Today, Isabel Berwick, host of the FT's Working It podcast and author of “The Future-Proof Career”, joins our podcast. In this episode, we dive into the evolving role of work in an AI-driven world and what a "Future-Proof Career" really means. Isabel shares insights on the importance of soft skills, what makes people happy or unhappy at work, and trust in remote settings. We also tackle gender equity challenges and the rise of CEO churn, especially among women

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AI AND THE WORKPLACE

Isabel highlights that while it is challenging to pinpoint exactly how work is changing, it is clear that we are at a significant turning point. She predicts that within the next year, the use of AI in the workplace will become much clearer.

She points out that AI is already performing tasks like taking meeting notes and summarising emails and documents, which are obviously beneficial. However, she mentions that some less obvious impacts of AI will soon become apparent. For example, AI is already integrated into recruitment processes, though she believes this system is currently flawed and in need of improvement.

Isabel believes one of the biggest immediate impacts of AI will be on early careers. She notes that many tasks currently done by graduates in professional services or law will be handled by AI. This raises the question of what people will do at the start of their careers. Isabel suggests that while people will still have careers, their roles may change. An optimistic view is that this shift could allow more time for developing client relationships, learning new skills, and improving teamwork, all of which could contribute to personal and career development.

However, Isabel also acknowledges that previous technological advances have often led to increased workloads and more efficient, but busier, schedules. She is uncertain if AI will follow this pattern or create more space for development.

For deskless work scenarios, such as warehousing, Isabel points out that heavy automation will likely reduce the number of jobs. Many remaining jobs will involve overseeing machines and ensuring they operate correctly. This shift raises important questions about how people connect to their work and the human implications of these changes.

Isabel is particularly interested in these human implications, though she admits that the full impact of AI is still unknown. She speculates that while many jobs will disappear, others will emerge in different sectors. There may be a shift towards roles in face-to-face healthcare and STEM fields, which are expected to have significant shortages. This suggests a possible sectoral shift in employment opportunities.

FUTURE-PROOFING YOUR CAREER

Isabel explains that because we don't know what will happen with AI, her book focuses on creating careers that last and won't lead to burnout. She aims to help people build satisfying careers that fit well with their lives. Isabel points out that not everyone wants to be a CEO, but many want a good career and to know when to change jobs or handle a difficult manager.

Her book focuses on human skills, like being curious, adaptable, skilled, and open to new experiences. Isabel encourages readers to keep an open mind. The book is divided into sections for managers and team members, as many people play both roles and need different tools for each.

Despite the fast-changing world, Isabel hopes her book gives people the tools they need for lasting careers. She describes her approach as a bit old-fashioned, focusing on human aspects and interactions, which she believes are crucial for long-term career success.

SOFT SKILLS AND HUMAN SKILLS

Isabel shares that a key lesson from her book is that you can't change others, only how you react to them. She wishes she had learned this sooner, noting it's also useful in personal life. We've all been in bad meetings and reacted poorly. There's always an undercurrent at work. Recognising this and focusing on how we respond is liberating. Isabel prefers the term "human skills" over "soft skills." By understanding others' behaviour, we can step back and reflect on our reactions.

Isabel suggests reconsidering how we view others, like a manager we may think is useless. Understanding their challenges can help us be more secure in our teams and better prepared for future jobs. People bring baggage to work from various life experiences, and acknowledging this is helpful. Listening is crucial in the workplace, though not everyone does it well.

Workplace happiness varies, but common factors include engagement and liking colleagues. Having a best friend at work boosts job satisfaction and performance. The pandemic highlighted the importance of human connection at work. Organisations now realise that the office should offer more than Zoom calls—it should foster social interactions.

Isabel acknowledges the benefits of remote work, especially for women with childcare responsibilities. It offers flexibility and saves commuting time. However, she cautions that being in the office is important for building connections and being visible for new opportunities. If you are the only one working remotely while others are in the office, you might miss out on projects or clients. It’s an unfair but real challenge in many organisations.

MANAGER AS A THERAPIST

Isabel notes that some areas of work haven't yet settled into fixed patterns and remain quite uncertain. It's up to individuals to decide how much presence they need to show in the office.

She talks about a concept from her book—the idea of the manager as a therapist. This reflects the changing expectations of managers in today's workplace. Mental health is now a common topic, unlike ten years ago, and people are encouraged to share their experiences. As a result, the role of the manager has evolved significantly, especially since the pandemic. Managers are now expected to support their team's mental health in addition to their usual responsibilities.

Isabel agrees that the idea of managers acting as therapists is challenging since managers aren't trained for this role and are already very busy. She acknowledges the uncertainty of how this situation will evolve, especially for younger generations. Managers need to balance recognising when something is wrong in their team and being proactive about it without becoming the recipients of issues better suited for a therapist.

Some organisations are beginning to address this by introducing in-house counsellors, particularly in financial services and law firms. While some employees may worry about confidentiality, this approach helps alleviate pressure on managers. Isabel hopes more companies will follow suit, training managers to spot signs of distress and then referring issues to professionals.

Isabel also discusses the internal pressure from employees and the influence of social media on work dynamics. Public quitting videos are an example of how transparency and social media intersect with workplace behaviour, adding another layer of complexity for managers and organisations to navigate.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE WORKPLACE

Social media has made a big impact on workplaces today, according to Isabel. Leaders are particularly worried because things that used to stay within office walls can now quickly spread on platforms like Glassdoor or TikTok. This pressure encourages better behaviour but also makes people afraid of saying anything that might cause trouble.

Social media is now a big part of office life, with people sharing their work experiences openly. Videos showing a day at work are popular, highlighting both the good parts, like enjoying a morning coffee, and the bad moments, such as arguments or even firings being filmed and shared online.

Isabel hopes things will balance out over time, but she sees that managers and leaders are more careful now about what they say and do, especially around younger employees who are active on social media. This caution affects how feedback is given and how careers progress.

FLEXIBILITY AND AMBITION

Isabel points to research from McKinsey, specifically their Women in Work report. She notes that the pandemic has significantly boosted women's ambition, but it’s actually the flexibility that has turbocharged it. Isabel believes many women were waiting for a more flexible approach to work in order to embrace ambition and pursue promotions more widely, and she understands why many women didn't stick with their corporate careers or seek promotions before; it was simply too challenging to balance with family life.

The flexibility has been game-changing, but Isabel worries that progress could reverse. Many employers are pushing for a return to more rigid working conditions, and it’s not just about where you work but also when you work. Flexibility also means being able to put children to bed and then catching up on work, or fitting meetings into school hours and working later. This flexibility has been incredibly helpful for women, other caregivers, and men.

Isabel also expresses concern that this progress might be taken for granted. As many leaders push for a return to the office, they might not fully grasp the implications for gender equity, potentially causing a regression.

SUCCESS AT WORK

Isabel talks about a lot of challenges people face at work. She thinks having a supportive manager is really important because it can make your job much better. But not everyone has a boss like that. If your manager doesn't listen to you, she suggests you might have to be more formal when asking for things. Isabel shares her own experiences of feeling stuck in roles where bosses act like parents, which can be tough.

She gives some good advice on what makes success at work. It's about feeling happy with what you do, earning enough money to save some, and having good relationships with your colleagues. Isabel also thinks it's crucial to have control over your work (autonomy), especially since COVID-19 changed a lot about how we work. Trust is another big thing for her. She believes workplaces should trust their employees more to make work less stressful.

Isabel talks about how women often have a harder time as CEOs, known as the "glass cliff." This means they're often chosen to lead when things are tough, but they're more likely to leave those jobs than men. She discusses efforts to help women leaders and make company cultures fairer.

Overall, Isabel thinks it's important for people to figure out what success means to them at work. If a job doesn't fit with your goals or makes you unhappy, she says it's okay to think about other options.

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RESOURCES

Isabel’s book: The Future-Proof Career: Strategies for thriving at every stage

Working It Newsletter: https://www.ft.com/working-it 

Follow Isabel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabel-berwick-8b4922167/ 

Report McKinsey, Women in the Workplace 2023: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/women-in-the-workplace 

Listen to PensionBee’s monthly podcast, The Pension Confident Podcast to better understand the world of personal finance and pensions: https://podfollow.com/the-pension-confident-podcast