Welcome to Day 2 of TEDNext! Yesterday was full of great insights and new connections. Today, we heard leading voices from all over the world on the TEDNext stages, their ideas and insights inspiring listeners to think about the changes coming as work and the workplace continuously evolve.

We talked to 5 attendees – Fellows, creators, speakers, and educators – to find out how they see work changing and how they think we should prepare for that future.

5 Tips to Prepare for the Future of Work

1. Learn to communicate in new ways

Communication tools will continue to adapt for better understanding and inclusiveness.

TED Fellow Paule Valery Joseph Ph.D., MBA, CRNP, FAAN said that communication is rapidly changing, pointing to how AI has already transformed the workplace despite being in the early stages of adoption.

A good example of this is TEDNext speaker Adam Munder’s work on OmniBridge —  a tool that leverages AI to facilitate communication between spoken and signed languages. Inspired by his own experience of navigating the hearing world with limited access to interpreters, Munder co-founded OmniBridge to create a more inclusive world where every conversation can be fully understood regardless of the participants’ hearing abilities. Paule said she sees this type of adaptive approach as the future of communication.

“How can we adapt as leaders to different ways of communication?” Dr. Joseph said. "No matter where you are in your journey as a leader, you need to be able to deliver complex ideas into clear messages your audience can easily understand.”

Communication is changing, but its purpose — understanding and connection — aren’t. It just takes being agile enough to adapt alongside it.

2. Lean into your emotional intelligence

Emotional literacy will be valued more than intellectual prowess.

TEDNext speaker, futurist, and strategist AC Coppens says the future of work will require blending AI-powered tools with the emotional intelligence that can only come from humans. In their eyes, employees won't resent having AI in the workplace as long as everyone leans into the social-emotional skills that foster human connection. The challenge, they said, is to effectively integrate AI while respecting the humans working alongside it.

“The future of work is a space where AI enhances productivity while working in harmony with humans,” they predicted. ”AI brings analytics, relevance and endurance, while human intuition and embodied experience come together to achieve the best possible outcomes."

While implementing beneficial AI tools, don't forget the value of emotional human connections.

3. Seek out a new generation of voices

Young leaders will surprise you — and they need your mentorship.

Jilo Tisdale is a faculty member working in the Office of Civic Engagement at Spelman College, where she helps train the next generation of leaders who are already shaping the future of work.

“Our students are literally the leaders of tomorrow. I think we have the responsibility to simultaneously unpack those talents that they have, while also holding them accountable to develop as impactful leaders.”

The best way to ignite change, she said, is to harness the hope of young leaders and pair it with the expertise of senior leaders.

“I think that's one of the most powerful attributes that student leaders bring to the work,” she said. “They have what is sometimes labeled as idealism, but it really is just hope for a future that's better than today.”

The leaders of the future are already driving change. Empower their voices to be heard.

4. Make your own opportunities

The future of your work might depend on the doors you open today.

Jade Walters founded the blog The Ninth Semester on her own initiative. When no one would take a chance on her, she chose to take ownership over her career and set out to get experience on her own terms.

“If there's something you want to do, just go out and do it,” said Walters. “You don't have to have a certain amount of years in the industry. You don't have to have a certain amount of followers. You can’t always wait for your next big move. Sometimes, you have to make it happen yourself.”

When there’s no seat at the table, create your own.

5. Embrace a distributed workplace

The future of work isn’t just remote — it’s distributed. This means creating a flexible, accessible work environment where key information is available anytime, anywhere.

Companies must move beyond traditional workflows — like relying on meetings and mandatory in-office days — and adopt new tools and strategies that promote flexibility and transparency.

Atlassian’s Daniel Filous summed it up: "We need new processes that allow teams to thrive, even when we can't all be in the same room. Things like context, goals, plans, and progress need to be accessible to everyone, at any time, from anywhere.”

With the right tools, innovations like AI can help us work smarter and reclaim valuable time — even working remotely.

At TEDNext purpose-driven leaders from every industry are gathering to learn and grow their own careers and inspire their teams to prepare for — and create— the future. It’s not too late to tune in and join us virtually. Watch all of the inspiring talks from the TEDNext stage on-demand.

At TEDNext, purpose-driven leaders from every industry are gathering to learn and grow their own careers and inspire their teams to prepare for — and create— the future.

It’s not too late to tune in and join us virtually. Watch all of the inspiring talks from the TEDNext stage on-demand with TEDLive.