When it came to our work lives, we historically haven't had much choice around how we actually worked. Some of us may have picked the companies we want to be a part of, but aside from that we all had to follow the "rules" set in place by others — and I use this term broadly to encompass everything that gets done within organizations. However, if there's one thing that can be said about the future of work (and yes I have said many things) it's "choice." In fact, everywhere we look we are starting to be presented with more choices.

The hours we work are no longer dictated — they are flexible

The locations we work are no longer fixed and centralized — they are chosen

The technologies we use are no longer mandated by organizations — we can bring our own

The career path we take is no longer set in stone — it can be customized

The amount of work we do is up to us — if we want to work beyond regular hours, we can freelance on the site by being an Uber driver or signing up on Elance-Odesk

The office environment we work in (whether it be cubicle or open space) is also increasingly being left up to choice (many companies are offering open spaces with separate spaces for those people who want to work in quiet)

I believe we are going to see this trend of customized work continue, especially as employee tenure shrinks and organizations become more serious and desperate to attract and retain top talent. The future of work is all about choice.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/future-work-choice-jacob-morgan