Emerging Workplace Trends: Are We Entering an Era of Organizational Disruption? | Aaron McEwan

10/08/24 • 63 min

If there’s one thing the pandemic taught us, it’s that market disruptions can spell disaster for unprepared companies. Aaron McEwan, a behavioral scientist and futurist, is at the forefront of this challenge. As part of Gartner’s Rapid Response Market Sensing Team, he specializes in identifying workplace shifts before they happen. In this episode, Aaron shares how he leverages insights from his career and lessons learned during the pandemic to identify and tackle workplace shifts – before they happen.
Aaron McEwan is a prominent behavioral scientist, psychologist, and futurist based in Australia. He currently is the Vice President of Research & Advisory for Gartner's HR Practice, providing strategic insights on talent management and the future of work to leading global companies.
In this episode, Dart and Aaron discuss:
- Gartner’s Rapid Response Market Sensing Team
- Market sensing and identifying trends
- The largest market challenges since the pandemic
- Social movements that are starting to bubble
- Social media-driven employee activism
- Early detection of workforce disruptions
- Rapid responses to opportunities and threats
- Signals of reemergent labor activism
- And other topics...
Aaron McEwan is a prominent behavioral scientist, psychologist, and futurist based in Australia. He currently serves as the Vice President of Research & Advisory for Gartner's HR Practice, providing strategic insights on talent management and the future of work to leading global companies. Recognized as a Top 100 Global HR Influencer, Aaron emphasizes evidence-based practices that help organizations optimize performance and adapt to changing work environments.
Aaron is also a Fellow of the Australian Human Resources Institute and an Associate of Macquarie University's Centre for Workforce Futures. He has lectured at several universities, including the University of NSW and the University of Queensland. His interdisciplinary approach often draws from his background in music, where he performed and wrote original pieces, applying lessons from that experience to leadership and teamwork in organizational settings.
Resources mentioned:
The Black Swan, by Nassim Nicholas Taleb: https://www.amazon.com/Black-Swan-Improbable-Robustness-Fragility/dp/081297381X
Connect with Aaron:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronmcewan
Smarter with Gartner: https://www.gartner.com.au/en/smarterwithgartner

Work with Dart:
Dart is the CEO and co-founder of the work design firm 11fold. Build work that makes employees feel alive, connected to their work, and focused on what’s most important to the business. Book a call at 11fold.com.

Previous Episode

Dangerously Incompetent: How AI and Robots Are Deskilling the Workforce | Matt Beane

As AI and automation reshape the workforce, the traditional way we pass down critical skills is under threat. Junior workers are losing the opportunity to learn directly from experienced mentors, putting essential human abilities at risk. Matt Beane, a leading researcher in machine intelligence, has spent a decade investigating this problem. In his latest book, The Skill Code, Beane uncovers the hidden dynamics of expert-novice relationships and explains why preserving these bonds is crucial for thriving in a tech-driven world.
Matt Beane is an assistant professor at UC Santa Barbara, known for his groundbreaking research on the impact of robotics in the workplace. He holds a PhD from MIT and has delivered a TED talk with over 1.8 million views. His latest book, The Skill Code, highlights the importance and process of preserving human skills in the age of AI and automation.
In this episode, Dart and Matt discuss:
- The impact of tech on workplace learning
- Technology management programs
- Whether tech shapes behavior or vice versa
- Using tech for scale development
- The difference between knowledge and skill
- Challenges in developing skills in tech-driven environments
- Using positive deviance to grow at work
- Human capital development’s connection to productivity
- And other topics...
Matt Beane is an author and assistant professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in the Technology Management Program. He is known for his pioneering work on how robotics are transforming the workplace, particularly in the evolving relationship between humans and machines. His latest book, The Skill Code: How to Save Human Ability in an Age of Intelligent Machines, explores how technology is reshaping the workforce and highlights the importance of preserving essential human skills as automation and AI become more prevalent.
Matt holds both a PhD and a Master’s in Management Research from MIT’s Sloan School of Management and is also a Digital Fellow at both Stanford and MIT. His work delves into how organizations and individuals adapt to intelligent technologies, focusing on sectors like healthcare and manufacturing. His research on robotic surgery was published in 2019 in Administrative Science Quarterly and Harvard Business Review, and his related TED talk has over 1.8 million views. Matt is also a regular contributor to popular outlets such as Wired, MIT’s Technology Review, TechCrunch, Forbes, and Robohub.
Resources mentioned:
The Skill Code, by Matt Beane: https://www.amazon.com/Skill-Code-Ability-Intelligent-Machines/dp/0063337797
“Don’t Let AI Dumb You Down,” by Matt Beane: https://www.wildworldofwork.org/p/dont-let-ai-dumb-you-down
How Buildings Learn, by Stewart Brand: https://www.amazon.com/How-Buildings-Learn-Happens-Theyre/dp/0140139966
Connect with Matt:
www.MattBeane.com
www.TheSkillCodeBook.com
X: @mattbeane
www.SkillBench.com

Next Episode

How to Build Great Teams: What AI Is Teaching Us about Team Design and Skills Training | Vivienne Ming

AI is at the forefront of work, tech, and global development – and it’s here to stay. While there are ongoing dilemmas and fears surrounding the future of AI, renowned neuroscientist Vivienne Ming sees it differently. For over a decade, she has harnessed AI to enhance human potential, designing systems to treat her son’s diabetes, predict manic episodes in those with bipolar disorder, and reunite orphaned refugees with extended family members, among many other initiatives. Vivienne has emerged not only as a leading scientist in the field but also as a passionate advocate for using AI as a powerful tool to unlock human ability.
Vivienne Ming is a renowned theoretical neuroscientist and AI expert. She is the co-founder and CEO of the think tank Socos Labs, as well as chief scientist at Dionysus Digital Health and The Human Trust. Her research has been showcased on TEDx, The Financial Times, The Atlantic, the New York Times, BBC Radio 4, and NPR.
In this episode, Dart and Vivienne discuss:
- Vivienne’s diverse background in AI and research
- AI’s qualitative advantages over humans today
- How AI can predict and influence individual success
- Metalearning and perspective taking
- Building stronger teams and social networks with AI
- The moral limits of markets
- How minority opinions can reshape collective market intelligence
- And other topics...
Vivienne Ming is a renowned theoretical neuroscientist and artificial intelligence expert. As the co-founder and CEO of the think tank Socos Labs, she consults on AI, neuroscience, and education reform, exploring the future of human potential. She also serves as chief scientist at Dionysus Digital Health and The Human Trust. Her AI inventions have launched multiple companies and nonprofits, all centered on unlocking human potential. Vivienne’s research has been showcased on TEDx, The Financial Times, The Atlantic, the New York Times, BBC Radio 4, and NPR.
Vivienne received her B.S. in cognitive neuroscience from the University of California at San Diego and her M.S. and PhD in Psychology at Carnegie Mellon University. She then held a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford and UC Berkeley, where she later joined as a research scientist and visiting scholar. Vivienne sits on boards of numerous companies and nonprofits including StartOut, The Palm Center, Cornerstone Capital, Platypus Institute, Shiftgig, Zoic Capital, and HUMM.
Resources mentioned:
How to Robot-Proof Your Kids, by Vivienne Ming: https://academy.socos.org/
Geek Heresy, by Kentaro Toyama: https://www.amazon.com/Geek-Heresy-Rescuing-Social-Technology/dp/161039528X
Connect with Vivienne:
www.socos.org
www.dionysushealth.com
www.optoceutics.com
www.thehumantrust.org
“The Tax on Being Different” video: https://glginsights.com/videos/decisions-in-hiring/