SWC’s Fast Five
Futurists are saying the 2022 work world means the death of hustle and the rise of looking out for yourself, school buses are tracking your kids, business is calling all you retirees to unretire, some next-year changes are this-year ready from cities running on crypto to manufacturing reshoring and what’s really cool – your kid’s plastic Chatter Telephone works on Bluetooth.
So, here’s this week’s Fast Five:
1 What will work will look like in 2022?
Industry leaders think hybrid working will become the norm and 2022 will focus on when to work. The most intriguing trend will be the rise of looking out for yourself at work, be it through refusing long hours or joining unions. With hybrid work set to continue, producing better remote meetings will be a skill set that leads to promotion.
2 Fisher-Price toy phone now works with Bluetooth
Baby’s first “mobile” phone is now an actual mobile phone. The iconic Fisher-Price Chatter Telephone pull toy has been made into a working Bluetooth-connected handset for grownups. Now, 60 years since it first was introduced, you can take your business calls through the big, red plastic handset.
3 School buses that track your child’s location
For parents, teachers and school administrators, the ability to follow each student’s daily commute adds a layer of safety and peace of mind. This Uber-like GPS-based system tracks each student’s school bus ride, letting parents know where their child is in real time.
4 During the pandemic, millions of workers retired. The economy needs them to unretire
The pandemic drove millions of workers into early retirement and experts say they could be key to reviving the economy. The U.S. needs workers. Despite record job openings and soaring demand, businesses claim they can’t find workers. “Unretirements” could help solve part of the problem.
5 29 big ideas that will change our world in 2022
In 2021 — after a year that forced us to reconsider our assumptions and expectations for our lives and careers — we searched for a new path, a way to live and work that felt right and sustainable amid the ongoing pandemic. And in 2022, we’ll continue to refine and redefine this brand new world.
