Five Contrarian Insights on the Future of Work

by Jim Stanford

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In this comprehensive but readable commentary, our Director Jim Stanford challenges five stereotypical claims that are often advanced in debates over the future of work.

  1. Work is not disappearing; it can’t.
  2. Technology is not accelerating.
  3. “Gigs” aren’t even new.
  4. Technology is often more about relationships than productivity.
  5. Skills are not a magic bullet.

The commentary was prepared for the My Labour, Our Future conference held last month in Montreal, Canada to mark the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the International Labour Organization. We thank the organizers and the Atkinson Foundation for permission to repost the paper.

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