When Innovation Changes Work

In this series, we have examined buzzwords in business since the 1980s. We saw how they indicated shifts in trends and ways of working, and uncovered that innovation was, in fact, the key to distinguishing leaders from followers. So what is next? Let’s explore what the new business of language reveals, and why humans still do the real work. 

Covered in this article

Evolution in More Ways Than One
What is Really Changing About Work
Trust and Ethics Moves to Centre Stage
The Final Word
FAQs

Evolution in More Ways Than One

As the year draws to a close, it is often a time to pause and reflect. And then to start looking ahead at what the future holds. Well, in business language, the future holds some interesting concepts. Our latest lingo is now focused on technological advances, changing generational expectations, workforce dynamics and consumer expectations. 

Some of the emerging buzzwords you will hear during the next couple of years include:

• Agentic AI - where software agents don’t simply exist but also act more autonomously by making data-driven decisions and initiating tasks. From a business process management perspective, agentic BPM refers to embedding such agents into processes to adapt, monitor and propose improvements. 
• Gen Alpha Marketing - where consumers born after 2010 are now influencing markets and their preferences for sustainability, authenticity, and socially conscious choices are shaping product design, marketing channels and brand expectations. 
• Sustainability as Default - no longer simply a nice to have, companies must consciously choose to implement sustainable practices in how products are designed, delivered and brought to market. Gen Alpha Customers believe that the sustainable choice is also the obvious choice. 
• Immersive Technologies - although not a new concept, things like augmented (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in one’s experience (whether as a customer, remote worker, collaborator or marketer), are gaining traction. 
• FOBO - you’ve heard of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) or even JOMO - for the introverts among us, that is the Joy of Missing Out. But a new psychological phenomenon is taking shape in FOBO - the Fear of Becoming Obsolete. This reflects the anxiety amongst employees that technology, especially AI, will render their roles and skills completely redundant. 
• Talent Cloud - a virtual pool of global professionals, hired based on skills rather than degrees and certificates, who can be employed on a project basis without the limitation of geographical borders. 
• Innovation in Logistics - business must innovate to ensure faster delivery, tracking, returns and sustainability when it comes to consumer expectations and e-commerce. 
• Social Commerce - Here, we are talking about commerce being integrated into social media platforms. People don’t just look at ads; they look at what their peers are saying, and they consider other users’ opinions through user-generated content (UCG) as part of the sales funnel. 
• Ethical AI - ensuring fairness, transparency and bias-free decision-making in AI applications. 
• Authenticity and Trust - audiences are more sceptical of the hype that new buzzwords can generate, and are looking for brands that are transparent, consistent and meaningful. 

On their own, these terms may sound like just another round of corporate jargon. However, they share a common thread - the ways of working are changing. Humans are being asked to collaborate more with technology in fundamentally new ways. 

What is Really Changing About Work

The assumptions we once held about roles, careers, productivity and value creation are showing their limitations. We are not simply being presented with new tools to work with, but how we operate these tools is changing what we do, and how we do it. This is also where FOBO may be taking hold. People fear becoming obsolete - they think of agentic AI and are anxious about being replaced by technology.

Across industries, there is a clear shift towards skills-based recruitment, outcome-driven delivery and flexible, pod-based teams that can work together from anywhere across the globe. Work is becoming asynchronous - people do not need to be online, present, or responding simultaneously in order to collaborate effectively. Learning is no longer a filler between jobs - learning happens as part of the job.

Consider a typical engagement today. A business process analyst based in South Africa collaborates with a UK-based client whose sales reps are overwhelmed by manual spreadsheets to track deals. Through a virtual discovery session — recorded and summarised in real time using AI — she quickly captures the as-is process and identifies opportunities for automation.

Working asynchronously across time zones, she designs a simplified, AI-enabled sales process while a HubSpot implementer in India builds the supporting CRM pipelines. Insights are shared digitally, decisions are made collaboratively, and progress happens without everyone needing to be online at the same time.

While sales agents initially fear replacement, the outcome is the opposite. Administrative work is reduced, data quality improves, and agents have more time to focus on the work that truly matters — building relationships, understanding customer needs and making informed decisions. Leadership gains real-time visibility through dashboards instead of static reports that are outdated by the time they reach the boardroom.

AI changes how work gets done, but it does not remove the need for human leadership. The technology accelerates the work, but the responsibility, judgment and relationship-building remain human.  

Trust and Ethics Move to Centre Stage

As technology permeates and work becomes more distributed, the centre stage spotlight is on trust - in systems, data and leadership decisions. No matter how good the tools are or how compelling the buzzwords sound, innovation stalls when employees do not trust how technology is used, or when customers question how their data is handled.

While FOBO is scary on its own, the fear of being left behind is also growing. Competition is forcing organisations to learn quickly, adapt and innovate or fall behind. McKinsey’s The State of AI: Global Survey 2025 indicates that companies with ambitious AI agendas are realising the most benefit - not because they adopt more tools but because they use them with intent.  

When it comes to AI, the things that matter most is how the technology is governed and integrated into daily work. Keeping things human and having a clear road map of when and how to use these technologies means more than just achieving efficiencies. It shows leadership how AI can create value. Technologies may accelerate decision-making but humans remain accountable for the outcomes, for deciding what is appropriate, fair and aligned with organisational values. This is where trust is either strengthened or lost. 

The Final Word

From the synergies in the 1980s, to excellence, world-class ambition and customer-centricity, to scale business sustainably while remaining socially responsible, business language has not simply predicted the future. It describes the present already unfolding, which demands one to respond intentionally, authentically and innovatively. 

We have tools to show us the data and to accelerate insight,  but only humans can provide judgment, accountability and ethical direction. The leaders are beyond the dividing line. They do not get distracted by the latest business buzzwords. Instead, they interpret the signals, adapt and adopt - keeping people at the centre of how work is designed and how decisions are made. 

FAQs