This weeks curator, Thomas Ridings, looks at how young companies are disrupting the way we work; he also shares 5 links for further reading on the topic.
How work is changing
The way we work is changing at a rate of knots.
The notion of a 30 year, 9-5 desk job has vanished and taken with it the traditional expectations of what work is, where it’s done and how we go about doing it.
An increased focus on employee retention, changing expectations and countless digital technologies are all driving this social revolution towards a reformed concept of work. This weeks linklog pays homage to a number of startups and new technologies that are helping to drive this trend.
WeWork
What began as a rent-a-desk service for freelancers has very quickly grown to become almost the epitome of this new style work. Entrepreneurial hopefuls preparing their seed investor pitch sit side-by-side with teams from the large, recognisable corporates of the age such as American Express, Microsoft, and GE. The atmosphere resembles more children’s play area than drab and grey office; a true reflection of change afoot.
Slack
It’s not the first time we’ve mentioned slack (see here) and I’m sure it won’t be the last. The lightweight but punchy communications tool is not only killing email but it’s transforming every aspect of modern day work; transparent decision making, effortless collaboration and an open platform that can even give your technology applications a voice in the company.
Stack Overflow
Ok, so they might not really be a startup or even a young company these days but anyone who has faced any sort of tech problem has most likely heard of them. Stack Overflow is a collection of technology-related Questions and Answers. It’s primarily driven by a community of people who either have a problem and need help or have a solution to somebody else’s problem. The most notable thing about Stack Overflow, for me at least, is that you don’t know the person you’re helping, you don’t get any real world gratification or reward for your assistance and yet they have a knowledge-sharing community and culture stronger than any single organisation out there.
Base Camp
Again another veteran in the startup world basecamp is a real forward thinker when it comes to what work should be. The co-founders, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier, are widely considered the godfathers of remote working, they were responsible for the much loved open source development framework Ruby on Rails and have published books titled: ‘Getting Real’, ‘ReWork’ and ‘Remote’ their company Basecamp provides a fitting project management tool for modern day work. Whether you’re in the office enjoying a morning coffee with colleagues or on a beach in Thailand with your laptop and wifi Basecamp aims to keep everyone singing from the same hymn sheet.
UpWork
Up work is commonly used platform by freelancers looking for roles and businesses looking for freelancers. It’s a simple exchange that really makes sense for both parties. Businesses get a flexible resource pool with ratings and reviews to ensure they get the right person, freelancers get flexible work opportunities and a large marketplace of possible roles. There has bee a huge rise in the popularity of such platforms but also of the type of skills and services available. It’s no longer just graphic designers and copywriters but more and more traditional jobs are being offered and filled.
Weekly Linklog
- With their clubby nature and grand cultural claims – and for some, health insurance and living quarters – the empires of coworking space are becoming our new corporate parents. New work order – The Long and Short – Thelongandshort.org
- Stream Let’s Talk About Slack, Baby by Bloomberg from desktop or your mobile device. Let’s Talk About Slack, Baby by Bloomberg – Free Listening on SoundCloud
- I’ve literally had problems; I’ve been ready to tear my hair out over, which have been answered in the time I spent going to fetch another cup of coffee. Why does Stack Overflow work? – Meta Stack Exchange
- Trusted by millions, Basecamp is the leading web-based project management and collaboration tool. To-dos, files, messages, schedules, and milestones. A letter from the CEO – Basecamp.com
- More than 16 years ago, Michelle Garrett says she “liberated” herself from the day-to-day grind of working for someone else and started doing it her way. 5 Ways Starting My Own Business Changed My Life – Upwork Blog
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