Brooklyn Chamber discusses next generation of work in Brooklyn

April 7, 2016 By John Alexander Special to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Carlo Scissura. Eagle file photo by Rob Abruzzese

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On Wednesday, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce with Liquid Talent presented an engaging work summit at Brooklyn Law School that explored what the next generation of work will look like.

In his opening remarks, Alex Abelin, co-founder of Liquid Talent, explained that the “fabric of work is changing” as we move toward a more technological-based work force. He listed the four pillars of the future of work as:

* Independence: 53 million Americans can identify as Freelancers (approximately 34 percent of the work force) who prefer to work for themselves.

* Millennials: The entrepreneurial generation who grew up with technology.

* Lifestyle: Internet penetration that allows us to work from anywhere we choose.

* Mobile: The use of mobile devices and apps that allow “shifting from desktop to laptop to phone,” according to Abelin.

Issac Oates, founder and CEO of JustWorks, offered an informative history of the work force from the Stone Age (“The Flintstones”) to present day. He contrasted the early interchangeable work force with the more flexible and fluid work force of today.

The summit included three breakout sessions that explored pertinent issues such as “Playing Within the Lines: Compliance in the 21st Century,” “Growing and Evolving Your Teams: How to Attract the Best Talent and Stay in Front of Your Competition” and “Moving Towards a Project-Based Economy: Is 1099 the Future.”

The final group panel discussion, “The Way We’ll Work: The Future of Work,” examined the current trends that impact the way people work today and how they will work in the future.

Scott Annan, co-founder of Liquid Talent, offered final remarks stating that the nine-to-five work model is over, and that the work model has shifted from traditional staffing to the emergence of working online. He further explained that people today want to work for themselves with “more flexibility and more control of our lives.” He concluded the presentation on a bright note, emphasizing “The future of work is about optimism and opportunity.”