers is becoming less common, and younger individuals are more inclined to gather diverse skills, even if it means job-hopping to advance their careers. However, while Gen Z may prefer to explore skills within a company, the current state of internal talent marketplaces and talent mobility is still in its early stages, making it difficult for HR to track nonlinear career paths efficiently. [Listen from 19:50]
Barry shares his perspective on nonlinear careers, citing his own experience of transitioning from engineering to product management and ultimately building businesses. He emphasizes the importance of having the opportunity to observe and interact across the organization, which is not common. “This notion of, ‘What experiences do you glean from the opportunities that are put in front of you?’ Sometimes that sits within a company and sometimes you’re lucky and either the company is progressive enough or you find opportunities to go experience a different skill,” he says. [Listen from 22:25]
The AI Crisis
According to Sophie, technological advances, like the introduction of AI, has decreased the half-life of skills from ten years to five years, increasing the need for upskilling and reskilling. The skills needed are changing rapidly, especially in areas like cloud computing, where upskilling is needed every 4.5 months. The introduction of AI means that jobs are not just augmented but can be disrupted and changed. While the changes brought by AI are exciting, they can also be risky and nerve-wracking for individuals, especially in terms of how jobs will evolve. Individuals need to keep moving and adapting to the changes in technology. [Listen from 26:25]
Barry shares examples of companies, like Capital One, investing in training their employees in technologies like Amazon Web Services (AWS). This investment not only made employees more valuable but also that Sophie found a beneficial model when conditions are moving fast and being proactive is important. [Listen from 28:25]
Looking Ahead
Sophie anticipates a significant cultural shift in the next few years, driven by several factors related to the evolving nature of work, the integration of AI, and the changing expectations of employees. She refers to the shift as a move toward “modern work,” characterized by flexibility, adaptability, and responsiveness, reflecting a departure from the rigid structures of the past. [Listen from 31:45]
