WORKQUAKE

A debut analysis of the seismic changes in the post-pandemic workplace.

The “workquake” that experienced talent adviser Cadigan refers to in the title of his nonfiction debut is the unprecedentedly sharp upheaval in many workplaces as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Many workers began working remotely and have shown reluctance to return to offices and commutes—particularly after they’ve shown they can do the same amount of work at home. This has already reshaped the working landscape. For instance, Cadigan asked a group of CEOs from various countries whether they even offer potential employees “long” careers, and none of them did. The reason? “The future is too unpredictable.” The author’s central contention is slightly counterintuitive: that acclimating to unpredictability can be a tremendous asset in the post-pandemic world. Cadigan doesn’t want to alarm his readers—indeed, his book’s general narrative tone is brisk and upbeat—but he wants them to recognize the reality of the instability that has been introduced into modern workplaces. Potential employees might be disappointed at some of Cadigan’s advice; he seems at times to be advocating ceaseless work, even in your off-hours, to develop your career—because if you think you’re in a position or company that isn’t affected by instability, you’re wrong: “The question is not if your working world will change,” he writes, “the question is when.” He effectively tailors his advice to employers and employees, by turns, offering individual profiles of companies and plenty of footnotes while addressing new realities. There are intriguing ideas here, as when he questions whether companies should continue to value long-term employee retention or focus on attracting the talent for short periods (“In an uncertain world, a company will benefit from offering to make their employees more employable for the long term—even if they leave the firm”). It also questions whether employees should seek to lodge at one company for life, when new positions could offer different learning experiences. Overall, the book works hard to challenge readers’ complacency.

A vigorous, paradigm-shaking look at the new nature of work.