2045: Future of Work
Shifting Global Demography
The world is experiencing rapid demographic shifts. Globally, declines in fertility, increased life expectancy, and changing migration patterns have impacted the worldwide population (census.gov). The US in particular is seeing drastic shifts. According to US Census projections from 2018, “by 2030, all baby boomers will be older than age 65. This will expand the size of the older population so that 1 in every 5 residents will be retirement age” (census.gov). Four years later, in 2034, older adults are projected to outnumber children for the first time in U.S. history. This increase in an aging population will put a strain on the economy from the standpoint of social security and healthcare and will necessitate changes in the workforce in a variety of sectors.
Why does this matter to Harper Slade?
As a workforce advisory firm, we care about the why behind changes in our economy and work environments and frankly, you should too.
By 2045, the total available work force in the U.S. will be “minority white”. Gen Z and younger generations have already begun to feel the shift (Brookings Institute). This, coupled with the aging population, means that in 20 years, black and brown people must be meaningfully represented in all levels of organizations, including the c-suite. This is largely connected to the middle class, which is used to determ
Future-minded leaders are those who will take the necessary steps to attract, retain, and help their diverse talent thrive. Legacy planning will be more necessary than ever before to ensure vacated roles can be filled by competent and available talent. Not only that, but your culture must also be ready to fully activate and amplify this exact talent. If we're honest, most workplace cultures have largely been diplomatic of the larger United States culture in that we are still segregated, if not by body certainly in our mindset. This concept of learning how to value people who are different from us has to happen in the workplace because it will not happen any other place and it's too consequential to keep ignoring or seeking band-aid solutions.
This can be a daunting task, but you are not alone. We have devised The 2045 Organizational Readiness Framework to help you prepare.
The 2045 Organizational Readiness Framework™
A Strategic Blueprint for Future-Ready, Multicultural, Human-Centered Workplaces:
Purpose:
To equip organizations with the strategy, structure, and soul to thrive in the 2045 reality—where Black and Brown people will be the demographic majority, global talent markets are the norm, and workers expect emotionally intelligent, identity-literate leadership.
This framework is not about performative equity—it is about transformational readiness across every layer of the organization, governed by the belief that future fluency begins with internal truth-telling and cultural courage.
Five Domains of 2045 Organizational Readiness
Each domain represents a foundational area of strategic alignment and internal transformation. Together, they form a comprehensive readiness roadmap. At the center are five core leadership competencies, which serve as the throughline across all domains.
1. Leadership Competency Integration
Are your leaders built for the world they’re being asked to lead?
At the center of the framework are five essential leadership competencies required to steward people and strategy into the 2045 landscape. These are not “soft skills”—they are survival skills for institutional relevance.
The Five Core Competencies:
1. Belief-Informed Empathy
2. Leadership Elasticity
3. Courageous Coherence
4. Difference Fluency
5. Transition-Literate Change Stewardship
2. Structural Equity & Organizational Design
Are your systems, policies, and roles designed for who’s coming next—not who’s been here longest? The goal is to build internal scaffolding that mirrors the realities and needs of a 2045 workforce.
3. Workforce Lifecycle & Talent Experience
Is every touchpoint—from hiring to exiting—engineered for identity safety, mobility, and belonging? The goal is to ensure all employees experience equity, respect, and opportunity across their full lifecycle.
4. Learning, Development & Change/Transition Stewardship
Are your people being prepared to change the world—not just do their jobs? The goal is to create a learning culture that reflects both the urgency and the humanity of transformation accounting for real-time social and cultural shifts at work and the psychological safety required in order to bring about the transformation.
5. Global Market + Talent Positioning
Is your talent strategy ready for both the neighborhood and the world? How comfortable are you leaders in managing, developing and selling to “difference” The Goal is to position your organization to compete for—and keep—top talent in a majority-multicultural, global marketplace.
This framework informs how we deliver solutions to our clients. Check them out here.
Contact us today to talk more about how we can guide your organization through preparing for the future of work.