Each week I’m going to provide a round up of what I consider to be important and interesting articles on the future of work (not authored by me). These will include a variety of sources and topics ranging from workplace practices to robots and automation to leadership and everything in between. There’s a lot of information out there so I’m hoping that these weekly round ups will help make life a bit easier for you by giving you just the good stuff. Let’s get into it!
Co-Working Spaces Are the Future of Work, But That Could Be a Good Thing
Co-working – where individuals can rent a desk of their own while sharing a range of other facilities with their co-tenants – is growing. This model gives workers more control over their working lives.
One estimate is that the number of people renting spaces will grow globally from just under 1 million in 2016 to nearly 4 million in 2020. One factor of this increase may be in response to the isolation that is often identified as a key problem that arises for freelancers.
Though this setting works for many, it does not suit the needs of all. Some workers point out that the shared spaces can be noisy and hard to work in. The open-plan workspace can be a drawback for some people.
Still, some researchers think that co-working could be a glimpse into a more positive future.
Many Workers Believe AI and Automation Will Increase Employment and Flexible Working
According to one report, 65% of employees believe that technology has increased the number of jobs available to them.
Dr. Carl Benedikt Frey stated that robots could enhance careers rather than destroy them. The introduction of automation in the workplace will allow workers to become more creative and involve more social interaction.
Though some jobs will become obsolete due to robots, the future workplace could create opportunities for more flexible and fulfilling work.
As organizations work to develop more flexible working, it could be that robots are a significant part of the solution.
To Improve Engagement, Make Performance Reviews Focus on the Future
Traditional performance reviews seem to be on the way out. More companies are adopting a performance management system that schedules weekly or monthly meetings in which managers and employees discuss performance goals and progress.
However, organizations with annual reviews will need to figure out the compensation piece before replacing the old system. The failure of the traditional performance review is its focus on past behavior, while employers now are trying to focus on future performance.
Deloitte, Microsoft, Accenture and Adobe all have made the shift away from annual reviews. Instead, they focus on more frequent talks between managers and staff.
What IT skills are required for the fourth industrial revolution?
There has been an increase in the demand for IT professionals or ‘robot creators’ due to the looming ‘fourth industrial revolution’. The fourth industrial revolution (aka Industry 4.0) is a term used to describe the trend of automation.
More industries will add automation – and robotics will become part of the process. These will range from fruit picking to health care. One of the big changes will be in the automotive industry, as self-driving cars are introduced and new technology is incorporated into vehicles.
Some future jobs to be found in the Industry 4.0:
Robotic engineers
Senior engineers
Machine learning engineers
Various technicians
My new book, The Employee Experience Advantage (Wiley, March 2017) analyzes over 250 global organizations to understand how to create a place where people genuinely want to show up to work. Subscribe to the newsletter here.
Comments