The study by Deutsche Telekom and Henley Business School offers projections for the future of work by 2028, focusing on trends, dilemmas, and necessary actions for organizations and leaders. Key findings include the impact of digitalization on the workforce, the need for belonging in a fluid work environment, and the importance of societal purpose for businesses. It emphasizes the necessity of adapting to change, fostering a culture of learning from failures, and reevaluating organizational structures to remain sustainable in the evolving landscape.

1. A study by Deutsche Telekom, Detecon International and
Henley Centre for Leadership/Henley Business School
TRENDS, DILEMMAS & CHOICES
WORK
WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES

2. AMBITIONSOF THE STUDY
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This studyprovides informed and tangible projections
about what the next decade will bring in terms of
▪ the Futureof Work, Organisations
and Leadership,
▪ the crucial underlying developments and trends
in the external environment of organisations,and
▪ tangibleimplications for how organisations and
decision makers can changetheir practice and
start action today.
AMBITIONS OF THE STUDY
▪ Thought-provoking,challenging,and inspiring–
for decision makers, commentators,innovators,
and people and societyat large.
▪ Creating discussions,generatecontroversies,
and fruitful debates.
▪ Stimulatepurposeful,courageous,and
positiveactions.
WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES
SCOPE, AIMS AND

3. SAMPLE AND PROCESS
We interviewed 50 influential peoplefrom across
industries and societyto learn their projectionsfor 2028.
OUR SAMPLE
▪ included five predefined categories:Top and
Senior Managers, Drivers of Innovation,Futurists,
Young Movers,and Academics
▪ had 36 male and 14 female participants
▪ included people from Manufacturing,FMCG
(Fast Moving Consumer Goods),Financial services,
Professional servicesand consulting,Infrastructure,
ICT,Retail,Utilities,NGOs,Politics,and Higher
Education
▪ represented the following countries:Denmark,
Germany, Ghana, Hungary, United Kingdom,
United States ofAmerica
WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES
METHODOLOGY,

4. OVERVIEWON TRENDS
CRUCIAL TRENDS IN
SHIFTING SOCIETIES
▪ Ubiquitous digitalisation
▪ Informed disorientation
▪ Need for belonging
▪ A cry for societal purpose
ORGANISATIONS
▪ Sizedoes not matter
▪ Screwed-up failureculture
▪ Analogueas twin of digital
WORK
▪ Work is all or nothing
▪ Tech-driven radical transparency
▪ Episodic loyalty
LEADERSHIP
▪ The good,the bad and the uglyof leadership
▪ Gig Leadership
▪ Leading hybrid work forces
▪ Top management as central hub
▪ Leading for radical human-centricity
▪ Leadership development unlearned
GET STARTED, ENABLE
SENSEMAKING AND TAKE
ACTION FROM THE 2028
INSIGHTS!
WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES

5. I. CRUCIAL TRENDSIN SHIFTING SOCIETIES
II. TRENDSAND TRANSITIONSFOR 2028 ORGANISATIONS
III. TRENDSAND TRANSITIONSFOR 2028 WORK
IV. TRENDSAND TRANSITIONSFOR 2028 LEADERS
V. ENABLING AND KICKING OFF YOUR ACTIVITIES
5WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES

6. UBIQUITOUSdigitalisation
Let'sfaceit, everybody will be affected,
whetherin a helpful
or a ghastly way
In 2028, intelligent technology and people-tech interactions
will be ubiquitous in peoples’ tasks, jobs and lives. How?
There are two strong but opposing projections:
▪ 2028 will be full of possibilities, with technology supporting
and enhancing our work and lives for a more reliable, safe,
and creative environment
▪ 2028 will show deep disparities and high levels of separation,
a sharp increase in replaceable tasks, and few new jobs. Even
more complex activities will become extinct

7. 7
2028 FULL OF POSSIBILITIES
▪ Intelligenttechnologyand people-tech eco-systems
supporting and enhancing our work and life and will
make it more reliable,safer and more creative
▪ Beyond thecurrent horizon wewill seenew roles
and tasks we do not even know of today
▪ Humans will adapt to change,like they have shown
throughouthistoryfor instancein automatization in
manufacturing
▪ Societal developments,e. g.aging population,
health and care in conjunction witha declining
demand for relevant professions,will requireservices
building on robotics,AI or automation
2028 WITH MORE DISPARITIES AND SEPARATION
Dilemma 1:
We will seesharp increase of replaceable tasks –
yet the pace of new job creation will be ambiguous
Dilemma 2:
The threshold oftasks affected (enhanced or replaced)
will affect complex activities!We(will) see a false sense
of security at higher level roles – sometasks will be
extinct wethought completelyout ofreach
Dilemma 3:
The demand gap will widen:Between high-level,evolving
skills that are thought after VERSUS medium-level,simple
skilled jobs that will see accelerated replacement
DISCUSSIONS AND CONTROVERSIES …
▪ Who needs to engage with thepossibilities
and dilemmas: Society,politics, organisations,
individuals?
▪ What role must education playpreparing job
entrants for thenew world of work? – Where
are wenow?
▪ How can organisationsaddress fear /preservation
needs of employees and make opportunities
accessible?
▪ Who is dealing with individuals who can’t keep up
with constant re-invention? Imaginenoneof us will
do the job she/heis doing now!
▪ What is the demand for and value of regulation
that facilitates flexibility,yet enables and protects
employees?
IMPLICATIONS …
▪ Find a balanceof individual
responsibilities, collective
support,and accountability
for transitioning into newwork.
▪ Aneducationsystemfit for
the 21stcentury– Createan
enabling environmentand
acceptanceforculture of
properfailing
▪ Create an organisation-wide
sense of urgency,for life-long
learning and whole person
developmentamongstcurrent
and future workforce
Butit hasbeen this waythroughoutthe
major partofhistory, thatonethoughtif this
development continues,theautomation or
therobotization in production,thatmasses
ofpeoplewouldbecome jobless […] Butit
did nothappenthat way.Oneofour
greatest qualities is thatweare creative.
SilkeLuinstra, founder of „Augenhöhe“, film producer,
consultant
WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES

8. INFORMED DISORIENTATION
Navigating the promises
and ambiguitiesof future
technology and digitization
Some are very certain about the future of technology –
while others clearly know that we don’t know:
▪ The technology of 2028 is known today versus the impossibility
of forecasting the technology of 2028
▪ The implementation of technology is easy versus many
options are not feasible
▪ Mounting pressure on society and organisations to deal
with accountability in people-tech ecosystems: for security –
safety – transparency – access – input of data and algorithms

9. 9
2028 FULL OF POSSIBILITIES
▪ A twice-split perspective:Tech 2028 is known today
and implementation is easyVERSUS Tech 2028 is
impossibleto forecast and many options not feasible
▪ Technologywehaveheard of for the near or distant
horizon:ubiquitouspeople-machineinteraction,
dominant voice control,machinelearning,artificial
intelligence,autonomoustransport solutions,virtual
reality meetings,holographsas near-lifeexperience,
hyperloops,etc.
▪ The logic for investment into technologywill be(and
is) for many a black box – and yet organisations are
forced to make quick decisions about how to use
thesetechnologies.
▪ Mounting pressureon societyand organisationsto
deal with accountabilityin people-tech ecosystems:
for security –safety – transparency – access – input
of data and algorithms
FOR DEBATE ...
▪ How to update and sustain keydecision makers’
expertiseon technology’s possibilities and
controversies?
▪ How to include tech-savvy contributors
across organisational levelsand boundaries
in investment decisions?
IMPLICATIONS …
▪ Move beyondgeneralizations:
techpenetrationneeds
industry-andcompany-
specificcontext and
consideration
▪ Clear decisions on WHOis
accountablefor WHATin
people-intelligent machine
ecosystems,andtheir
intended andunintended
consequences
In my view, this is oneofthegreatest
challenges businessesface:to set uptheir IT
infrastructurein suchawaythatit satisfies
their demands, in line with the direction work
needs to developtowardsin future.
AndrePaetzel, Director Digital Consulting, Grey Germany
WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES

10. NEED FOR BELONGING
Feeling at homein a disruptive and
episodic life andwork scheme
▪ In 2028, people will look for a sense of belonging and of
being at home – within fluid, disruptive and episodic forms
of work and life
▪ There will be limited touchpoints between
employee/collaborator and organisation, permanently
changing entities, and omnipresent blurred boundaries

11. 11
2028 FULL OF POSSIBILITIES
▪ People will feel the need to belong and be at
home– in a fluid, disruptiveand episodic form
of work and life
▪ There will be limited touchpoints between
employee/collaborator and organisations,
permanentlychanging entities,and omnipresent
blurred boundaries
▪ Global employees will benavigating with
or without acause or a community
▪ Protectionismand a senseof exclusion
will arise as results ofa global disconnect
FOR DEBATE ...
▪ Where do managers,employees,gig workers find
a senseof belonging?
▪ Who among your managers and employees will
aim for a central home or multiplehomes in which
to belong?
▪ Should organisationsbea platform for belonging?
IMPLICATIONS …
▪ Consider the need for
belongingwhenthinking
about the future of work
▪ Supportpeople’sreadinessfor
a globalvillage
▪ Identify earlywarningsignals
for unhealthy disconnect
betweenemployeesand
organisations
I think thecauseofit [protectionism
andseparatism] is somehowthe needfor
belonging,whichis essential to all people.
Whenthe entities to whichonebelongs to
aredissolving, then peopleask themselves,
wheredo Ibelong to?
A study participant
WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES

12. A CRY FOR SOCIETAL PURPOSE
Businesses are at a junction with respect
to long-term societal meaning
Societal responsibility will decide between the life and
death of an organisation:
To have meaning in 2028, businesses will have to make
choices towards sustainable models for business and economy.
Organisations will need to re-envision:
▪ … their decades or centuries old purposes they so far
have taken for granted (e.g., move beyond a legitimate,
yet limited focus on profit)
▪ … their learned economic behavior
▪ … their societal contributions

13. 13
2028 FULL OF POSSIBILITIES
▪ Societies and businesses facea watershed
in terms of choosing sustainablemodelsofbusiness
and economy
▪ To have meaning in the societyof 2028,businesses
will be required to re-envision their decades- or
centuries-old purposes,learned economic behavior,
and societal contributions – all oncetaken for
granted.
▪ Organisations’ human-centricityis a necessityto
address societal divisions and inequality gaps and
createsustainablesocieties
▪ Yet, businesses arepermitted to pursueprofit! – as a
long term perspective
FOR DEBATE ...
▪ What role or presupposed purposes,learned patterns
of economic behavior, and societal contributionsplay
in your organisations?
▪ Can you ignore human-centricityin the decisions
and outlook of your organisation?
▪ How does your organisation balanceeffectiveness,
tech-centricityand human-centricity?
▪ Who is asking thosequestions todayin your
organisation,and who needs to ask them in the
future?
IMPLICATIONS …
▪ Identify blindersfrom
presupposedpurposes,
learnedpatterns of economic
behavior,andnarrowsocietal
contributions ANDfind,
understand,and applaud
constructiverule breakers.
▪ Reconsidertimeframesfor
your organisation’s
contributions to society.
▪ Expandthe numberof
managersandemployees
involved in deepconversations
regardingtheorganisation’s
purpose.
Increasingly, businessesare goingto haveto
havearole in societywhichis looking towardsthe
longterm, and to growtheirbusiness and‘decap’
all thatgrowthfromimpact ontheenvironment
andproofpositive social impact.
Stephen J.Pain, VPSustainable Business and Communications,
Unilever
Maybe,Ithink, leaders will bemore and more
facedwith: Whatrole doI have,whatis my
purpose?HowamI gonnacontributeto making the
world abetter place? Becauseit’s notjust ideology
anymore {…} it’s becauseit will bea necessityand
wehaveachanceto contributeto that.
ChrisShern, Director Henley Denmark
WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES

14. I. CRUCIAL TRENDSIN SHIFTING SOCIETIES
II. TRENDSAND TRANSITIONSFOR 2028 ORGANISATIONS
III. TRENDSAND TRANSITIONSFOR 2028 WORK
IV. TRENDSAND TRANSITIONSFOR 2028 LEADERS
V. ENABLING AND KICKING OFF YOUR ACTIVITIES
14WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES

15. SIZE DOES NOT MATTER
Organisations' setupand transition
capabilities arethe nameof the game
Organisations as fluid people-tech eco-systems, co-creating
organisms, with breathing boundaries and structures, organized
in cells and communities
Large organisations will…
▪ … either develop these features with small scale-up activities
and trust in organisational/individual capabilities, reward
proactivity – and thereby survive
▪ … or remain inflexible and stuck in 20th century beliefs with a
ballast of rigid organisational structures and routines – and
thereby disappear
Start up–Scale up–Step up: Fast maturing SMEs step up –
towards clear decision-making processes, gig involvement with
sense of accountability, and a mutually demanding value
proposition for new recruits and partners

16. 16
2028 FULL OF POSSIBILITIES
Classic predictions about thefutureof
organisations’ setup:
▪ Fluid companies of people-tech eco-systems,
breathing boundaries,cell organisation,flatter
structures,ad hoc supplier networks, holocracies,
hybrid units,community-based organisations,co-
creating customers, organisationas host to
freelancers for safetyand predictability, partner
model as a model for all
Growing and Large-scaleorganisations will havea
choicebetween beauty and beast:
▪ Beauty, by nurturing small scale-up activitiesand
their people: making a leap of trust,rewarding
proactivity,giving liberty as motivation,allowing
access to finance and support,etc.
▪ Beast,wheresizeand dominanceleave
organisationsstuck in 20th centurybeliefs,routines,
patterns,and ballast
Start up–Scaleup–Step up
▪ Fast-maturing Start-upsand SMEs challenged to step
up – towards(un)clear decision-making processes;
gig involvement with (in)sufficient accountability,a
demanding value propositionfor employees and the
SME
FOR DEBATE ...
▪ Big vs Small:how large do organisationswant to be?
▪ Identification with the organisation or its cause?
▪ How to increase the appetitefor decision-making
and accountabilityin start-ups and SMEs?
IMPLICATIONS …
▪ De-ritualizing symbolsand
routines of big organisations
▪ Bringingdecisions and
conversationscloser towhere
the expertiselies
▪ Organisationalgrowthalong-
side growthinaccountability
and fluidity –keepingthe
causealive –Re-evaluationof
organisational competencies–
sheddingandpreventing
ballast
▪ Integrationand collaboration
betweenbigand small
organisations
Are we,as acorporation,with all ourrelics
andbaggage,really at adisadvantage
compared to theagile start-ups? Can‘twe
gain an advantagefromourinheritance,
separate fromall stifling structures?
A study participant
WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES

17. SCREWED-UP FAILURE CULTURE
Everyoneproclaims a culture of proper
failing, only few succeed
▪ A deep identity change is needed for a culture of suitable failing
▪ Successful organisations will walk the talk of suitable failing,
beyond glossy communicationand shallow implementation
▪ Top management re-enforces experimentation and genuine
mistakes, to achieve real improvement
▪ Lifelong learning, failing, un-learning, and experiential work are
integral elements of progress and attractiveness

18. 18
2028 FULL OF POSSIBILITIES
Thoseorganisations who succeed will walk
the talk of properlyfailing
▪ Top management encourages and reinforces
experimentation and allows for genuinemistakes in
order to achieve real improvements
▪ Businessesharness synergized insightsbyenabling
collaborative,cross-function activityand participative
explorationand decision-making
▪ Businessesattract and retain young talent through
experiential work and highlyprioritized,flexible
working patterns.
▪ Lifelong learning,failing and un-learning are integral
elements of progress and development
FOR DEBATE ...
▪ For years, organisationshavebeen aware
of the above – but it rarely works!
▪ How about throwingsuperficiallyembedded
learning cultureconcepts in thebin?
▪ To changecultureand allow lifelong learning,which
hard and sustained steps areneeded?
▪ Is a learning cultureonlysomething that is nice to
have? Will a cultureof proper failing and
collaborationsurvivea downturn in the economic
landscape?
IMPLICATIONS …
▪ Wanted! Adeepidentity
changein organisations–
redefining the organisation’s
attitude tolearning,
experimenting,and failing
▪ Spacefor pioneering activityin
collegiate systems–
encourageandendorseoutlier
thinking
▪ Trusting employees’intentions
and capabilitiesin
experimenting–a challenging
endeavor!
▪ Focus onidentification of
hurdles andoutstanding cases
for tangible,company-specific
steps
Thestructureofthe organisation,whatit
supportsandsanctions[could poseahurdle].
Theeagernessto experiment plays abig part,
andit starts with school.[…] Making mistakes
is supposedtoformapartoflearning. How
am I supposedtolearn, if I am notallowed to
make mistakes oncein awhile?
SilkeLuinstra, founder of „Augenhöhe“, film producer,
consultant
WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES

19. ANALOGUE AS TWIN OF DIGITAL
A deep divide on how to build
durable work relationships
The view on building strong and trustworthy
work relationships is divided:
▪ A face-to-face position: real interactions to get to know each
other – labels digital encounters as lacking whole-person
connections
▪ A virtuality position: tech-based, non f2f digital interactions to
get to know each other’s data, which tells all about a
collaborator’s purpose and attitude – labels f2f as a
romanticized, out-of-touch activity
▪ The mediated option: Holographs, Virtual Reality, Hyperloops
are familiar intermediaries.

20. 20
2028 FULL OF POSSIBILITIES
The face-to-faceposition:
▪ Ongoing need for f2f interactions – getting
to know each other for durable and strong
relationships.
And: Digital encounters are porous relationshipsand
lack whole-person connections
The virtuality position:
▪ Tech-based,non f2f, digital interactions – getting to
know each other’s data,which
tells us all about a collaborator’s purposeand
attitudeand allows a strong relationship that
is worthyoftrust
And: Face-to-faceencounters area romanticized,out-
of-touch activity
▪ Or we will see themediated option – Holographs,
Virtual reality, Hyperloops,Robotsas familiar
intermediaries?
FOR DEBATE ...
▪ Does your organisation address theoverlystretched
promiseand romanticized view of f2f?
▪ How will the socialization ofemployees work without
f2f?
▪ Can we facilitatea network of regional mini-’Valleys’
– localized pools ofagglomeration and workspaces
for socializing and innovating?
▪ Can we go directly from Forming to Performing – in
virtual team-building? Is Storming and Norming a
thing of the past?
IMPLICATIONS …
▪ Pushhardfor the bestof both
worlds:define the true
contribution of f2f as an
element of digitalspacesand
work
▪ Identify the value of digital
workrelationships to abolish
ritualized, emptymeetings
▪ Monitor centrifugalforcesof
digitalrelationships for
purpose-richness,shared
commitmentandengagement
On theotherhand,there is aneed for
physicalcontactpoints to strengthen human
interaction. Part ofmy observationshave
been thatregular touchpointsin real life are
essential forteams to performeffectively.
SebastianHopp, Director of Opportunities, innogy
WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES

21. I. CRUCIAL TRENDSIN SHIFTING SOCIETIES
II. TRENDSAND TRANSITIONSFOR 2028 ORGANISATIONS
III. TRENDSAND TRANSITIONSFOR 2028 WORK
IV. TRENDSAND TRANSITIONSFOR 2028 LEADERS
V. ENABLING AND KICKING OFF YOUR ACTIVITIES
21WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES

22. Work is all or nothing
Unlocking new understandings
of work
The path to new meanings of work in society
is a path of controversies about:
▪ The level of life-work integration
▪ The variety of places of work
▪ A work-income(dis-)connect
▪ Work as a place of belonging or of pure transactions
▪ Work as a positive personal stretch or life necessity
▪ New gig-work, by choice or forced insecurity

23. 23
2028 FULL OF POSSIBILITIES
Contentious pathwaysto new meanings of work:
▪ Life: Work and non-work are indistinguishable
and inextricable,by choiceOR Life will be protected
from work – for healthyboundaries
▪ Places:Work happens everywhereAND co-located
work with defined benefits
▪ Income:The work-incomeconnectionhas
disappeared AND there was never a consensus
on societal basic income
▪ Identityand Belonging:Purpose-rich and meaningful
work facilitates a personal life
purposeand a focus for belonging OR work as
a pure transaction in gig relationships,without
personal attachment to a cause
▪ Loyalty:High-speed loyaltyand high-speed
disconnect from tasks and organisationin
support of own purpose
▪ Attitude:Work and stretch at work as fun
OR work as a necessityof life
▪ Distribution:Employment down AND concentrated
organisationalassetsup
▪ Agency: New work as freely chosen OR new work as
forced upon one due to insecurity?
FOR DEBATE ...
▪ Is the aim to keep work and life separatea lost
battle?
▪ Do organisations accept that peoples’lives intrude
on work – as they expect work to intrude on private
life?
▪ What is the roleof societyand regulation in defining
new meanings of work? IMPLICATIONS …
▪ Throughintense debate,
reinvent the meaningof work
– for employees,your
organisation,collaboratorsand
society,along the lenses of …
life, place,income,identity,
belonging,loyalty,attitude and
agency…
Thelines between workandlife are blurring
more and more. Thesearespheres whichwe
wouldstill like to keep separate, at least in
Germany […] I think it will beincreasingly
impossible to achievethis. Wehaveonlyone
brain: sowhenItake awalk,I will also think
aboutwork-related things.
A study participant
WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES

24. TECH-DRIVEN RADICAL TRANSPARENCY
Jump-startto govern everything-
everywhereinsights at work
Organisations face a balancing act between demands for control,
transparency, collaboration, trust and needs for data protection
and security
Contradictions of new, tech-driven work engagement
We will see an era of radical transparency
… about information, data, behavior and decisions
… among employees, managers, peers and external collaborators
… where evidence of people’s contributions, value and
problematic perceptions is completely transparent in the
organisation

25. 25
2028 FULL OF POSSIBILITIES
We will seean era of radical transparencyof information,
data, behavior and decisions among employees,
managers, peers and external collaborators
▪ With transparent sources to giveevidence
about people’s contributions,valueand problematic
perceptions
▪ Where meetings or digital debates are
recorded and accessiblefor all
▪ Where demands for Control-Transparency-
Collaboration-Trust arebalanced with those
for data protection and security
FOR DEBATE ...
▪ Transparencya chance to spot real and
hidden contributors?
▪ They know all about me… how do I remain relevant
as an employee/contributor?
▪ How to address therisk of manipulation?
By whom?
▪ What is the case for selectivesharing or for radical
transparencybetween organisations?
IMPLICATIONS …
▪ Co-createprinciplesand ethics
for dealing withradical
transparencyinan
organisation’seco-system
▪ Identify blinders,realhurdles
and businessopportunities of
radicalinformation-sharing
betweenenterprises
Oneexample I am thinking ofis [ahedge
fund][…], and theyhaveaculture, whichis
really aboutradical transparencyand also
algorithms […] What theydois theyvideotape
everymeeting andanybodycanwatch any
meeting with anyotherperson,nomatter how
painfulthatmeeting is.
David Day,Professor, Claremont McKenna College
WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES

26. EPISODIC LOYALTY
People andorganisations as temporary
life companions
We see an era of episodic loyalty, where organisations, employees
and collaborators connect to engage in/disengage from/re-engage
in cycles of defined duration
… Internal episodic loyalty: regularly changing identification
following tasks, projects or roles
… External episodic loyalty: staying outside the organisationbut
regularly engaging in mutual identification inside its boundaries

27. 27
2028 FULL OF POSSIBILITIES
Episodic loyalty:
▪ Over the courseof employees’careers,
organisations,employeesand collaborators
will go through numerous,temporallydefined cycles
Internal and external episodic loyalty:
▪ Internal:Staying insidean organisation but changing
mutual identification whileundertaking new tasks,
projects,roles
▪ External:Staying outsidethe organisation
overall but regularly embarking on mutual
identification insideits boundaries
FOR DEBATE ...
▪ How much loyalty/identification do both
organisationsand employees invest in the
partnership?
▪ What will serve as employees’anchor for loyalty:the
organisation,overlapping purposes,themeaning or
the societal contribution ofthework?
▪ What will serve as organisations’ anchor for loyalty
and how can they reflect,communicateand act
upon this with clarity?
▪ How to balance episodic loyaltywith organisations’
long-term activities and the need for knowledge-
retention?
IMPLICATIONS …
▪ Organisations,employeesand
collaboratorsneedto
understand,accept,and
engagewiththe cyclicalnature
of episodicloyalty
▪ Organisationsrequirea
functioning mechanismfor
constructivelyengagingin,
disengagingfrom,andre-
engagingwithemployeesand
collaborators
▪ Organisationsshould consider
employeesasorganisational
alumni
I amnowsettled with acolleague whohas
know-howwhichcannotbetied downfor15
years, as heis likely goingto move onto
anothergig within aspaceofsix months.
A study participant
WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES

28. I. CRUCIAL TRENDSIN SHIFTING SOCIETIES
II. TRENDSAND TRANSITIONSFOR 2028 ORGANISATIONS
III. TRENDSAND TRANSITIONSFOR 2028 WORK
IV. TRENDSAND TRANSITIONSFOR 2028 LEADERS
V. ENABLING AND KICKING OFF YOUR ACTIVITIES
28WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES

29. THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY
Transparencyandimmediacy drive
democratizedinformationand decisions
Leadership transparency:
… tech perspective: digitizationand platforms will demolish
leadership privacy at work and reveal leadership activities,
decisions and contributions
… people perspective: Since many, if not all, people will be involved
in leadership and , therefore, have access to leadership realities
Leadership immediacy:
▪ Proximity between managers and employees due to inclusion of
many people
▪ Immediacy will be elevated by social-tech
OF LEADERSHIP

30. 30
2028 FULL OF POSSIBILITIES
Leadership transparency
▪ A tech perspective:
Digitization demolishes leadership privacy
at work – social platforms reveal activities,decisions
and contributions in leadership processes.What
leadership actuallydoes and means becomes public
▪ A people perspective:
Many or all people in organisationsbeing involved in
leadership means more peoplewith access to
decisions,information and sense making
Leadership immediacy
▪ Proximitybetween managers and employees
is the new context for leading and engaging
▪ Solution and decision focus allow for the deep,
rapidly increasing inclusion ofmany people
▪ Immediacyis elevated by social-tech multi-channel
access
FOR DEBATE ...
▪ How can managers, employees,and organisations
benefit from leadership transparencyand intimacy?
▪ Will we still seedifferent forms of gatekeeping and
hierarchal dynamics? How can we ensure
constructivesharing?
IMPLICATIONS …
▪ Preparepeoplefor
transparent,public andvisible
leadershipthinking and
activities
▪ Facilitate management
meetingsas publicarenas that
everyonecanattend or watch
▪ Preparepeoplefor immediacy
and tosee directleadership
accessasanopportunity
And with visible, I mean youcan’t hidein
theofficeanymore. I think the leader will sit
much more in thebusiness andbemore
visible and accessible. He/shewill betheone
whocreates theright teams and theright
focusratherthanproviding expertknowledge
andinfluence.
Tommy Olofsen, MD Crew Management, OSM Maritime
WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES

31. GIG LEADERSHIP
Rotating and episodic leadership
involving the many
▪ Managers, employees and collaborators rotate episodically in
taking the helm of leadership, driven by complex organisational
purposes and tasks, and based on complementary qualities
and capabilities
▪ Interim status will be permanent: interim and gig leadership will
be permanent solutions with multiple and diverse actors (co-
leadership, people-tech ecosystem leadership, and peer-to-peer
leadership)
▪ This can take even longer than the next decade!

32. 32WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES
2028 FULL OF POSSIBILITIES
▪ Leadership rotates episodicallyin the spacebetween
managers, employees and collaborators
▪ Complex purposes and tasks of organisationsand
people’s complementaryqualitiesand capabilities
drive who is taking the helm of leadership during a
given episode
▪ Interim status is permanent: interim and gig
leadership are part of thepermanent nature
of multi-directional leadership
▪ New forms and spaces of leadership:Multipleand
diverse actor leadership, co-leadership,people-tech
ecosystemleadership,leadership in which everyone
engages,peer-to-peer leadership
▪ Expansion ofthe sphereof influence of personal
leadership via digital technologyand networks
OR the other position:Not much will changein
leadership – instead we will see therise of
disciplined activity
FOR DEBATE ...
▪ Who has theability to movein and out of leadership
roles rather than sticking to a singleleader role?
▪ What about leadership with more
diverse people and diverse appearances?
▪ Will we see willingnessto takeon accountability
beyond a ‘gig’ when decision-making is fluid and
rotating? IMPLICATIONS …
▪ Use rotating leadership,as a
placefor identifying and
experimentingwithleadership
talent, skill and expertise
▪ Allow employeesto
experimentandsucceedin
multiple, diverseandinclusive
leadershipconstellations
▪ Rotating leadershipis hard
work:enableit and makeit
work
▪ Develop newwaysof
assessingleadershipsuccess
and promotionof decisionsfor
rotation
[...] andthis contradicts all previousmanager
socializations. A manager is supposedtobein
controlandplan. All ofasudden,wegetinto
this differentstream ofthings,wherehecannot
dothis anymore... hecan puttheboatinto the
water, butatthe same time, hasto let it goand
trust his colleagues to steer it well.
Markus Väth, co-founderHumanfy Think Tank
This is also the greatestchallenge: to bea
totally committed leader, butto also beable to
sayIhavethe sovereigntyto step back.
A study participant

33. LEADING HYBRID WORK FORCES
Preparingleaders to guide
people-machine ecosystems
▪ Managers, employees and collaborators move to leading new
entities: people-tech ecosystems and digital arenas which
consist of people and artificial intelligences, robots, machine
learning, cognitive computing and social platforms
▪ Rise of a new generation of input gatekeepers around data,
decision-making criteria and algorithms

34. 34
2028 FULL OF POSSIBILITIES
▪ Leading involves theuseof technologyas
a platform for celebration and critique
▪ Managers, employees and collaboratorsface
the task of leading people-tech ecosystems
and digital arenas
▪ Leading eco-systemsmeans leading their interfaces
and the interactions within them between people
and artificial intelligence,robots,machinelearning,
cognitivecomputing and social platforms
▪ There will either be a new generation of input
gatekeepers (data,decision-making criteria,
algorithms) or thedemise of the information holder
FOR DEBATE ...
▪ Can technologyactivelylead and/or follow?
▪ Who is accountablefor tech-AI-initiated interventions
and decisions?
▪ What is the demand for compensating for
the lack of a socio-emotionalsidein robot-AI
environments?
▪ How does a robot show empathy/
socioemotionalengagement?
▪ Will we need to inspire and motivate
robots and can weconvincethem “to go
the extramile”?
IMPLICATIONS …
▪ Identify a set of company-
specificleadershipand work
principles for people-tech
ecosystems
▪ Use organisation asa
navigatorfor leadingpeople-
techecosystems
▪ Define accountabilities in
people-robot-AIsystems
▪ Consider the decreased
sourcesfor empathyand
socioemotionalengagement
They[hedgefunds]usea lotofAI in the
trading schemes that theyinvent.Now,people
arestill a big partofthat, butthealgorithms
augment alot ofthehard-nosedhuman
decision-making.
A study participant
WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES

35. TOP MANAGEMENT AS
The Central Hub is….
▪ … guardian of being essential to the organisation’s purpose
▪ … guardian of human-centricity and humanity
▪ … responsible for pulling together disparate organisations
▪ … responsible for destroying what the organisation is good at
▪ … responsible for taking risks for long-term activities
▪ … responsible for enabling people to flourish and learn
CENTRAL HUB
Transitioning into the nurturing nucleus
of an organisation

36. 36
2028 FULL OF POSSIBILITIES
The central hub…
▪ Serves through noiseand distractions as the
guardian of purpose/clarity/essentialityand of
accountabilityto thestakeholder
▪ Is the guardian of human-centricity and humanity
▪ Pulls together and coordinates increasinglydisparate
organisations
▪ Makes decisions within asea of datathat provides
onlylimited insights
▪ Destroyswhat the organisation is good at in order
to help the organisation re-invent itself
▪ Takes risks courageouslyfor long-term action and
to remove roadblocks
▪ Enables by shaping conditions and systems for
people to flourish in and allowing lifelong learning
▪ Transforms to asense of collectivecontributions and
achievements in top management teams
OR the other position:Not much will changein
leadership – instead we will see therise of
disciplined activity
FOR DEBATE ...
▪ Who is part of the central hub? How porous are the
central hub’s boundaries? What will be the fluid size
of an effective central hub?
▪ When do people progress to thecentral hub from the
people-tech eco-system?
IMPLICATIONS …
▪ Thereis a needto identify
learning needsfor true
leadershipand the leadership
strengthsof the organisation’s
centralhub
▪ The centralhub/top
managementteamsmust
embrace thefact they are
developingand learning
entities
▪ Must changeclimate in the
centralhub –createcomfort
withnew waysandelementsof
hub leadership
So I interviewed agentleman whowasa
prominent CEOin Danishbusiness [...] he
stoodup atthe sales conference-instead of
saying ‘This is whatwe’regoingto do andthis
is ourvision’[...] hestood upandsaid ‘You
don’tworkforme. I workforyou[...] weare
goingto figurethis outtogether.
A study participant
WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES

37. LEADING FOR RADICAL
Employees, managers and collaborators in people-tech eco-systems
or episodic, rotating leadership constellations face dual demands
from human centricity
▪ Demand for multifaceted complex capacities: Leadership in
networks of relationships and as an enabler with judgment and
cross-boundary capacities
▪ Demand for evolving personal qualities: Leadership with deeply
seated attributes and self-directed, generative and survival
qualities
HUMAN-CENTRICITY
Embodying multifacetedleadership
capacities and deep personal qualities

38. 38
2028 FULL OF POSSIBILITIES
Employees,managers and collaboratorsin people-tech
eco-systems or episodic,rotating leadership
constellationsfacedual demands from human centricity
Demand for multifaceted complexcapacities:
▪ Leadership in simultaneouslystableand fluctuating
networks ofrelationships(e.g.adapting to
permanentlychanging patterns of relationshipsin
people-tech eco-systems)
▪ Leadership as an enabler - listening and facilitating
inclusivedecision-making (e.g.approaching
leadership as care for individual humans;but
motivation is not the task of a leader: peopleneed
to motivatethemselves)
▪ Judgment and cross-boundarycapacities (e.g.fast
decision-making with limited information and a sea
of data)
Demand for evolving Personal qualities:
▪ Leadership with deeply seated attributes
(e.g. vulnerability as well as resilience)
▪ Leadership with self-directed,generative
and survival qualities (e.g. personal purpose,
lifelong learning,digital confidence)
FOR DEBATE ...
▪ How do we deal with new recruits who bring
unsuitableprimary and secondaryeducation
and limiting,non-explorativevaluesets?
▪ Will organisations seea separation
between scientific/technologicalpeople
and judgement/decision-making people?
IMPLICATIONS …
▪ Investmentin deeppersonal
qualities withinthe reality of
collective leadership– without
returning toleader-centric
development
▪ Needtoexplore the nature of
human-centriccomplex
capacitiesspecifictoyour
organisation
▪ More time and spacefor
connecting andallowing
(accidental)collaboration
▪ Reformof the societalsystem
throughgenerativelinks with
education
Leadership and personaldevelopment go
handin hand.To beatrue leader, youhaveto
beabetter human being andto beabetter
human being youhaveto bea genuine
individual. Youhaveto haveenormous self-
insight. […] Ithink it wasmuch easier [in the
past] to getby being agoodmanager, a
strongmanager, andin the futuretherewill be
noneed formanagers.
David Day,Professor, Claremont McKenna College
WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES

39. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Towardsdisruptive, uncomfortable and
transformativedevelopment
Novel foci for leadership learning with
▪ Whole-person development
▪ Emphasis on collective and multi-level leadership learning
▪ Long-term and cross-career, episodic, non-linear, disruptive
leadership learning and unlearning
Novel constellations for developing leadership capacity
▪ by leadership learning for all employees
▪ in episodically rotating constellations and people-tech
ecosystems
▪ in gig workers
UNLEARNED

40. 40
2028 FULL OF POSSIBILITIES
Novel foci for developing leadership capacity
▪ Whole-person development that embraces
human-centered leadership
▪ Emphasis on collectiveand multi-levelleadership
learning
▪ Long-term and cross-career capacity building
with episodic,non-linear,disruptiveleadership
learning and unlearning
▪ Multifaceted leadership capabilities and deep
structuresofpersonal qualities in the center
Novel constellationsfor developing leadership capacity
▪ Developing all employees throughout theentire
work-life– not as a special privilege for the top
▪ Developing episodicallyrotating constellations
and people-tech ecosystems
▪ Developing gig workers despiteepisodic
work relationshipsand loyalties
FOR DEBATE ...
▪ Is your organisation readyto nurturewhole-person
learning and people-tech system development?
▪ Which new foci and constellations for leadership
learning are most pressing?
▪ What drivers and hurdles are there to developing
leadership in gig workers with episodic work
relationships?
▪ How can managers experienceperiods of late
career second- or third-timebusiness adolescence?
▪ What happens to whole-person development
in crisis?
IMPLICATIONS …
▪ Embedlong-termepisodicand
cross-career,non-linearand
disruptiveleader-shiplearning
and unlearning into work
▪ Build human-centered
leadershipand lead people-
techsystemstodevelop
leadershipin the entire
organisation
▪ Facilitate all-organisation
leadershiplearning – Impact,
time and finance
I think abig trend is moving awayfromleader-
centric notionsofleadership and its development
to more distributive, shared,collective. It’s one
whereeveryonehas to takeresponsibility for
being aleader whenneeded,evenif theycannot
betheleader. {…] so howdoyouprepareforthat
[…] becausewherethings arelagging is that
development is still very20th century.[…] I think
therehas to bemore collective intervention.
A study participant
WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES

41. I. CRUCIAL TRENDSIN SHIFTING SOCIETIES
II. TRENDSAND TRANSITIONSFOR 2028 ORGANISATIONS
III. TRENDSAND TRANSITIONSFOR 2028 WORK
IV. TRENDSAND TRANSITIONSFOR 2028 LEADERS
V. ENABLING AND KICKING OFF YOUR ACTIVITIES
41WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES

42. 42
UBIQUITOUSDIGITIZATION…
▪ Balancingindividual responsibilities,collectivesupport,and
accountabilityfor transitioning into new,technology-driven work.
INFORMED DISORIENTATION…
▪ Move beyond generalizations:tech penetration needs industry- and
company-specific context and consideration.
NEED FOR BELONGING…
▪ Define meaningful touchpoints for episodic employees andpartners
and support people’s readiness for working in a global village.
A CRY FOR SOCIETAL PURPOSE …
▪ Identify blinders from presupposedpurposes,learned patterns of
economic behavior,and narrow societal contributions– in broad
debates about an organisation’spurpose.
… FOR SHIFTING SOCIETIES IN 2028
SIZE DOES NOT MATTER…
▪ Identifying and integratethespecific best in both big and small
organisations.
SCREWED UP FAILURE CULTURE …
▪ Wanted! A deep identity change– Redefining the organisation’s
attitudeto learning, experimenting,andfailure.
ANALOGUE AS TWIN OF DIGITAL …
▪ Pushing hard for the best of both worlds bydefining the true benefit
of F2F in digital spaces and work.
… FOR ORGANISATIONS IN 2028
WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES
KEY IMPLICATIONS…

43. 43
… FOR WORK IN 2028 … FOR LEADERSHIP IN 2028
THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY
OF LEADERSHIP …
▪ Prepare people for transparent and
visible leadership practice with high
immediacy and direct leadership
access
GIG LEADERSHIP …
▪ Use rotating,episodic leadership to
identify leadershiptalent and new
ways of assessingleadership
LEADING HYBRID WORK FORCES …
▪ Identify company-specific principles for
leadership and work in people-tech-
ecosystems – define accountability in
people-robot-AI systems
WORK IS ALL ORNOTHING …
▪ Re-invent meanings ofwork for employees,
organisations,collaborators and society
along the lenses of life, place, income,
identity, belonging,loyalty,attitudeand
agency.
TECH-DRIVENRADICAL TRANSPARENCY…
▪ Co-createprinciples and ethics of dealing
with radical transparency in an
organisation’seco-system.
EPISODIC LOYALTY…
▪ Organisations requirea functioning
mechanism for constructivecyclesof
engaging,dis-engaging,and re-engaging
with employees andcollaborators.
TOP MANAGEMENT AS CENTRAL HUB …
▪ Createclimatechangein thecentral
hub towards leadership strengthsand
being a learning entity
LEADING FOR RADICAL
HUMAN-CENTRICITY…
▪ Invest into deep personal qualities and
multifaceted leadership capacities,
whilechanging society via generative
links to education
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
UNLEARNED …
▪ Embed long-term,cross-career,
episodic, non-linear leadership
(un)learning – towards human-centricity,
leading people-tech system as a
capacity of entireorganisations
KEY IMPLICATIONS…
WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES

44. EDUCATIONWITHLIMITATIONS
▪ Subject-specific versus targeting complex
capabilities and deep personal qualities
▪ Education stuck in 1905
▪ Responsibility,judgement,risk and room
for mistakes underrepresented in
curriculum
REGULATION
▪ Lack of regulatorysupport for new flexible
natureof work, organisation and leadership
NATURE AND SPEED OF CHANGE
▪ Increased pace of changein relevant
environments
▪ Urgencyof needed transitions
▪ Radical,eruptive changeon a regular
basis – need for constant reinvention
44
… THAT HOLD YOU BACK ON YOUR TRANSITION TO 2028
BEWARE OF EXTERNAL
HURDLES …
WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES

45. 45
… THAT HOLD YOU BACK ON YOUR TRANSITION TO 2028
LIMITED DIGITAL KNOW-HOW AT THE TOP
▪ Business with lack ofdigital acumen
WHAT TO INVEST IN AND WHEN
▪ Investmentin tech with limited evidence for
success
▪ A bias towards excessivedatacollection
rather than data exploration
SUSTAINED RIGID MIND-SETSAND VESTED
PERSONAL INTERESTS
▪ People in power prevent transitioning and
progress to safeguard own benefits
▪ Oncein position,young leaders fall in love
with power and protectivebehavior that
prevents fluid structures
▪ Leadership as a prerogativefor positionsof
power
BARRIERS AT THE TOP
▪ Low risk and conservativebusiness
thinking
▪ Limited developmental orientation
▪ Lack of letting go at thetop
▪ Lack of persistencein trend
implementation – dipping in and out
TALENT AND CAREERPATTERNS
▪ Huge differences in individuals’
preferences for self-leadership and
decision-making.
▪ Identifying high potential based on present
and past, not on futureexpectations
▪ Rigid, risk-aversestructures prevent
identifying and nurturing innovativetalent
▪ In-industry search versus outside-industry
talent
ROBUSTNESSOF RIGID CULTURE
▪ Lack of critical employees
▪ Higher levels of obedience
▪ Lack of support for outliers
▪ Sustained emphasis on status/titles
PROHIBITIVE STRUCTURESAND
INCENTIVES
▪ Incentives that simulateand reward
stagnation
▪ Gap between existing ways ofworking and
what actuallyworks,results in disengaged
workforce
THE LURE OF PAST AND CURRENT
SUCCESS
▪ Overly treasuring thegolden legacy
▪ Routineof short-term goal settingfor
immediatereturns
BEWARE OF INTERNAL HURDLES …
WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES

46. STARTING CONNECTED AND
GENERATIVE CONVERSATIONS
Who do you need to share trends and insights with
immediately?
!________ !________ !________
Who do you need to start a conversation with from your
team and sounding board?
!________ !________ !________
MOST STRIKING?
What are your reflections?
What is the most striking trend – within the current
frame of your organisation?
!___________________
!___________________
What is the most striking trend – which sounds foolish
for your organisation?
!___________________
!___________________
Which factors are driving the trends?
!____________________
!____________________
What effects will the trends have?
!____________________
!____________________
TO EXPLORETAKE PRIORITIESIN TURN
The highest priorities, as you rank trends personally.
Why?
!________ !________ !________
The lowest priorities, as you rank them personally. Why?
!________ !________ !________
THE ONE!
If you could experiment with one trend, which would it
be and what would be your first thoughts for action?
!________________________
THE CONNECTIONSYOU SEE.
If you were to draw a map, which trends and actions
would be connected? Visualize steps you can take
towards a sustainable transition towards 2028.
GETTING STARTED WITH ACTIONS
FROM YOUR OWN INSIGHTS2028
WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES 46

47. CONNECTING WITH STUDY PARTNERS
WORK 2028 – TRENDS,DILEMMAS,CHOICES 47
Peter Kalkanis
Deutsche Telekom
HR Digital & Innovation
Peter.Kalkanis@telekom.de
LinkedIn
Martin Wilckens
Deutsche Telekom
HR Digital & Innovation
Martin.Wilckens@telekom.de
LinkedIn
Karla Blanke
Detecon International
Company ReBuilding
Karla.Blanke@detecon.com
LinkedIn
MarcWagner
Detecon International
Company ReBuilding
Marc.Wagner@detecon.com
LinkedIn
Prof. BerndVogel
Henley Business School,
University of Reading
Henley Centre for Leadership
bernd.vogel@henley.ac.uk
LinkedIn
Obiageli Heidelberger-Nkenke
Henley Business School,
University of Reading
Henley Centre for Leadership
obiageli.heidelberger-nkenke@reading.ac.uk
LinkedIn
Dr. Reza Moussavian
Deutsche Telekom
HR Digital & Innovation
Reza.Moussavian@telekom.de
LinkedIn