1.2.2023

What leadership to take up the future of work?

On March 1st, 2023, Jean-Christophe Deslarzes, Chair of the Board of The Adecco Group, will tackle this topic in the inaugural lecture of our new Lecture Series on Leadership in the Future of Work, in the Grand Aula of the University of Zurich.

1.11.2022

The BRIDGE Lab: Bridging the “Wisdom Gap”

On 1 November 2022 , a new structural vessel «The BRIDGE Lab» was launched at the UZH Digital Society Initiative (DSI). As the key drivers of the initiative, Dr. Ning Wang, Prof. Davide Scaramuzza and Prof. Francis Cheneval aim to, through this collaborative platform, connect science with industry, government, regulatory authority, and civil society around conditions of successful implementation of digital innovations in Switzerland.

5.10.2022

Lunch & Learn Talk: User-Centered Design and User Experience Evaluation for Digital Innovations In Healthcare

On 7 November Dr. Serge Petralito, a researcher in Human Factors Psychology at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, will present on the topic of "User-Centered Design and User Experience Evaluation for Digital Innovations In Healthcare.

25.8.2022

“The future of work“ – Recordings now online

You missed our spring lecture series on «the future of work»? Watch the recordings now

11.5.2022

Time and well-being in the future of work

Join us on 1 June for an inspiring public lecture and discussion with Dr. Laura M. Giurge from the London Business School on "Time and well-being in the future of work". Ongoing innovations such as ubiquitous communication technology, alternative work arrangements, and hyper-efficiency are revolutionizing our work experiences, making it easier to share information, collaborate with others, and achieve more with less effort. At the same time, it has become increasingly difficult to draw boundaries between work and other aspects of our life. On an individual level, working one extra hour one day might not seem hugely problematic, but when amplified across time, failure to disconnect from work carries enormous costs to individuals and society at large. In this talk, I will explore the unintended drivers of work connectivity and present solutions to mitigate them, to ensure that work innovations are assets rather than barriers for well-being and productivity. This event is part of the DSI spring lecture series "The Future of Work".

25.4.2022

The end of work: why it won’t happen

Join us on 18 May for an inspiring public lecture and discussion with Prof. Dr. Daniel Oesch from the University of Lausanne on "The end of work: why it won’t happen". Few days pass without media reports predicting the end of work. Ever more sophisticated robots and artificial intelligence are seen as inexorably replacing human labour. These predictions about technological unemployment are as old as the Industrial Revolutions – and so far labour force statistics have invariably proved them wrong. Our talk explains where the predictions about the end of work went wrong and why technological does not per se reduce the demand for work. Based on labour market data, it then shows what instead has happened to the employment structure of Europe over the last decades. If we wish to anticipate the future of work, jobs and skills, the most promising strategy lies in clearly understanding the present changes in the job structure.  This event is part of the DSI spring lecture series "The Future of Work".

1.3.2022

The future of humanitarian work in light of digitalisation

Join us on 22 March for an inspiring public lecture and discussion with Philippe Stoll from the International Commitee of the Red Cross on the future of humanitarian work in light of digitalisation: Similar to what we witness here in Switzerland, the growing use of new and digital technologies is impacting conflicts around the world. Not only people affected by these armed conflicts, but they also change the way the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and humanitarian organisations conduct their work. While staff and volunteers continue to distribute food, build shelters, give health assistance or visit hundreds of thousands of people in prisons, the ICRC uses digital cash transfer, AI, drones, blockchain, NFT, etc. In his presentation, Philippe Stoll will speak about how these tools present both opportunities and risks. How they can improve the quality, the speed and the relevance of humanitarian work, but also how they can lead to new problems for people in war zones (cyber-attacks, surveillance, data protection…). This event is part of the DSI spring lecture series "The Future of Work".

15.2.2022

The precarious future(s) of gig work: Migration, datafication & financialization

Join us on 9 March for an inspiring public lecture and discussion with Prof. Dr. Niels van Doorn from the University of Amsterdam on “The precarious future(s) of gig work: Migration, datafication & financialization”. Drawing on four years of research conducted in the context of the Platform Labor project, this talk will examine the three pillars of the gig economy – migration, datafication and financialization – in order to elucidate its turbulent history, ambivalent present, and precarious future(s). Part one starts by recounting the gig economy’s “golden days”, marked by rapid capital-induced growth, high pay incentives and regulatory voids/arbitrage. Part two then explains how increased public scrutiny and investor demands for a road to profitability put dual pressure on gig companies to adjust their operations, spurring labor cost-cutting and gamification, on the one hand, and regulatory entrepreneurship on the other. During this period, workers with access to better alternatives left the gig economy behind and urban gig work increasingly became migrant work. Part three reflects further on the convergence of migration, datafication and financialization in the gig economy, particularly in light of recent court decisions across European member states as well as national and EU-wide regulatory initiatives. It concludes by outlining the potential and fiercely contested futures of platform-based gig work, all of which signal the end of platform exceptionalism and the increased institutional integration of gig work into the low-wage services sector. This integration, it is suggested, may entail the end of the gig economy as we know it today. This event is part of the DSI spring lecture series "The Future of Work".

2.2.2022

Why the future of work is funny

Join us on 2 March for an inspiring public lecture and discussion with Prof. Dr. Jamie Gloor from the University of St. Gallen on "Why the future of work is funny". We may all feel a sense of relief after a good joke and a laugh, whether it’s at work, at home, or with friends. And it’s easy to take workplace humor lightly—something that just makes work a little more fun. But, given the power of humor—particularly in tricky situations (and after these tricky years we've had)—I’ll highlight 3 evidence-based ideas about why humor has evolved from a “nice to have” into a “need to have” skill for the future of work and leadership. Despite the rise of AI and AI-powered robots—or perhaps even because of this—“human” skills such as communication, collaboration, and humor are more important than ever. So, while honesty may (still) be the best policy, I'll explain why when the truth is tricky to acknowledge, define, or discuss, a little humor can go a long way.  This event is part of the DSI spring lecture series "The Future of Work".

14.1.2022

The future of work – Programme FS 2022

Rapid technological advancements, demographic changes, societal shifts in values, and other forces are dramatically re-shaping the world of work. But what will the future of work hold? Join us for the Digital Society Initiative Lecture Series “The Future of Work”, in which academics and policymakers explore different aspects of how the world of work will look in the future. We will discuss how increased gig work is shaping the labor market, and how digitalization is changing humanitarian work at organizations like the Red Cross. We will see evidence as to why doomsday pictures of the future of work are wrong, and how fundamentally human skills such as humor and time use shape success for leaders and employees in the future of work. All interested are invited to participate in the events free of charge. On-site childcare will be provided on prior demand.