Sunday, May 24, 2020

"Two forces driving jobs in the right direction"/ "The right digital tools to maximize workplace innovation"

Oct. 17, 2016 "Two forces driving jobs in the right direction": I cut out this article by Rick Lash on in the Globe and Mail: 


In 1589, inventor William Lee developed a knitting machine to produce stockings, only to be refused a patent by Queen Elizabeth out of her concern that it would put her subjects out of work.

Fast forward 500 years. The first reported death of a person driving a Tesla on auto-pilot has just been reported. Tragic in itself, the astounding advances in artificial intelligence, sensor technology and computing power is having a profound impact not only on people who love to drive, but on everyone in the value chain, from those in the auto manufacturing industry right through to drivers and policy makers who are finding that technology has outpaced laws that couldn’t conceive the world we now live in.

There is little doubt that the world of work is changing faster than ever before. Two forces in particular – technology and financial markets – are having a profound impact on work and the future of employment.

A 2013 research study by the University of Oxford found that, over the next two decades, nearly 50 per cent of all jobs are at risk due to computerization, making it harder for people to find work in the traditional sense. Manufacturing and logistics, office support administrators and manual production occupations are predicted to be replaced by computers over the next 20 years.

But it doesn’t stop there. Rapid advances in artificial intelligence and robotics are creating machines that are capable of competently performing many non-routine cognitive tasks and are encroaching on service domains normally reserved for the human mind.

 Affective computing (yes, that exists) is helping to create the next wave of household robots that can not only competently perform caretaking tasks, but can read emotions and respond appropriately. 

I just purchased a brain-reading headband that provides instant feedback on how well I’m meditating based on my brain waves. Who needs to pay a guru?

Harnessing data and applying it to continuously improve manufacturing processes and products is another way organizations are creatively using technology to be more efficient and relevant to the market.

Companies like GE are creating Smart Factories, using the information collected by millions of sensors in machines like aircraft engines, manufacturing equipment, turbines and even car charging electrical outlets to improve efficiencies and drive profitability.

Technology is certainly one driving force that is changing the future of work by replacing jobs with increasingly intelligent machines, making companies more efficient, flexible and most importantly, more profitable to run. The other is how companies are now making money.

For knowledge-based powerhouse companies like Google, Apple, Twitter, payroll and benefits represent the largest costs.

Although almost every organization will say something like “people are our greatest asset”, the reality of the past several decades is that people, like any other asset, can be a company’s greatest liability when it comes to driving up shareholder value.

Want to raise profits and increase a company’s stock price? 

Two quick fixes: either buy your own stock (creating greater demand and less supply on the market) or downsize.

The best way to achieve higher profits is ensuring maximum flexibility in the workforce so the organization can adapt to rapidly changing market needs. Having a more flexible employee pool that you can hire and furlough depending on business demands is one way to manage risk.

If technology and new finance-driven business models are fundamentally altering the future of jobs and work, what’s a new graduate (or an older worker) to do? All is not hopeless, and in fact there is indeed a silver lining, if one knows where to look.

Companies like Uber are figuring it out, at least for now. The same technology that is replacing workers with intelligent robots (on the shop floor or as an app on your smartphone) is also being used to create new models of generating wealth. 

Whether you are a bank driving growth through new on-line channels, a streaming music company designing creative new ways for consumers to subscribe, or an entrepreneur raising capital online for a new invention, key skills stand out as differentiators for success.

Organizations are flatter, work gets done in multi-skilled teams and leaders serve more as facilitators than managers. Those same teams not only are diverse in terms of skill sets, but also in background and culture. The ability to share power with others, take direction from peers and be curious enough to understand how people work differently across cultural divides are essential.

 These skills are critical because, unlike organizations of the past which relied on economies of scale and standardization to survive, today’s organizations face immensely complex challenges in a diverse global economy. They must be agile and use technology and data to rapidly adapt and get product to market faster than ever before. But technology will only take organizations so far. Even ‘old world’ corporations like GE are struggling with making Smart Factories work because culture and the social and emotional capabilities of their people need development as well.

William Lee, if transported to 2016, would be in awe of today’s world but, after a short while, I suspect he would begin to see something familiar. Although his ideas were perhaps ahead of his time, his passion and vision, creativity and ability to influence others would give him confidence that, indeed, the world is headed in the right direction.

Rick Lash is a senior client partner with the Korn Ferry Hay Group leadership and talent practice in Toronto. He is also a registered psychologist and a certified coach, working with senior executives globally.



Nov. 2, 2016 "The right digital tools to maximize workplace innovation": Today I found this artilce by Karen Pelletier in the Globe and Mail:


Andrew Smith 1 day ago
I thought that I was reading on article on what tools I could use for workplace innovation. Instead I got an ad for Accenture. Go figure.
The sun has set on the office cubicle, giving rise to a more inspired era of working as humans were intended: together. Whether in person or and virtually connected, today’s workers are enabled by state-of-the-art, digital collaboration spaces and tools that encourage teamwork and innovative thinking.

The transition hasn’t been simple. At Accenture, our complex, mobile workforce, serving five lines of business accelerated change: Daily, we must connect 384,000 employees around the world on one global, intelligent network. And by embracing technology advances ahead of most organizations, we are now immersed in a fully digital environment that drives high-performing teams. As a result, the foundation of our workplace strategy is technology – how digital drives our business today, and in the future.

For many years, the practice of work has been rapidly evolving – transforming how, when, and where we collaborate across teams, and with clients. Technology has changed almost every aspect of our lives in the past decade, and it’s difficult to imagine our lives without it, particularly when it comes to the workplace. I certainly don’t miss seeing stacks of paper everywhere.

But which tools are the right ones, and how do we implement them as part of a cohesive workplace strategy that makes sense for everyone?

Our strategy goes well beyond having a smartphone with the right apps. The increasing digitization and globalization of work is creating entirely new archetypes for the workplace, with technology that allows instant video conferencing with on-screen sharing directly from our devices and computers to quickly convey and improve on ideas.

What’s more, today’s digital tools – from simple online chats to satellite-enabled video conferences that beam participants from around the whole into a single “room” – not only enable work to happen anywhere, they also help lower our company’s carbon footprint through reduced travel.

We no longer design technology to fit into our space – we design space to fit around our technology. Today, when our people come into the office, they are more focused on the human and emotional connection with each other and their clients, and our technology encourages such interactions, even across continents.

 When we wrap the physical work environment around technology, it drives innovative new ways to engage everyone in a physical and virtual experience across many devices and interfaces.

Each day, Accenture connects more dots among our people, data and technology, driving forward the best ideas that bridge us and our clients to the “new.” We recognize the outcomes in performance and employee wellness, because when you give your people the freedom to choose how they connect and how they perform, you will get a better result, every time.

And that is the true power of digital.



Nov. 4, 2016 "Facebook and Uber are being unmasked": Today I found this article by Carl Mortishead in the Globe and Mail.  I can only get the first part:

May 24, 2020: I actually found the whole article:


KAMLOOPS — Let’s stop pretending that Uber is just along for the ride in the gig economy and that Facebook is just a technology company.
At first glance, the gig economy seems great: a way for individuals with an entrepreneurial spirit to improve themselves. The reality is that it’s a race to the bottom. For many workers, it’s all they have. They string together a number of insecure, low paying, temporary jobs to try to keep the wolf from the door.
Mortgage companies are reluctant to lend to those without secure work. Gig workers have trouble saving for retirement; they have no sick or maternity leave; no health care plans. Workers are easily abused because of the one-to-one relationship with employers.
It’s easy to become complacent if you have a reliable income. Someone like me, for example. On my visit Los Angeles last year I used Uber. I marveled at the technology that allowed me watch the car’s progress from blocks away on my tablet. I was impressed by the courteous driver and his new, clean car and the low fare.
But those of us with reliable incomes should worry as full-time positions are eroded by the gig economy.
Uber professes to be just an app that connects drivers with passengers; a dubious claim says Carl Mortished:
“That was Uber’s wizard scheme: to make money from millions of taxi journeys without actually employing a single driver or even being part of the transaction. It was about making money from the gig economy without doing a single gig (Globe and Mail, November 4, 2016).”
Judges in England found Uber’s claim that it was not an employer to be unbelievable. Drivers have no control over choice of customers, fares, and routes traveled. They are subject to a rating system that amounts to a disciplinary procedure. Judges ruled that drivers were entitled to minimum wages and paid holidays.
Facebook harbors its own pretensions. At an event in Rome last year, an audience member asked founder Mark Zuckerberg if Facebook was an “editor in the media?” He replied that Facebook does not produce content but merely “exists to give the tools to give you the tools to curate and have the experience to connect to the world that you want.” Mortished disagrees:
“What Mr. Zuckerberg says is untrue. Facebook is editing and making content. Facebook is paying millions of dollars to celebrities and other media organizations to make videos for Facebook Live.”
Facebook edits its website: banning, deleting and restricting content that doesn’t fit their rules. They ran into a storm of protest when editors deleted the famous Vietnam War photo of naked girl fleeing an American napalm attack.
Facebook should grow up. It’s no longer the college photo-sharing web site it once was. Facebook would prefer not to be classified as a publisher because it would find itself in the messy business of being responsible for content that might be offensive, defamatory, or potentially criminal.
I’m not against Uber. Properly implemented, it could improve taxi service and provide fair working conditions for drivers. I like Facebook. It keeps me in touch with friends and family. But let’s avoid the charade, Mr. Zuckerberg, of the exact nature of the business that you’re in.

Summary: It goes on about this is not the gig economy, but a puppet economy.


Nov. 12, 2016 "Why people stay in jobs they can't stand": Today I found this article by Rebecca Greenfield in the Edmonton Journal.  I can't copy and paste the article here.  It's about people who have no interest in their jobs and no motivation to quit.  The Aon Hewitt survey says it's people with above- market wages, but they are not engaged. 

It said the employers should also try to make it more engaging on the employee.  The employee needs to make the job more engaging too.  Go talk to the manager for another task or project.

Here are 2 more blog posts about jobs in the future:

"A new way of thinking"/ "How to spark creativity in the age of AI"

http://badcb.blogspot.com/2020/05/a-new-way-of-thinking-how-to-spark.html

"The candy man who built a sushi industry"/ "A guide to the workplace of the future"

http://badcb.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-candy-man-who-built-sushi-industry.html

My week:

Tues. May 19, 2020 Hudson's Bay in City Centre is closing down: Last night my brother P told me the place was closing down.  Of course, I had to read and write about this because I'm interested in stores closing down.  Here is an excerpt from Retail Insider that has an in-depth article:

The Hudson’s Bay Company has announced that it is shutting its 168,000 square foot Hudson’s Bay store in downtown Edmonton this fall, marking the closure of the last remaining department store in the city’s core. It’s a blow to Edmonton’s downtown which in January saw large-format luxury retailer Holt Renfrew shutter and years before that, the closure of Eaton’s and Woodward’s department stores nearby.

The downtown Edmonton Hudson’s Bay store will reopen temporarily on May 19 along with the company’s other Alberta stores. The downtown Edmonton store will gradually close by the fall and employees will be provided with the opportunity to transfer to Hudson’s Bay’s other five remaining Edmonton-area stores which include Southgate Centre, West Edmonton Mall,  Kingsway Mall, Londonderry and St. Albert Centre.




My opinion: I was surprised that the store closed down.  I was like: "First Holt Renfrew closed down and now Hudson's Bay?"  Yeah, well at least there are other locations to shop at, and for the employees to work at. 

The products are good and all, but I find that they are too expensive for me.

 Dentist: P went to the dentist last week, and there were precautions like before his appointment, he had to call them as they ask if he has any symptoms.

 The dentist or RDA are totally covered up in this picture I saw in the Star Metro:

 Jobs such as dentists or dental hygienists, requiring workers to come into contact with people are considered high risk in the age of COVID-19, and may need to be physically altered, or workers should be confident in their ability to refuse unsafe work, according to the author of a Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives report.



My opinion: Before I make a decision or do something, I ask:

 1. Do you want to?

 2. Do you need to?

 3. Do you have to?

 I don't really want to, need to, or have to go to the dentist, so I'm not going there.

Get a haircut: Well I want to, because my hair is getting long to my shoulder.  I usually get a haircut in Apr. and Oct.  I don't need to or have to, so I'm not going there.

 Wed. May 20, 2020 I got my EI payments: I filed for EI in mid-March and then started getting payments by mid- May.  There were delays because:

 1. I filed in-person at Service Canada, and this would have processed faster if I filed online.

 2. There are lots of people filing for EI, more than usual during this pandemic.

 3. This is on my end, I made a mistake when making a report online and I had to call them.  I was put on hold for a week before I can speak to an actual person on the phone.

 4. I then got a call from them and I had to explain about this job from 2019.  They looked at your jobs in the last 52 weeks.

May 21, 2020 Support small businesses: I was on Facebook and there was a post to shop at local stores and restaurants during this pandemic.  All those big franchises won't close down all their businesses, but a small business will.
May 22, 2020 If you received EI and CERB: I found this article by Pattie Lovett- Ried:

The government tried to make it clear. If you lost your job and applied for EI after March 15, you would automatically be enrolled in CERB. That message could have been lost on those applying for both benefits.

However, an innocent mistake or not, this is a classic example of double dipping. Once they have the resources and time, the government will come looking for the overpayment. And so they should.

You won't be difficult to track down through your social insurance number being the identifier for both programs. 

As of March 15, if you had applied for EI you were automatically enrolled into the CERB; however, the programs are different. With the CERB you have up to $2,000 per month for a maximum four-month period. If you qualified for EI, once the CERB runs out, you will be transferred back to EI for payment continuation. 

The call to action: If you received two payments, set the money aside and be prepared for the clawback. You may want to self-identify to the government. It is better to plead guilty with an explanation than to have the government come knocking. 

Whether you receive EI payments or CERB, both are taxable. So you might want to tuck some money aside to give back to the government at tax time next year. Otherwise, you might find yourself falling further behind.
https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/pattie-lovett-reid-what-to-do-if-you-received-both-a-cerb-and-ei-payment-1.1420747

My opinion: I looked this up because I saw $2000 in my account.  I am prepared for the clawback. 

 Aldo seeks bankruptcy protection:

 Reitman's seeks bankruptcy protection:

"Edmonton Costco worker restores Nathan Fillion's 'faith in humanity' by paying for his mother's gas":
Edmonton-born actor Nathan Fillion says his “faith in humanity” has been restored after after a kind gesture at a Costco in the city.
In an Instagram post Friday, the actor said an employee at the store recently bought gas for his mother because she was having difficulty with her credit card.
“The attendant bought her gas out of his own pocket and asked only that she pay it forward. That Costco was in Edmonton, that attendant was Les Thompson, and Les? That woman was my mother,” Fillion wrote on Instagram.
Now Fillion is paying it forward.
In the post, he says he and his father will send three iPads to a nearby seniors care facility, so residents can visit their families virtually.
In April, the actor donated $5,000 to an Edmonton food bank, along with a donation from Vancouver actor Ryan Reynolds.
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/edmonton-costco-worker-restores-nathan-fillions-faith-in-humanity-by-paying-for-his-mothers-gas/ar-BB14tJYR?ocid=spartanntp
My opinion: I put this on my Facebook status update, and Facebook message this to my sister S because she loves him.  S did meet him and take a picture with him at this comic book expo.

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