Information is power, and as information goes digital, more and more of that information, or power, is becoming available. Exploring the Future of Work, Anuj Chandarana will demonstrate that having an imbalance of information or power in the employee/employer relationship can disrupt the trust that is required to make work productive. 

A bit of background context:

• The topic of transparency in how data are being used is becoming more important as we enter what the World Economic Forum calls the fourth industrial revolution, marked by the merging of physical, digital and biological worlds.  Where technology is no longer just outside us, but we are internalizing it and it deeply alters how we think and act.    
• Data is being used in increasingly advanced ways in the workplace — AI in hiring to assess video interviews, advanced statistics that study employees over decades and “data exhaust” from collaboration tools used to increase productivity.  All come with significant advantages to employees and employers, but also risk of breaching trust and causing rifts in productivity if not used thoughtfully.

What we can do about it? 

• For the fourth industrial revolution to be a success, at a fundamental level, we will have to be a connected humanity, bonded by trust, where we are open with information to keep power in balance, to make the most of our future.  
• The Silicon Valley tagline “open is better than closed” can guide us down a helpful path (sharing information with governing review boards within companies, being open to re-validation of results, sharing findings with research participants, and being clear about research design and intentions at the onset). We need to share information openly to keep power imbalances in check and make the most of what’s coming.