Will technology create more meaningful work and healthier societies, or will it eliminate jobs and worsen inequality? Humanity has been concerned with this subject ever since some manual jobs were replaced by technology. As technology advanced, we no longer needed the services of a switchboard operator, cinema projectionist, time keeper, etc. The query yet stands: what will the nature of employment be in the future?
How Will Things Develop in the Future?
Smartphones and digital cameras revolutionized photography and photo-taking. Photographers were forced to adopt the new technologies in order to remain resourceful. Nobody could have predicted at one point that these fascinating vocations would eventually become obsolete and not be included in a list of the best future careers.
But since then, we’ve advanced significantly and gained knowledge from our mistakes. We have learned from the past that automation, outsourcing, and self-organizing teams may end up replacing the human resources role in the future. It’s easy to picture a world where the most skilled workers hire personal agents to manage their careers since top talent is so fiercely contested. The goal is to remain ready for that eventuality.
Read More: How to get hired in education industry
Four Potential 2030 Work Environments
According to PwC, there are four distinct work environments, each designated after a different color. As tiny enterprises become more powerful due to new technology, the globe may move away from large corporations. In another, businesses could collaborate to improve society overall. Let’s have a look:
- The World of Red
In this case, technology will enable small enterprises to access the enormous amounts of knowledge, expertise, and capital. Entrepreneurs will depend on outsourced services for people processes, and human resources will no longer be a distinct function. Talent would be highly competitive, and the highest compensation would go to individuals with future-ready talents. - The World of Blue
In this scenario, multinational firms will grow in size, strength, and influence. Businesses believe that the greatest strategy to safeguard their profit margins is to leverage their size and influence. There is intense competition for top talent. - The World of Green
Companies will promote a strong ethical and ecological agenda in response to strong public opinion, limited natural resources, and stringent international rules. - The World of Yellow
Employees and businesses will look for more significance and relevance in this situation. Employees will experience fulfillment, freedom, and flexibility when they work for companies with high moral and social standards. In the workplace of the future, the idea of fair compensation will be prevalent.
How Will Work Develop in the Future? Ten Important Trends for the Upcoming Decade
The workplace in 2030 will be significantly different from what it is today, per separate studies released by CBRE and Genesis as well as a piece in the Wall Street Journal. Here is an example of what work might look like in 2030:
- There Will Be “Places to Work”: The greatest workplaces will offer a variety of peaceful spaces so that employees can choose where they wish to work, doing away with the need for designated sitting.
- Smaller Individual Organizations: Smaller corporations will exist. There won’t be a need to establish an expensive large company because there are so many opportunities for collaboration.
- Reduced Hierarchy: Everybody will be in charge. Teamwork will be more productive than autocracy.
- A Strong Focus on Wellness: Offices will have healthier spaces, including better lighting, sleeping quarters, relaxing places, music, companion animals at work, etc.
- Requirement for a “Chief of Work” Position: The role of Chief of Work will establish the organization’s culture. This position may also rank among the top positions in the future.
- Adjustable Floor Plans- When workers arrive at their office building, wearable gadgets will let them know what floor to go to, that can be adjusted based on sensor data.
- Goodbye, Desk: Employees will park anywhere and access a virtual office in front of them instead of actual desks.
- Your Robot Assistant: In the future, employees at all levels will use robotic assistants, such as Siri or Alexa, to organize incoming emails, set up meetings, make spreadsheets, and more.
- Smarter Brainstorming: The majority of meetings will be held across several teams of employees in various places, facilitating easy idea exchange and cross-time zone brainstorming.
- The Virtual Water Cooler: Virtual and augmented reality headsets will be used for casual gatherings.
Massive trends in Roles at Work
Pearson investigated the skills and employment landscape of 2030 and found several potential job position trends:
Only one out of five workers are currently employed, and that number is expected to decline in the future.
There may be opportunities at all skill levels in occupations like construction, trades, and agriculture that have been predicted to decline in other research.
They predict that just 10% of workers in industries like healthcare and education are in fields that are expected to expand.
According to Pearson, seven out of ten employees work in positions where future prospects are less guaranteed.
The significance of higher-order cognitive abilities including complex problem solving, creativity, idea fluency, and active learning is further supported by their findings. These will be the most in-demand abilities for the future.
The information, skills, and abilities that will be more in demand in the future are ranked according to their findings.
Automation’s Effect
There are differing views on whether technological advancements will result in fewer jobs for humans or in the creation of as many jobs as they replace. According to a WSJ report, automation is anticipated to have three waves of effects on work:
First Wave: Algorithmic (beginning in 2030)
Wave Two (till late 2030)Enhancement
Wave 3 (starting in 2030)- Independence
In the first wave, 3% of employment are anticipated to be lost. With 30% of employment potentially becoming automated and more and more organizations beginning to adopt new technologies, this number might increase significantly over the following two waves. Women may be more vulnerable to automation in the first two years because they are more likely to work in clerical and administrative positions.
FAQ
Which occupations will endure over the next ten years?
In the next thirty years, manual labor may become obsolete due to technological advancements. A list of the same is provided here:
Travel Agents
Store cashiers, and traders
Store Sales Professionals
The time to change careers is now if you are interested in any of these fields. Choose a field of work that interests you, then enroll in a course that will help you acquire the necessary abilities.
