The Future-Proof Career: A comprehensive guide to work life balance and success in the workplace written by 2026 Financial Times editor

by Isabel Berwick

Will AI replace us? Is my toxic boss an actual narcissist? Are full stops in emails a sign of hostility? How do I manage intergenerational tension and not get cancelled?

‘Motivational and inspiring… the one book you need to plan your next move’ – Viv Groskop

The way we’re working in a post-pandemic world is forever changed. This is a book about how to make working work for you; packed with expert analysis examining ahead-of-the-curve trends as well as the old habits we need to lose. Split into two sections – Staff and Managers – it can be dipped into whether you’re the boss, the deputy or on your way up at any stage of your career.

Covering topics as wide-ranging as the four-day working week, micro-dosing for creativity, extended paternity, habit changing to boost productivity and meaningful diversity talk, The Future-Proof Career spreads the word so we can all have happier, more productive lives.

Genres: Nonfiction, Business

240 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 11, 2024

Reviews

[Lois · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know it isn't claiming anything other than breadth, but it's just too basic to work as much more than an early career guide despite having sections on management and retirement - either way, most readers will end up skipping either the early or mid career sections, so why try to cover both in one place? And the chapters are so short and simple, it's almost depressing that key takeaways are added at the end of each one - do people really need a way to skim information which is already quite surface level and brief to begin with?

Pros are that it's very readable, focused on genuine, integrated inclusion, and mentions some interesting research to back up her points. But they're generally points which are pretty easy to come by with even a few years of career experience or common sense yourself.

[Gette · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t finish this book as I found the writing to be a drag. It felt all over the place - more breadth than depth. Every other paragraph is something along the lines of “we’ll discuss this in Chapter X” which shows how poorly structured the book is. It’s also just an ad for the author’s podcast constantly referencing different episodes and recommending endless other books to read. Just because you mention the book/author doesn’t mean you also need to tell me (the reader) to read it. Remove these cross references and book recommendations and this book could’ve been a blog post.

The second half of the book feels like a totally different book as it’s aimed at managers further adding to the breadth, not depth, of the book. I wouldn’t recommend but if someone’s keen on reading it, they can skip to the last page in each chapter and find a list of takeaways from that chapter.

Rating system:
5 - Absolutely loved it!
4 - Enjoyed it / Interesting read
3 - Good / It was okay
2 - Could be better / Wasn’t that interesting
1 - Why did this even get published?

[Ale Nieves · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’d like to start by saying I really enjoyed reading this book. I started following Isabel’s work when I joined the FT (Financial Times) Women in Business Forum. She’s the lead editor at the forum, and the host of the “Working It” podcast.

Her words resonated with me in different ways, and I’d like to share a bit of her book here:

📖 The book is divided into two parts. Part I is written for employees/team members, and Part II is written for Managers and leaders.

Part I covers key topics such as finding balance between career happiness and personal life, the importance of friendship and connections at work, the effect of unhealthy cultures and toxic managers, and more.

It was interesting to read about the power of making friends at work and the long-term benefits this has in terms of productivity and engagement. “Gallup polling puts ‘I have a best friend at work’ as one of the best predictors of whether you will stay in your current job”.

Chapter 3, “Does your current workplace suck or shine?” is an invitation to analyze organizations and their effect on employees’ mental and physical health. Isabel suggests everyone to look for companies that take a data-driven, evidence-based approach to workforce health.

Part II covers key topics for managers such as inclusivity, dealing with our biases, investing in our own development, active listening, micromanaging, and more.

I like how this second part focuses on the importance of inspiring our teams, helping our team members develop and grow, making sure we provide them with the right environment and conditions for them to flourish and reach goals. At the same time, this section helps us reflect on our own career development, and how we need to look at it beyond a straight line. Upwards is not the only way, we can go sideways, across and out. Our progress is never linear, and futureproofing our careers requires flexibility and a growth mindset.

This is one of my favorite excerpts: “The best legacy you can leave when you move on from your job is that you have recruited and promoted people fairly and managed them well.”

A great book, super recommended.

[Gaston Rommens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very inspiring with useful information. Halfway, I found it hard to ignore all references to books, blogs, and podcasts (especially all references to FT colleagues). Overall, I think it is a great book that will help me during the next steps in my career.

[Xenia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book offers practical advice for everyone working in an office job in 2025. Not particularly novel, but well written, and a great summary of various behaviours and mindsets that help with being happy with your job!