BLACK ENTERPRISE Presents ‘The Future of Work’ In Upcoming Town Hall With Ed Gordon

The future of work was shifting even before COVID-19 disrupted labor markets and upended livelihoods. Today, as we navigate through the remnants of a punishing pandemic, it is vital to understand the existing trends within the global economy in order to plan for what’s to come.

For a much-anticipated town hall, BLACK ENTERPRISE has tapped in the incomparable Ed Gordon, CEO of Ed Gordon Media, to moderate “The Future Of Work” on Thursday, May 18, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. EST.

This virtual experience, sponsored by Nationwide, welcome speakers Debbie Dyson, CEO of OneTen, Shelley Stewart III, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, and Leader of McKinsey’s Institute for Black Economic Mobility, Quita Highsmith, VP and Chief Diversity Officer at Genentech and BLACK ENTERPRISE CEO Earl “Butch” Graves, Jr.

“As the No. 1 Black Digital media brand, BLACK ENTERPRISE has continuously documented the economic and professional elevation of African Americans.” Graves said. “Where we could, we have helped bring about those advances by serving as an information resource and vehicle for wealth-building and smart money management.”

Graves continued: “Standing here upon that history and looking ahead to the future of work from a Black perspective, we are confronted with a challenging reality. Much of what we have gained collectively is at risk. An unprecedented convergence of economic, social, and political factors has upended work and industry norms that affect everyone.”

Over the past few years, Corporate America has undergone changes, big and small —some representing the effects of the pandemic, a call for institutional DEI efforts, and a continuation of remote work. Moreover, there has been a major push for a skills-based workforce versus a credentials-driven employee pool as well as digitization and other trends.

“One in 16 workers may have to switch occupations by 2030. That’s more than 100 million workers across the eight economies studied—and the pandemic accelerated expected workforce transitions,” according to a recent McKinsey & Company report on the future of work.

The report findings also stated that “job growth will be more concentrated in high-skill jobs” such as healthcare and STEM fields, while”middle- and low-skill jobs” such as food service, production work, or office support roles will take a plunge.

McKinsey & Company pointed out the trends more likely to reshape work. There are four to five times more remote work than pre-COVID-19. The fast adoption of automation and AI as well as the virtual transactions (e-commerce), which is growing at two to five times the pre-COVID-19 rate, are also highlighted in the McKinsey & Company as “macro trends.”

What do these developments—and more—mean for shifts in jobs, recruitment, and mobility for African American workers?

During the “Future of Work” town hall, panelists will lean on their expertise in the corporate world to discuss the state of racial equity in workforce development, the value of retaining Black talent, and employee trends transforming today’s workplace. These topics will also give better understanding to remote/hybrid environments, workplace surveillance, the impact of A.I. on job categories and workflow, copycat layoffs, and more.

Whether you are seeking to add security to your professional life in the face of recession, called career cushioning, or you’re rage applying because you feel under-appreciated at your current job, this town hall discussion is for you. If you have experienced a shift shock, or that feeling of disappointment when you start a new job and realize, that the position or company is very different from what you were led to believe, our panelists can give you some perspective.

To learn more about the “Future of Work” town hall with Ed Gordon visit https://www.blackenterprise.com/townhall. Stay tuned for the live stream.