Work is changing rapidly. Many traditional working practices - like 9-5 offices and jobs-for-life - are quickly fading into history.
New technologies and remote working have revolutionized collaboration. In this article we will look at how these trends are shaping the future of work and workplaces.
Creativity and social intelligence
As the future of work shifts from repetitive and menial tasks to ones requiring higher cognitive abilities and analytical reasoning, human workers' abilities will become ever more essential. AI may displace some manual and physical roles; however, roles that require creativity, reasoning and communication - where humans are naturally superior - should increase.
Future jobs will increasingly demand flexible and collaborative working practices, including remote/hybrid working arrangements, encouraging cross-time zone collaboration and offering secure places where teams can collaborate from home or other places.
To maximize the potential of these trends, leaders should aim at forging an alliance spanning both private sector and government to advocate policies and practices that promote higher-quality jobs and economic security for workers. This requires leadership from robust organizations which prioritize employee welfare by amplifying member voices.
Mathematics and ICT
Many companies are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics technologies for productivity gains and cost cuts; however, such implementation could potentially lead to job losses in certain sectors.
Maintaining employment requires taking an approach to talent management that prioritizes employees, such as flexible working arrangements and welcoming fractional employees. Companies should focus on increasing employee skills and motivation through ongoing training, mentoring, and career development programs.
Globalization and technological advances will alter the nature of work even further in the coming decades. Traditional concepts of an office with nine-to-five staffers working at one job from birth until retirement are becoming obsolete; workers increasingly work from various locations or remotely via telecommuting options; this trend could accelerate with access to virtual spaces like metaverse -- the Internet you can step into -- expanding even further; leaders must devise strategies that facilitate workforce communication across geographies for optimal productivity.
Technical skills
No doubt there are fears of automation replacing workers, yet history shows that labour markets adapt to technological advances; lost jobs through automation are offset with new ones created as labour markets adjust and develop accordingly. Therefore, skills such as systems thinking, AI and data analytics will likely become even more sought after among workers in future.
Additional technical skills that are vital for career advancement include creativity, coding and collaboration. Individuals seeking to advance their careers should seek opportunities for training and development through mentorships with tech leaders or joining local open source communities and volunteering on community projects. Managers may support these efforts with resources such as stipends for books, courses or certifications while employees may pursue knowledge outside the workplace through seeking out mentorships with tech leaders, joining open source communities or volunteering for community projects.
People increasingly value flexible work terms, a sense of meaning and purpose in the workplace and organizations with strong ethical and social standards as factors in talent attraction and retention. Our three-part broadcast series and six-part digital docuseries follow six mid-career professionals as they navigate this changing environment.
Communication skills
As more companies utilize transformative technologies to radically shift the nature of work, creating more flexible and remote teams, CHROs must respond by offering advanced education and skill training programs for existing employees while prioritizing skills when hiring to ensure a sustainable talent pipeline.
Communication skills have quickly become essential job competencies in a changing workforce. Employees need to be able to communicate clearly in person, over the phone and digital channels such as email and social media; interact with teams composed of people from diverse backgrounds and cultures; use remote work options or flexible schedules as appropriate; promote diversity within the workplace while building trusting relationships; be open and flexible when considering alternative work arrangements such as leasing workers or impact sourcing; be flexible enough to adapt.
