From here to eternity? Work, coaching, and consulting in a post-Covid world

Abstract

This article, written for the special twentieth anniversary edition of Organisational and Social Dynamics, examines how the technological revolution and the pandemic are changing the shape of organisations and the future requirements from advisory services such as coaching and consulting, within the context of a PC culture and anxiety about climate change. The authors describe how AI and robotics are influencing the nature of work, replacing many jobs and enabling managers to be less operational and more strategic in orientation. The influence of the Black Lives Matter movement and the introduction of Universal Basic Income are described. The effect of the pandemic on the human psyche, on employment, poverty, homelessness, racism, and mental illness are spelt out as well as the implications for the world of work and organisational life. Attention is paid to the impact on the role of coach/coachee, using the six-domain model of coaching with predictions of how coaching may change in the future. The final section is devoted to organisational consulting and how the impact of the pandemic may transform client/consulting relationships.