The work as we know it today is not how it was a decade ago. We have computer systems and software making our jobs less labor-focused. Work after a decade from now won't be the same either. Innovative technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robotics along with the disruption that came along with COVID-19 are reshaping the future of work.

The coronavirus pandemic changed the physical distribution of the workforce by making employees work remotely. This rapid restructuring of the workforce accelerated what was underway long before the pandemic at its own pace. In the past 10 years, the number of remote employees increased by 91% according to FlexJobs 2019 report. The number of gig workers/ on-call workers/temporary workers has also increased by 15% since 2020 according to the ADP 2020 report. Another growing trend aiding the first two is the adoption of artificial intelligence in the workplace.

Workplace Transformation

Since evolution, the way humans worked has undergone several transformations. The steady rise of technology, right from the invention of computers to digitization has not only reshaped how we work but also where we work from, the nature of the job roles, and the skills required for the role. At this rate, the industry leaders will be required to come up with innovative solutions that will support the evolution of work in the future.

Let's deep dive into the catalysts of change.

How & Where We Work: When mobiles were invented, they were merely a device to make phone calls. Today, smartphones are used by employees as portals to advanced software and data management tools. A recent study showed that 87% of companies required employees to have access to mobile business apps from their smartphones. Thanks to portable devices like laptops and tablets augmented with AI and other digital systems, employees became more distant from office desks. They can now work from wherever they are and focus their minds on innovative solutions rather than mundane tasks.

Changing Job Roles: As more and more companies adopt AI for their business functions, demand for job roles that are knowledge-based and cognitive. While there are rumors going that AI will push humans towards unemployment, a 2018 WEF report suggests that while AI is abolishing traditional job roles, digitization is creating up to 133 million new job roles by 2022.

Demand For New Skills: As workplaces are digitizing their operations, the need for knowledge-intensive tasks is increasing. From 2000 to 2019, the rate of employees with graduate-level education increased from 24% to 42% and the need for complex problem solving and innovative thinking skills rose to 20%. Of course, the need for knowledge of working around computer systems is obvious.

The reality of dynamic technology and market changes is becoming more evident than ever. Companies are increasingly prioritizing their functions in order of efficiency, personalization, and flexibility. Contract workers, remote workers, and consultants are becoming a significant segment of the workforce. Instead of hiring employees with basic skills to be physically working out of a permanent office, the new trend is to form dynamic teams based on task-oriented skills that are capable of working with a less centralized and hierarchical structure.

Another trend that is already being adopted by companies but has a long way to go with further innovations in AI. By automating tasks and minimizing human errors, AI is taking over mundane repetitive tasks. This is allowing employees to focus on problem-solving and creative tasks. AI-powered systems can analyze and interpret big data and huge pools of datasets for accurate business decisions.

The Future Of Work Is Improving The Society

With businesses across industries welcoming technology and making it an active part of the work, they are enabling employee upskilling which is empowering today's society and reshaping the future. Integrating AI and digital solutions into the workplace requires companies to give specialized training to all its staff which improves employee satisfaction, reduces their work stress, and pressurizes academic institutions to revamp their syllabus to teach the future generation necessary skills to join the future workforce which, more likely than now, will involve co-existing with AI bots and machines.