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The Coming Workplace Conflict Storm

How Career Ownership Coaches® Can Guide Your Path

Understanding future challenges can help you prepare for success in today’s rapidly changing work environment. One question many professionals are asking is: What will be the top source of conflict at work in the next five years? The answer might surprise you – and knowing it could completely change how you approach your career journey.

The workplace is changing faster than ever before. New technology, shifting work arrangements, and evolving expectations create a perfect storm for conflict. Understanding these changes now can help you navigate them successfully when they arrive.

A recent Gallup poll shows that only 32% of U.S. employees are engaged at work, while 18% are actively disengaged. In Canada, the situation is similar, with Statistics Canada reporting that 33% of Canadian workers feel disconnected from their workplace, leading to productivity concerns. This engagement gap costs the global economy approximately $7.8 trillion in lost productivity, equal to 11% of global GDP. The trend suggests this problem will only worsen in the coming years, creating fertile ground for workplace conflicts.

The #1 Source of Future Workplace Conflict: AI and Automation Anxiety

Research from McKinsey Global Institute projects that by 2030, automation could displace between 400 million and 800 million jobs worldwide. In advanced economies like the United States, up to one-third of the workforce may need to learn new skills and change occupations by 2030. The Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship estimates that 42% of Canadian jobs are at high risk of being affected by automation in the next decade, impacting the manufacturing, transportation, and retail sectors. This massive shift is creating what experts are now calling “automation anxiety” – fear about job security, relevance, and the future of work itself.

This anxiety manifests in several ways that will drive workplace conflict:

1. Skills Gap Tensions: As companies rush to implement AI and automation tools, employees with traditional skills may feel threatened by newer colleagues with digital expertise. This creates a divide between “digital natives” and those struggling to adapt.
2. Role Uncertainty: When jobs change rapidly, confusion about responsibilities increases. Who handles what when some tasks are automated? This ambiguity leads to territorial conflicts and stress.
3. Training Inequality: Not everyone will receive the same opportunities to learn new skills. Those left behind may become resentful, while those receiving training may feel overwhelmed by additional responsibilities.
4. Ethical Disagreements: As AI makes more decisions in the workplace, disagreements about how and when to use these technologies will increase. Should AI evaluate employee performance? Should it replace human judgment? These questions will spark heated debates.
5. Work-Life Boundary Issues: Automation often comes with expectations of 24/7 availability. This creates conflicts between those embracing “always-on” work and those setting stronger boundaries.

How These Conflicts Affect Your Career Path

These conflicts won’t just make work less pleasant – they could fundamentally alter your career trajectory. Those unprepared for these changes may find themselves stuck in shrinking roles with diminishing opportunities. Meanwhile, those who adapt effectively could discover exciting new career paths that didn’t exist before.

The problem is that most people don’t have the tools, knowledge, or guidance to navigate these complex changes alone. Traditional career advice often fails to address these emerging challenges, leaving many professionals feeling lost and uncertain about their future.

Enter the Career Ownership Coach®: Your Guide Through Workplace Conflict

This is where a Career Ownership Coach® becomes invaluable. Unlike traditional career counselors who focus mainly on resume writing or job searches, Career Ownership Coaches® help you see the bigger picture of your professional life and develop strategies to thrive amid change.

1. Objective Assessment of Your Position

A Career Ownership Coach® helps you honestly evaluate your current skills, role vulnerability, and potential paths forward. They provide an outside perspective unclouded by workplace politics or personal fears. This objective assessment is crucial for making informed decisions about your future.

According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report, 85 million jobs may be displaced by automation by 2025, while 97 million new roles may emerge. A Career Ownership Coach® helps you identify which side of this equation you’ll likely fall on – and how to position yourself for emerging opportunities.

2. Future-Focused Skill Development Planning

Rather than reactively responding to changes, a Career Ownership Coach® helps you proactively identify skills that will remain valuable despite automation. According to LinkedIn’s Workplace Learning Report, 94% of employees say they would stay at a company longer if it invested in their learning and development. A Coach helps you identify which skills to develop.

3. Exploration of Career Ownership Options

Sometimes the best solution to workplace conflict isn’t to adapt – it’s to take control of your career through business ownership or other forms of career self-determination. A Career Ownership Coach® helps you explore options beyond traditional employment, including franchise opportunities, which can provide a structured path to business ownership with lower risk than starting from scratch.

The International Franchise Association reports that franchise businesses are more likely to succeed than independent small businesses, with approximately 92% of franchises still operating after five years compared to roughly 50% of independent companies. The Canadian Franchise Association reports similar success rates in Canada, with franchises showing 80% higher success rates than independent businesses over five years. This alternative path can eliminate workplace conflicts while building something meaningful for your future.

Professionals who work with Career Ownership Coaches® report significant benefits:

One client shared, “I was constantly worried about being replaced by automation at my company. My Career Ownership Coach® helped me see that I had transferable skills that would remain valuable and opened my eyes to opportunities I’d never considered. Today, I own a business that leverages my experience while giving me control over my future.”

Taking the First Step

The workplace conflicts of the next five years will challenge even the most successful professionals. Those who wait until conflicts arise before seeking solutions may find themselves at a significant disadvantage. The time to prepare is now.

Meeting with a Career Ownership Coach® begins with a simple, no-obligation conversation about your current situation and future goals. This initial discussion can reveal options you might not have considered and provide clarity about your next steps.

Remember: The goal isn’t just to survive workplace conflicts – it’s to use them as catalysts for positive change in your career journey. With the right guidance, today’s challenges can become tomorrow’s opportunities.

Are you ready to take control of your career future? The first step is to reach out to a Career Ownership Coach® for an exploratory conversation. Your future self will thank you for having the foresight to prepare for tomorrow’s workplace today.

About Your Career Revolution

Our mission is to help individuals explore self-sufficiency as an alternative career.

We help them define their Income, Lifestyle, Wealth, and Equity goals and provide education on the best ways to achieve them. We don’t sell franchises – we help people achieve their dreams of self-sufficiency through business ownership. The approach is different, the experience is different. And it works.

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