How technology will change the future of work

Have you ever thought about how technology will change the future of work?

Back in 2001, Ray Kurzweil, futurist and chief engineer at Google, wrote an essay called “The Law of Accelerating Returns.” He said: "We won't see 100 years of progress in the 21st century - it will be more like 20,000 years of progress[*]."

And in a PwC survey of 10,000 people in China, Germany, India, the UK and the US, 59% believed technological breakthroughs will "significantly change" the way people work in the next five to 10 years[* ].

Many of us have witnessed incredible progress in our professional careers. Just think about the technology you used 20, 10, or even just five years ago. You've probably improved almost every aspect of your digital life since then.

In this article we explore how technology can change the future of work. We'll also give you a few tips on what you can do to get ahead of these predictions before you're left behind.

How technology will change the future of work: 4 predictions you should prepare for today

Those : hcmtechnologyreport.com

When it comes to hiring new employees, statistics show that 69% of the world's most respected companies value curious, quick-learners more than those with an impressive work history[*].

So if you want to future-proof your career, you should start upskilling or even retraining based on these new trends. Then you'll stand out among hiring teams and be successful in any workplace.

We predict how technology will transform the future of work:

We are entering the era of hybrid work and using virtual spaces for networking

According to Microsoft's Future of Work Report, we are "entering a new era of work: the Hybrid Work Era[*]."

Digital technologies will shape the era of hybrid work, just as the rise of steel-framed construction supported the age of skyscrapers and access to cars fueled commuting in the age of suburbia.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, we saw how quickly remote work took off thanks to cloud-based software. As companies and employees have realized the benefits of telecommuting, few are willing to return to a full-time office.

According to experts, the desire for flexibility in the workplace will continue for the foreseeable future.

Hybrid work models will become the norm and employees will split their time between on-site and WFH locations. An even larger number of employees will work 100% remotely and work in fully distributed global teams.

Improvements to WFH technologies will focus on promoting collaboration, team connections and communication. And this technology will be as revolutionary as video calling and cloud file sharing once were:

The digital workspace and virtual headquarters

Those : cybercology.com

Remote workers often struggle with loneliness, isolation, and awkward online meetings with their colleagues. But forward-thinking startups are tackling these problems with customized virtual spaces for every type of interaction.

Once a company has set up its digital headquarters, employees can meet, work together and socialize virtually. Employees can customize their virtual desk, join and end conversations with colleagues, attend meetings, and more.

This technology makes it easier to bring distributed teams together in one room and makes these interactions more human, spontaneous and engaging. Real-time collaboration and connections will thrive here just as they would in a traditional office environment.

Anyone can log into these virtual spaces without having to wear a virtual reality (VR) headset, making them very easy to access. With many remote teams experimenting with virtual HQs, we expect them to become widespread very soon.

Brainstorming, training and working in the metaverse

Augmented reality, which includes VR, augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR), promises to simulate our 3D world in a digital environment. With the help of a VR headset, your personal avatar can walk around, stay in this virtual space, called the Metaverse, and interact with people and objects.

According to research presented in Microsoft's Future of Work Report, meetings in the metaverse can promote entitativity, the feeling of being part of a group. While this requirement for positive team meetings is limited on Zoom calls, it skyrockets in the Metaverse. So the team dynamics can be just as good there as in face-to-face interactions [*].

And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

We will welcome the rise of man-machine BFFs

When thinking about why the workplaces of the future will no longer feel like work, one has to thank advances in robotic process automation (RBA), artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML). These technologies are not used to take our jobs away, but to improve our working lives.

Automate the 80%

The 80-20 rule states that 20% of what you do produces 80% of the result. In other words, people only spend about 20% of their workday on the tasks that produce the best results [*]. But what if we could improve this ratio through automation?

According to McKinsey researchers, 60% of tasks can be partially automated [*]. RBA software automates repetitive tasks and eliminates monotonous, boring work. This frees up human brains for creative thinking, strategic considerations, employee engagement, and other tasks that drive business forward.

From higher productivity rates to happier employees, hyperautomation is set to see a huge surge in the next few years. Companies will use this “business-focused, disciplined approach to quickly identify, verify and automate as many business and IT processes as possible[*].

With a pinch of AI you get intelligent process automation (IPA). That could mean more Siri or Alexa-like AI assistants taking over the work and improving the efficiency of time-consuming tasks.

Not only does automation give us more time for the tasks that really matter, but it should also lead to a better work-life balance and lower stress levels. We know that 89% of professionals admit to suffering from burnout. So this would be an ideal way for companies to promote mental health in the workplace [*].

Work smarter with your AI assistant

Those : news.mit.edu

Forrester researchers predict that AI software will grow 50% faster than the overall software market in the next two years[*]. Although AI has been a popular buzzword for some time, we are still only at the beginning of its possibilities.

You probably already use AI text completion and summarization in Google Docs and formula prediction in Sheets, for example. But AI is getting better at understanding us, performing more complex tasks and making better decisions.

AI-driven tools can help us [*][*]:

• Analyze mountains of data to find valuable connections and insights.
• Predicting resource usage and changing patterns in customer or employee behavior.
• Recognize early warning signs of interpersonal problems in teams based on their communication.
• Automatically flesh out ideas in presentations, white papers, email responses, data-driven strategies, etc.

Use AI-based coaches to teach employees new skills, guide them through training processes, review their performance, etc.

AI summarization can even open the door to asynchronous meetings. If you can't make the Zoom call, an AI-powered bot can capture a complete overview of the highlights and talking points. Then he can use the suggestions of all participants and incorporate your company's data to propose intelligent action plans [*].

A flat hierarchy will turn managers into career coaches

“Up to 65% of the tasks a manager currently performs could be automated by 2025,” says the Harvard Business Review [*]. As managerial tasks become automated, AI will take over tasks like approving expense reports, setting performance goals for employees, managing workflows, and more.

We will have to completely redefine the role and expectations of a manager in the future. These roles can become more like internal career coaches to:

• Create better workplace experiences for remote teams and strengthen company culture
• Strengthening team dynamics and building new connections
• Supporting employees in planning their professional careers
• Encouraging employees to expand their skills and discover how they can create unique value

Technology will allow future managers to have a more personal impact and empower their teams rather than just "managing" what they do.

The demand for employees with technical and social skills will increase sharply

Advances in technology will mean that candidates with a combination of remote work technical skills and interpersonal skills will have a competitive advantage. So qualify yourself for the future:

Keep your technical skills sharp no matter what role you work in

Workers with a technical background are in high demand now and will be even more in demand in the next few years. Programmers, engineers, developers, data scientists, IT professionals, etc. all have a bright future ahead of them.

Bonus: Most of the best-paying remote jobs are and will be in technology.

And what if you're not a technician? You need to show future employers that you do well in this area:

1. Digital competence, i.e. H. how easily, safely and successfully you can deal with current and new technologies. How to increase your digital literacy:

Stay up to date on the latest features and upgrades to all digital tools, apps and software used in your field.

Learn how to automate tasks and use shortcuts to increase your efficiency.

Master remote communication and collaboration with various messaging platforms, project managers, etc.

Secure your files, devices and workstations with the latest cybersecurity tips.

2. Data literacy, i.e. H. how well you can work with, understand and use data.

Companies collect so much valuable information, but they need employees who can discover and use these insights. People with high data literacy challenge assumptions, ask questions, and use data to develop strategy.

Improve your emotional intelligence and soft skills

AI does not have the interpersonal or “social skills” required in the workplace. Therefore, emotional intelligence and various soft skills can ensure that people remain employable in the future.

Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to recognize and manage one's own emotions and recognize the feelings of others. Skills such as self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation and empathy fall under this category.

Hard skills demonstrate your proficiency in a specific discipline (such as a coding language or certification). But soft skills embody your personality, traits, and work style. Some of the most in-demand soft skills are time management, leadership, and communication.

Start improving those human talents, and you’ll be a standout candidate for hiring teams now and in the years to come.