Kelly Monahan is the Managing Director at Upwork, and leads their Future of Work research efforts. Having conducted and led future of work research efforts at leading organizations, Kelly has been studying the workplace and how it’s changed and evolved over the years, and is currently leading efforts at Upwork to identify Workplace innovators who are truly thinking and working about the workplace and designing organizations.

During our conversation, Kelly spoke about some of her observations about how she has seen the workplace change, and some examples of how companies and leaders have adapted new ways of working and thinking as a result of those changes, ranging from how companies hire, think about work, and design work. 

Kelly also spoke about some of the research she and her team at Upwork have been doing on generative AI, and some of the key insights as well as future opportunities for how Generative AI can help organizations reimagine how they work, and truly work in new ways. 

Links:

• Kelly’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-monahan-ph-d-18879413/
• Kelly's TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23SYB8ZFEEI
• Upwork Research on Gen AI: https://www.upwork.com/blog/generative-ai-disconnect 
• Productivity-Trust Paradox: https://alsnewsletter.substack.com/p/the-productivity-trust-paradox
• David Graeber: https://www.vox.com/2018/5/8/17308744/bullshit-jobs-book-david-graeber-occupy-wall-street-karl-marx
• Slack's Research on Productivity and Trust (Summer 2023): https://slack.com/blog/news/future-of-work-research-summer-2023
• Discretionary Effort: https://hbr.org/2004/12/the-things-they-do-for-love
• Al’s Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsaldea/