I had the opportunity to sit down with TrustedPeer Expert Edie Goldberg regarding her speaking engagement at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM’s) Annual Conference in Orlando, FL on June 23.  Here’s what we discussed: 

Philip: Can you share an overview of what you talked about at the #SHRM14 conference?

Edie: My topic was "Transforming Work: Are Your Ready for the Future?" My goal was to help HR leaders understand some of the trends that are dramatically changing the nature of work. In my presentation, I explored this rich topic from many different perspectives. 

For instance, from the employee’s perspective, there is a move toward a redefinition of what career success means. Today, people define career success differently. They want to be constantly challenged while doing work they’re passionate about, fully utilizing the skills they have developed, and while creating their own sense of work-life balance. 

This redefinition has created a new segment of successful professionals, a segment that Silicon Valley leader Maynard Webb says is characterized by a particular mindset that embraces the self-motivation to become CEOs of their own destiny. 

Philip: Interesting. Is this Webb’s book called Rebooting Work that you’re referencing? 

Edie: Exactly. The book has been a huge influence on my personal approach to work as well. 

Philip: Any other major themes you discussed in your talk?

Edie: Yes, I discussed how we are now operating in the Connected Age, where people are connected 24/7 and able to work from anywhere. I urged HR leaders to rethink the relationship of talent to the organization, because often the best talent they may need to achieve their strategic objectives may be found outside of the walls of the corporation. For instance, we’re beginning to see more contingent workers, even at a senior leadership level. 

In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasted that by 2020 40% of the US workforce will be comprised of contingent workers. So what does that mean? It means companies will have to innovate in order to be successful at attracting and keeping this type of modern, successful employee. You’ll also see new business models centered around this phenomenon beginning to emerge. For example, marketplaces for online talent are becoming more prevalent—Elance, oDesk, Guru, and LiveOps are just a few of the more popular marketplaces.

If you need consulting on Talent Management, contact TrustedPeer Expert Edie L. Goldberg.