Globalization, changing power dynamics and the growing role of financial markets have all changed the way workplaces are designed and operate. Similarly, emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, connectivity and big data are changing how people interact with work and the way they manage talent.
And also all the crises the world is facing are a driving force impacting the world of work. These changes are reshaping the future of work and changing the face of traditional employment. The only thing constant in the future of work is the skills of individuals.
This means that workers are not evolving and they are becoming obsolete. The future of work will require people to shift occupations or reskill. According to a recent study, if automation is widely adopted, the number of workers needing to switch occupations could reach 100 million.
The future of work is not one destination but rather a series of possible outcomes. To ensure that you don’t make a mistake, you need to understand that there will be multiple scenarios. Besides, you need to bet on the right moves for the future.
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How work will change?
Automation has already entered a lot of industries from car building robots to high-powered software taking on more and more administrative tasks. It seems like hundreds of skills people are rapidly becoming obsolete in the economy.
And the economic shock of the pandemic has shown how robots can be efficient as humans are more vulnerable to diseases. And it is becoming much easier and cheaper to have a robot staff that doesn’t require healthcare and can work round-the-clock.
Artificial Intelligence has also become an enabler of automation. AI can now take on challenges that previously only a human operator could handle. Some people are pointing out that technology could lead to around 45% of jobs disappearing in the future. And some people are already imagining a dystopian jobless future.
Technology is transforming the world of work beyond recognition at the same time creating opportunities on its way. For some, it is even an amazing thing to be living in this digital age. And argues that the future of work is about the collaboration between humans and technologies.
Technology already formed part of our life. And for some people, work is where the Wi-Fi is. These people are called digital nomads. Today, people work remotely around the globe. The digital nomads move around easily and frequently while working. Hence they work while discovering the world.
A study from Accenture states that the future of work will be more projects-based than role and there will be 1 billion remote workers by 2035.
Advances in digital technology allow them to keep exploring the world without compromising their careers. Before, many workers in the world expected a job for life in one place. But now frequent job changes have become a normal thing. And it is estimated that 70% of professionals around the globe do some work remotely.
These changes are leading to continual reinventions of the traditional workplace. Workers in some companies are facing new pressures to become more efficient and productive. They are being closely watched, where every conversation and move is analyzed.
A company called Humanyze has designed a surveillance technology that gathers data on how workers are spending their time at work. Workers have to wear a badge and every time they speak, move, walk around or just sit at their desks their movements are recorded.
The system also knows where workers are in the office and also tells workers’ proximity to other people wearing badges. Information from employees’ emails and tasks are also fed into the system with data collected by their badges.
The badge has many sensors, that can locate anyone in the office, look at how much workers talk, motion sensor to look at posture and overall activity levels. The company says it uses this data to increase the productivity of workers and improve their workplace environment.
A British report found that 70% of workers believe workplace monitoring will become more common in the future. But other companies are developing ever more dystopian ways to monitor workforces. These include microchipping staff and photographing them at their desks using webcams.
But in the minds of many people, there’s an even greater threat to the workforce of the future. And it comes from new types of workers, that is relentlessly efficient, work without fatigue round the clock and never complain. Robots and artificial intelligence are becoming increasingly common in many industries.
According to World Economic Forum, 29% of all current jobs are done by robots, machines and algorithms. And this number is rising very fast where it is expected to reach 42% in 2022 and 52% by 2025.
Machines will soon take the wheel from truck drivers. And companies are turning to new types of robots for mass production in many industries. Automation is set to cause mass disruption to work lives. As artificial intelligence and automation grow, it could lead to 45% of current jobs disappearing.
In warehouses, the dystopian vision of a fully automated future appears to have already arrived. Where swarms of robots are already packing groceries and moving goods around. These robots are being orchestrated by a sophisticated piece of machine learning.
They collaborate with each other to move in a synchronized way, creating an error-free environment. But some say robots aren’t going to replace humans instead they’re going to work together. The robot’s job is to reduce physical strain and make workers’ tasks easier. They do all the heavy work.
Some people even say that robots have created more jobs than existed before. As new ways of automating processes enter industries, the number of people working only increased because of the ongoing growth of businesses.
A growing body of research suggests that artificial intelligence and machines could create at least as many jobs as they displace. One report estimates that while 75 million jobs will be lost globally in 2022, there could be 133 million new ones.
We are on a journey to go on finding ways to add automation but it’s about teaching people to be more adaptable in terms of their jobs and their skill sets because the future is about the collaboration between humans and technology.
Hence, disruption to working lives is inevitable. And insecurities will persist. Technology change is also impacting work in poorer countries. Countries where work is scarce and where the average wage is not enough to sustain a family. Giving rise to a new kind of industry called the global gig economy.
It is a labor market where self-employed workers are paid to do short-term freelance tasks. Where people can take up 10 part-time jobs a week for clients based all around the world. The gig economy is a fast-growing market.
Jobs that used to be done by white-collar workers in developed countries are now broken down into individual tasks. These are advertised online and carried out by remote workers all across the globe. This gig economy is estimated to reach USD 455.2 billion by 2023.
The gig economy is offering many people the opportunities to get out of poverty in developing countries. Hence in a developed country, a job in the gig economy may not be paying a living wage but for someone in a developing country, the same wage can make a big difference.
However, in wealthier countries, some workers see the gig economy as less of an opportunity and more of a threat. Many online platforms that act as intermediaries between clients and gig workers don’t control the number of freelancers that clock on each day.
This can flood the market where a lot of freelancers compete with each other for jobs, hence cutting down earnings. This creates a very competitive world in the freelance economy. The competition amongst workers is healthy for consumers as they can get a lower price for the job done. But for workers, it may be different as they don’t have a basic income or employment rights such as sick pay and job protection.
Adapt to the future
A new world of work means that leaders must put people first. Organizations need to adopt technology that will help them improve the experience of their workforce. With automation and AI technologies, empowering employees will help create a strong, capable workforce that is both confident and efficient.
Businesses that embrace these new changes will succeed. The key is to create a culture of confidence and empowerment for employees. To stay competitive in this new world, it is imperative to empower employees.
With all these new approaches, companies can take advantage of the potential of technology to make a difference in the competitive market and working environment of their employees. The future of work is already here.
With a strong workforce and empowered employees, companies can achieve a high level of efficiency and profitability. The future of work is rapidly evolving and the workforce of the future will need to adapt.
The world of work is already changing. Companies will require leaders to put people first and organizations must use technology to make their workplaces more desirable for workers. These new practices will lead to a more positive and productive workplace.
It will also ensure that employees have a great experience at work. The future of work will require workers to develop new skills and reshape their intuition about the world of work. They will need to retrain and learn new skills.
According to Mckinsey, soon there will be a 26% increased demand for such higher cognitive skills in the U.S. Social skills like emotional intelligence, social influence, leadership, negotiation, persuasion and critical thinking will increase.
The workforce of the future will need more diverse types of people and a different way of doing things. Repetitive jobs will be more challenging, while jobs requiring higher education will be more rewarding. The future of work is an important topic for all of us to consider.
The future of the job market will continue to change and individuals need to prepare for these changes. In the coming years, there will be an increased need for human labor in new kinds of work. This means that workers will need to re-think their traditional notions of where they can find employment and reshape their skills.
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