Advances in Connected Worker Technology
will the continuing march of technology , automation and seamless connectivity have on where we work and how we work ?
Tech-Led Workforce Transformation
The potential for digital platforms underpinned by breakthrough technologies – such as the Internet of Things ( IoT ) or Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) – to expand the world of work is unbounded . New products and tech-led business models have been developing at lightning speed in the last two decades , often more quickly than regulators can even control . In its Workforce of the Future 2030 outlook 1 , PwC describes a “ Red World ” in which rewards are high for those who offer ideas and skills that best meet what companies and consumers want , a perfect incubator for innovation .
Even while new technologies may replace some jobs , they are also creating new work in industries that most of us cannot even imagine , and new ways to generate income . However , the value of digitization does depend on how many people and businesses have access to it , and more than four billion people 2 , or over half of the world ’ s population , is still offline .
One can only imagine what our global society will look like as we continue to close this gap by digitizing companies and connecting people . While information and communications technology have historically played a crucial role in disrupting workforces , their impact on the “ future of work ” post-2020 is widely expected to increase even further . A key trend that business leaders should be watching is remote connectivity , whereby ubiquitous online access allows for work to be conducted anywhere , at any time , and by almost anybody .
Remote Connectivity
In a white paper 3 published in 2011 , Cisco wrote that “ technologies such as teleconferencing , telepresence , mobile communications , and groupware applications ” had gone a long way toward “ helping employees collaborate across time and distance .” Their research also predicted that “ new technologies yet to be invented were poised to facilitate the amorphous information spillover that will animate collaboration , diffuse good ideas , and encourage innovation ” over the following decade . Looking back , it ’ s difficult to imagine a more accurate depiction of the environment we live in today .
IIC Journal of Innovation - 53 -