that will
ay we work
divided into four key areas, that will shape the coming decade.
nology
ution
Clustering
Automation
Inclusivity
rial Revolution is
n. The Internet of
re of our world into
ry, to inventory, and
elves. By 2020, up
s worldwide will be
ted. That data can be
l intelligence (AI) and
ich will uncover new
ncy and create new
sonalisation. Already,
g from personalised
mers to personalised
r employees.
Companies within sectors often cluster
in the same location to access talent,
be close to suppliers and gain other
advantages. Over the next decade, rapid
development of new clusters could
accelerate the pace of technological
adoption but might also unevenly spread
the effects of digitalisation.
As this new technology sweeps in, many
of our skills will become obsolete. Robot
process automation (RPA) will see
automation take over many tasks, while
‘cobots’ will work alongside humans to
help them. Meanwhile, ‘globotics’ – a
combination of RPA and a growth in
remote workers – is expected to have a
major impact on white-collar and service
workers. However, out of this creative
disruption will come entirely new jobs,
from interactive chatbot designers to
automation ethicists and more.
A recent study found that organizations
in the top 25% for gender diversity
outperform their competitors by 15%,
while those in the top 25% for ethnic
diversity outperform the competition by
35%. The 2020s are likely to be a decade
in which businesses seek to diversify their
workforce and benefit from a broader
range of viewpoints, approaches and
abilities.
ology Companies Workforce
ogy will be the fifth
connectivity or 5G.
of more data, more
and devices without
rnet access will be
ire factories will be
lowing AI to optimise
each machine and
cars and even entire
d, able to share data
ore efficiently.
A Shift to Smaller
Firms
While larger companies can benefit from
economies of scale, digital technology
and cloud computing services make it
easier than ever for a small company
to access cutting edge capabilities and
compete. Add to that the fact that smaller
companies can be more agile, and the
competitive landscape could be reshaped
in the coming decade.
Reskilling and
Upskilling
These emerging roles will require new
skills, so companies will invest in upskilling
and reskilling their workers. A culture of
lifelong learning will be vital as the pace
of change accelerates and employers will
need to place greater significance on ‘soft
skills’, such as resilience and adaptability,
which will be better indicators of success
than job experience.
Reverse
Mentorship
Skills exchange in the workplace will
increasingly be two-way. Older employees
will find themselves learning more from
their younger counterparts – a kind of
‘reverse mentoring’ that will be vital as
technology advances. For instance, The
Adecco Group, through its ‘Global CEO
for One Month’ programme, makes it
possible for young people to spend a
month working alongside our CEO Alain
Dehaze.
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