The 2020 Workplace: How Innovative Companies Attract, Develop, and Keep Tomorrow's Employees Today

by Jeanne C. Meister and Karie Willyerd

Book Overview

From well-respected human resources and corporate training experts Jeanne C. Meister and Karie Willyerd, a must-read guide to the innovative strategies that the best companies are using to create a workplace that the best talent chooses--both today and in 2020. In The 2020 Workplace, Meister and Willyerd offer a battle plan to start winning tomorrow's employees today.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061763276
• ISBN13: 9780061763274
• Release Date: May 2010
• Publisher: Harper Business
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.06 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

The next "Y2K"

Making your organization "2020 compliant" is more important than was Y2K preparedness. Ten years ago, we entered the new decade with barely a blip. In 2020, organizations will not have what it takes to survive, never mind outlast their competition, if they do not take steps now to become 2020 compliant. The 2020 Workplace, shaped by 5 generations, with different perceptions of reality, coexisting inside organizations will have to be radically changed from today. From employees' expectations and needs, to the leadership traits of the CEO, to social recruiting and learning, you MUST start now to reengineer your organization. Kudos to those companies that have already begun to prepare, and for those who have not, you better get busy! Great book! When you read it, you will come away with a true vision of what the 2020 workplace will be like. Additionally, you will read real world examples of what outstanding companies like Best Buy, GE, Deloitte, Sun, IBM, Lockheed Martin, just to name a few are doing to become compliant, providing you ideas of what you need to do to survive into the next decade and beyond.

Must Read to plan your future strategy

The workplace is changing so fast that most organizations cannot keep up The changes are expertly dealt with and should act as a WAKE UP call to those organizations whose training programs of the past no longer seem to be as effective . In particular the need to develop POrganization and learning agility is recognized as critical . Most importantly it elucidates the need to share knowledge across boundaries using different media A Must Have for any Executive. . The authors have produced a ground breaking book

Sharon M. Matthews, President and CEO, eLynx

The 2020 Workplace, by Meister and Willyerd, is an amazingly relevant business book for any executive looking to identify, engage and retain a broad based talent pool on which to grow their business. Its style is clear and accessible and the messages are direct. I find it particularly valuable due to the breadth of industry research and resultant real life examples. It is a plain-speaking eye-opening perspective of the changes occurring in our flat and increasingly connected business world. As the edges of our businesses blur ... here is a tool and a source for a today's and tomorrow's executives not just in human resources, to stay relevant, and oriented - I commend this book to you

It's always been about talent- now its about getting talent in a changing world

Every graduate course I teach begins with an outward look at the changes in the business environment over the past 2-3 decades. It helps students understand the need for change, for responsiveness and adaptiveness, and for leadership. It also frames everything I want to say about creating sustainable effective organizations. Meister and Willyerd's book, The 2020 Workplace, reminds us that part of the changes in the world around us includes the workforce itself, and that we need to consider those changes as we attempt to adapt and adjust our businesses to the dynamics of the business environment. The 2020 Workplace begins by setting the stage for why the future workplace is going to be different. Advances in social technologies, shifts in demographics, and a global business environment will all affect the workplace of the future. The Millennial generation is a particular focus, since it is expected to be nearly 50% of the workforce in just four years. In Part II, Meister and Willyerd showcase HR and Learning practices companies are using now to address those shifts. Examples include Deloitte's use of a video contest to help recruiting, internal social networks for collaborative communication at Cerner, several examples of mentoring and microfeedback, and leadership development at Cisco. Part III includes 20 predictions for 2020, such as electing your own leader, and concludes with advice on how to prepare for 2020. In addition to substantial references to existing material, the authors conducted their own study of over 2200 employees around the world, and their research is presented in an accessible and engaging manner. Their extensive interviews with the featured companies make the book highly practical, and you are sure to get some ideas for use in your own company. The "52 Stories" example from Qualcomm is one that any company could use to help new employees understand and adapt to their culture. Finally, the glossary is particularly helpful for readers who may not know terms or web resources like crowdsourcing, tagging, and Delicious. Overall, this is a practical and helpful book for HR practitioners who want to prepare their organizations to be ready for tomorrow.

Forecasting Tomorrow's Workforce: Interesting Perspective

"The 2020 Workplace," written by Jeanne Meister and Karie Willyerd, explores the lightning-fast changes occurring in the workplace now and over the next ten years. The book forecasts what managers, leaders, and executives need to know to ensure their business is ready for these changes. Meister and Willyerd skillfully present fascinating stories that provide examples of how people across generations and geographies are using technology, such as the social web, to get their work done. New ideas about management, collaboration, communication, and fostering creativity are presented with practical tips and tricks on how to evolve your organization to be prepared for tomorrow's talent today. I particularly like how the book offers compelling research and data, but is not seeped in theory alone -- the authors offer suggestions and nice end-of-chapter summaries that are pragmatic and applicable to anyone in HR or management. Recommendation: Buy it and read it. You may or may not agree with all of their forecasts, but at least you will know what you are facing when recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce. Especially a good read for HR managers, leadership and development people, and executives.