The metamorphosis of workplace: Three disruptive forces of the future

It has been eight months since the pandemic has tipped our axises and changed our normal. For most of us, this pandemic really came as a surprise that nobody was ever prepared with; it surely has impacted our lives globally, on a daily basis.

However, what remains true is that change is constant. The truth is this pandemic has changed society in dramatic ways and it only draws us to a conclusion that while things will pass, change is also inevitable and we have to future proof ourselves in order to stay sane and relevant.

To talk about how to thrive in an ever changing world, Local podcast B2B: Breakfast to Business tackles how one can futureproof themselves in order to stay relevant with host Bea Lim and special guest Maulik Parekh, an avid entrepreneur, highly sought-after keynote speaker, and author of “Futureproof Your Career and Company.”

Maulik described the future in three words: fun, meaningful, and transformational. Bea then echoed that while the future is unpredictable, there are still so many things that can be learned from the past. “The future is exciting because of the growth and experience this past year. If there’s anything to learn, we don’t know what happens next.”

As the conversation went on, Maulik said that one thing this pandemic really teaches us is that nothing lasts long. “Everything has an end, and we have to then think about when we’re in 2024, will we be thinking about the coronavirus as much as we are thinking today? Will that be at the top of our consciousness all the time? No. Because COVID-19 would be the past and at that time, what we would be facing are the other forces and disruptions that are taking place in our lives. Those are the forces that we should be thinking about and preparing ourselves for, not the corona crisis.”

While changes in the world were happening, Maulik has actually been writing his first book Futureproof Your Company and Career. Bea commented that the book is such a beautiful piece of literature of advice that is truly relevant, especially at the time where we feel we may not be able to actually talk about the future.

Maulik discussed that the book was written after the hit of coronavirus. “One of the reasons I wanted to do [the book] was because I felt when COVID-19 happened, all of us had our heads under the sand, that we start to forget looking at the horizon, see all the disruptive forces coming together, and not preparing for them.” He also further stated that it’s important to not only take care of the matters that are urgent like the crisis, the escalations, or the issues of today, but also to be in what he calls the magic quadrant.

In his book, Maulik identified Artificial Intelligence, Digital Natives, and the Gig Economy as issues that may not be urgent now, but will become disruptive forces 10 years down the road. “We should be able to fix the issues of COVID-19 but also step back and look at the horizon, and pay attention to the forces colliding together, creating a perfect storm that at one point in our lives will have to pass through,” he said.

Echoing that the future belongs to lifelong learners, a piece of wisdom that Maulik shared for both companies and professionals: “If you distill the book down in one sentence, it’s basically not to become an expert. Instead, become an expert student.”

Want to be part of the magic? Maulik officially launched his book online last November 14. Get ready to learn and experience something different from six global leaders coming from a variety of disciplines, sharing their insights on how to futureproof your career and company. You can watch the recorded virtual book launch here.

Maulik ended the podcast with a food for thought, “Become a changed evangelist. Embrace change that is around you and become a positive catalyst for change for your life and also for the lives around you. If you can do that, your future is not only future proof but is also meaningful.” Get a copy of Maulik’s book, be an expert student and start to transform lives today.

Catch more of this meaningful conversation as Bea’s two-part special with Maulik Parekh is now up at B2B: Breakfast to Business via the TeamAsia website, YouTube, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts.

Read also:

• Embracing the future, reimagining the workplace
• Things to avoid during virtual job hunts
• Job hunting tips to land a job in the now normal