Professor Na Fu will deliver her Inaugural Lecture titled ‘Shaping the Future of Work: People, Technology and Responsible Leadership’.
Date: Wednesday 29 April 2026
Time: 18.15 to 19.15
Location: Maharry Theatre, Trinity Business School, Trinity College Dublin.
Admission is free and open to the public.
Please click here or on the image below to register for a ticket and for further information.
Abstract
The future of work is being reshaped by artificial intelligence (AI), digital technologies, demographic change, and shifting societal expectations. These transformations are not only technological or economic; they raise fundamental questions about how work is organised, how people develop skills, how organisations are managed, and what responsible leadership means in contemporary and future society.
This inaugural lecture reflects on an intellectual journey exploring the relationships between people, technology, and organisations over the past two decades, spanning research in strategic human resource management, organisational paradox, digitalisation, and more recent work on AI and human-tech skill complementarity. Drawing on research and collaborative projects across industry, healthcare, and European research programmes, the lecture argues that the central challenge facing organisations today is not simply technology adoption, but the integration of technological and human capabilities in ways that are productive, sustainable, and socially responsible.
Looking forward, the lecture positions responsible leadership at the centre of shaping the future of work. It outlines an agenda for research, education, and practice focused on designing work, developing human and organisational capabilities, and ensuring that technological progress contributes not only to productivity and innovation, but also to meaningful work, inclusive organisations, and sustainable societies.
About Professor Na Fu
Professor Na Fu is Professor of Responsible Leadership and Fellow at Trinity College Dublin, and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). Her work focuses on the future of work and examines how people, technology, and organisations evolve together in times of technological and societal change. Over the past two decades, her research has explored strategic human resource management, organisational paradox, digitalisation, and artificial intelligence, with a strong emphasis on addressing real organisational and societal challenges.
Further information on this inaugural lecture is available by emailing the Faculty Office, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at artshss@tcd.ie.