How Empathy and AI Together Will Redefine the Future of Work with Sophie Wade

Unpack the future of organizational design with Sophie Wade — workforce innovator, author of Empathy Works, and founder of Flexcel Network — as she explains how empathy, AI, generational shifts, and upskilling shape the future of work.

About This Episode

In this episode of The Future of Work® Podcast, we sit down with Sophie Wade, a renowned workforce innovator, author of Empathy Works, and founder of Flexcel Network, whose courses on future‑of‑work skills have reached over 650,000 professionals worldwide. Sophie brings a deeply human‑centered lens to major workplace changes — from AI integration to upskilling strategies and generational dynamics. Together we explore why companies must design work thoughtfully, invest in people alongside technology, build trust between executives and teams, and prioritize empathy to navigate the ongoing future‑of‑work transitions. If you’re curious how AI will truly impact jobs, why generational viewpoints matter now more than ever, and what leaders must do to meaningfully prepare for tomorrow’s workforce realities, this episode delivers pragmatic insight with a visionary perspective.

About Sophie Wade

Sophie Wade is a workforce innovator, work futurist, executive and board advisor, keynote speaker, instructor, author, and founder of Flexcel Network. Her LinkedIn courses on future‑of‑work skills, Gen Z, and empathy have been taken by over 650,000 learners. Sophie’s work empowers leaders to adapt during economic and technological disruptions and distributed work transitions, emphasizing human‑centric leadership — a theme central to her second book, Empathy Works: The Key to Competitive Advantage in the New Era of Work. She also hosts the “Transforming Work with Sophie Wade” podcast and holds degrees from Oxford and INSEAD.

What You’ll Learn

Why empathy is a competitive advantage in the age of AI
How companies are actually integrating AI, and where most are falling short
The importance of designing workflows before automating them
How generational perspectives shape technology adoption and workplace expectations
Why fear and trust (or the lack thereof) shape AI outcomes in organizations
Real strategies for upskilling and human‑AI collaboration
How organizational design and management roles must evolve
What “scaling with technology” really means today vs. yesterday