Labor Day at the brink of the 5th Industrial Revolution

As Americans partake in parades, picnics and parties in celebration of Labor Day, one might ponder its origin and how America’s labor productivity has evolved to an approaching 5th Industrial Revolutions? 

Why do we Celebrate Labor Day?

This annual holiday celebrates workers and their contributions that sprouted amidst the height of the 2nd Industrial Revolution. During this dismal period of the late 1800’s, the average American worked 12-hour days and often seven-day weeks to make a meager living. Marginalized groups, spanning African Americans, and often immigrants faced extremely unsafe working conditions.



The industrialization of America’s agrarian society to a newly supplanted manufacturing revolution vastly shifted workers from farms to factories. At no coincidence the rise of labor unions grew more prominent and vocal- ensuing strikes, protests, and rallies to compel employers to renegotiate hours and pay.

The ‘workingmen’s holiday’ became popular on the first Monday of September across industrial centers throughout America that later was legalized as labor and worker’s rights become the focal of public and political agendas- passing June 28, 1894 by Congress and signed by President Grover Cleveland. 

Over a century and two industrial revolutions later, despite great innovation advancements we continue to be challenged with worker rights, benefits, and imbalanced wages.  Maya Ford, of Ford Momentum posed challenging questions, Are You Part of the Problem? Are your efforts focused on improving ecosystems to sustain production or consumption? Why? What is your labor being used for? Do you value the intent, process, and outcomes? What’s working for you, and what isn’t?

As we embark on the next potential 5th Industrial Revolution that speculatively centers innovation towards consciousness, purpose and connectivity; multi-level cooperation between people and machines unveils emerging opportunities for you, your business and strategy to be well positioned for sustainable impact! Consider…….

•   Prioritize purpose vs. solely profits,
•    Rethink your business model from functional value output to more aspirational and social where the product and service       elevates from a commoditized offering to yield a more meaningful value to humanity,
•  Design for your customers- meaningful CX is key,
•  Raise technology acumen and ensure your culture adopts agility to innovate,
•  Rigorously instill business integrity, learn from your data but more importantly be trustworthy with it,
•  Explore emerging and innovative financing models, have you heard of circular economies

The historical American Industrial Revolutions have yielded great learnings that will propel a bright and more collective prosperous future for all. As we stand on the brink of another laborious industrial revolution, the potential to ignite a new socio-economic era that leverages the collective consciousness can create infinite opportunities for humanity and for the generations to come!

LET'S GET TO WORK!!!!