How do we understand what makes one staff member perform better than another, and how do we create a more efficient and productive workforce? By getting a better sense of the employee experience. Thanks to advancements in IoT and sensor technology, as well as the proliferation of mobile devices and wearable tech, companies can easily access nearly limitless amounts of data about the activity, health, and wellbeing of their employees. This information can be used to identify trends and make adjustments that will make employees happier, healthier, and – best of all – more productive.

Of course, as automation takes over more and more jobs, it’s bound to make some skills obsolete. But it will also create new opportunities that may not have existed before. To succeed in the workplace of the future, people will have to redefine their roles and learn new skills. And the most important 21st century skills to have are critical thinking, creativity, communication, problem solving, and technology literacy. Lifelong learning will become a growing priority, giving rise to a new education model – Learning-as-a-Service (LaaS).

Companies are increasingly relying on AI to handle various management tasks, such as helping new employees get up to speed, conducting interviews, and making hiring decisions. Some are even using technology to decide which workers are underperforming and need to be fired. That doesn’t mean that machines will replace human managers altogether, just that their role will change. Rather than micromanaging their employees, the manager of the future will be more like a role model, offering frequent feedback and encouraging them to keep working on personal development.

Emerging technologies are completely transforming the workplace and old hierarchies are finally given the boot. And thankfully, more and more companies are adopting a culture-first and employee-first approach, rather than focusing exclusively on the end result. Flexible, open office spaces are increasingly replacing fixed offices of the past. And as the benefits of remote work become evident, virtual offices are expected to grow in popularity as well. The future workplace will also give teams more freedom to express their ideas and make their own decisions.

Driven by the changing nature of the job market and the rise of online platforms, more and more people are choosing short-term gigs over long-term employment. In this digital age, it’s no longer necessary to work in an office. Why should we, if we can work remotely, from the comfort of our home, from the beach, or any other suitable location? The gig economy benefits everyone. It enables us to discover new job opportunities all over the world that best fit our lifestyles, and provides employers with access to a wider, deeper talent pool. Win-win!

In many ways, people are no longer separate from technology. It is, therefore, important to keep an eye on the moral side of technological developments. We need to philosophize about the implications for the world of tomorrow and ensure we take important ethical considerations into account. We need to determine our boundaries and have (and voice) opinions about how people and machines should work together. What will happen to our individual rights and how will we deal with privacy and risk management? How will we remain happy in the world of tomorrow?

Of course, the future of work also requires a new type of manager, one who challenges the status quo and is willing to abandon old and tired practices that are ‘so 20th century’. As millennials are great team players who don’t do well with traditional authority, it only makes sense that old hierarchies finally come to an end as well. They are result-driven and expect their managers to be the same. The managers of the future offer employees opportunities to develop new skills and explore new positions.

The company of the future is hyper connected. It closely monitors new developments and collaborates with startups, scientists and universities. It uses smart algorithms to analyse the world and employs a flexible workforce capable of rapidly developing new products, services or processes, and offering support on complex issues. The company of the future requires accessible leaders who inspire, have new visions and are prepared to veer off the beaten track.

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