Wake Up. You’re Late.

The Now of Work: The Future Happened 40 Years Ago

For decades, businesses have been fixated on the so-called Future of Work. Guess what? That future isn’t coming, it came and went.

I know, because I was living it 40 years ago.

Back in the late ’70s and early ’80s, I was at Pitney Bowes, a cutthroat salespowerhouse. Of the 13 people on my induction course, I was the only one still standing after nine months. A kid among seasoned pros.

Within a year, I became one of the top salespeople in the UK, then one of the best
globally. And here’s the kicker:

• I worked remotely
• I came into the office once a week max.
• I only worked two actual days per month.

I was on a full-time salary with bonuses and commissions. My boss didn’t care about my hours, only my results. He couldn’t even motivate me with money, I had enough. So instead, he let me focus on snooker. I played against world champions like Alex Higgins and Steve Davis, and my boss spent one day a week with me at the snooker hall.

This wasn’t some radical, futuristic experiment. It was happening 40 years ago. And yet, most companies still haven’t caught up.

Why Are Businesses Still Stuck in the Past?

Despite all the advances in technology, automation, and workforce flexibility, organisations still :

• Treat people as fixed costs instead of engaging them based on revenue or outcomes.
• Hire based on time worked rather than actual impact.
• Structure their workforce as if humans need to be in seats full-time to deliver results, even though Digital Workers (AI, automation) can handle much of the workload.

Pitney Bowes could have shifted me from a fixed-cost employee to a revenue-based model. It would have:

• Reduced employment liability
• Boosted profitability
• Given me even greater flexibility to perform at my peak

This shift has always been possible. Most businesses just ignored it.

The Now of Work: The New Reality

The future of work isn’t coming. It’s here. The businesses that don’t evolve will fail.

What defines the Now of Work?

• Outcome-based pay: Forget hours. Reward results. Measure contribution, not attendance.
• Digital and Human Workforce: Let AI handle the repetitive tasks; let people focus on strategy, relationships, and innovation.
• Remote and flexible work as the default: Work is an activity, not a location. Measure output, not office time.
• Portfolio-based careers over fixed employment: People don’t need to be tied to one employer. Value should be delivered across multiple projects, multiple companies, multiple revenue streams.

What Needs to Happen NOW?

• Ditch fixed-cost employment. Pay for value, not time.
• Embrace automation. Free up human talent for work that matters.
• Adopt flexible engagement models. Stop clinging to full-time contracts, pay for results, not presence.
• Give workers autonomy. The best talent doesn’t want micromanagement. They want
  freedom to perform.

So Why Should You Care?

Because if you don’t, you’re already obsolete.

I lived the Now of Work 40 years ago. The question isn’t whether it works, it’s why you’re still dragging your feet.

The companies that get it will dominate. The ones that don’t will be left behind.

You’ve got two choices:

• Adapt and win.
• Ignore it and disappear.

What’s it going to be?