17 Capitalism reigns supreme In the Blue World, companies see their size and influence as the best way to protect their prized profit margins against intense competition from their peers and aggressive new market entrants. Corporations grow to such a scale, and exert such influence, that some become more powerful than nation states. Success depends on a productive workforce as large companies compete for the best talent. They push past the limits of human ability by investing augmentation technology, medication and implants to give their people the edge. Extreme talent Corporates may dominate the Blue World, but workforces are lean. Exceptional talent is in high demand – employers secure a core group of pivotal high ‑ performers by offering excellent rewards but otherwise buy in flexible talent and skills as and when they’re needed. Human effort, automation, analytics and innovation combine to push performance in the workplace to its limits; human effort is maximised through sophisticated use of physical and medical enhancement techniques and equipment, and workers’ performance and wellbeing are measured, monitored and analysed at every step. A new breed of elite super ‑ w orkers emerges. What it means for workers For workers in the Blue World, the pressure to perform is relentless. Those with a permanent role enjoy excellent rewards, as do in ‑ d emand contract workers with specialist skills – but both know that their future employability depends on keeping their leading ‑ e dge skills relevant. A corporate employer separates the haves from the have nots; companies provide many of the services, from children’s education, eldercare and healthcare, previously provided by the state. The price workers must pay is their data. Companies monitor and measure obsessively, from the location of their workforce to their performance, health and wellbeing – both in and outside the workplace. Organisations use the data to predict performance and importantly, to anticipate people risk. 70 % would consider using treatments to enhance their brain and body if this improved employment prospects in the future. PwC survey of 10,029 members of the general population based in China, Germany, India, the UK and the US – base all those who are not retired 8,459