What does the future of work hold?

The world around us, as we’re all acutely aware, is changing at a dizzying pace- and with it, the way that we work. But, while the sheer pace of change can be daunting, future-proofing your organization needn’t be an intimidating task. Below, we take a look at a few of the key ways that the world of work is changing around us, and how leadership can prepare to make this a positive experience for their organizations.

In 2024, it’s simply no longer enough to just be an expert in one area in your role- rapid advancement across industry and the internet itself, means you’re never far behind from feeling…well, far behind! For example, the finance directors of today need a whole host of new skills and knowledge areas that simply weren’t necessary 20 years ago (cryptocurrency, anyone?). Similarly, the IT managers of yesteryear needed to be savvy in cyber security, of course, but what that entailed a few decades ago vs. now is simply unfathomable. Because of these changes, knowledge gaps are widening, and fast- the knowledge and skills that allowed your C-suite to perform their role best even 6 months ago, aren’t necessarily relevant now.

While the concept of re-skilling isn’t exactly a new one, it’s often overshadowed by upskilling. Of course, regularly building on existing skills and refining your knowledge is important, but re-skilling allows an organization to identify and focus on areas of total skills gaps, and train employees accordingly. Often, these gaps actually aren’t particularly obvious, until you look outside of the organization to see what competitors in your field are utilizing- particularly when it comes to awareness of new technologies that could help staff perform their roles better. As well as allowing employees to perform their roles more effectively, re-skilling also has a psychological benefit, as learning new skills has been shown to increase motivation – in fact, a study from Udemy found that 80% of people agreed learning new skills would make them more engaged in the workplace.

It’s essential that re-skilling is seen as a vital tool for your organization, rather than something to be left to the last minute. At an organizational level, this could look like implementing a quarterly ‘forum’ style meeting where staff can mention any areas, they feel they need re-skilling or upskilling in. Having senior members of your organization responsible for being abreast of new technology and when new systems or updates are due to be released, will also help your organization stay on top of any changes before they happen - allowing you to have a plan in place and not be scrambling to keep up.

It would be remiss to not mention AI- perhaps the single most significant advancement that will shape workplaces in this decade. As with any new technology, but particularly with one as nuanced and complex as AI, organizations can easily fall into one of two camps. The first is Camp FOMO. Eager not to miss out, these organizations tend to adopt any new technology with frantic enthusiasm, keen to be seen as ‘leading the charge’ and setting the trend. The issue here is that there is usually a lack of any real strategy or balance. While Camp FOMO is reserved for the dive-right-in organizations, on the other end of the spectrum, you’ve got the companies scared to dip a toe in the technology pool. Camp Techno-phobe doesn’t fare well in this scenario, either. These organizations view new technology with serious suspicion, and value the safe route. Watchful waiting - letting competitors adopt the technology and seeing how it works out for them, is their M.O. of choice. They’d have you believe it’s the ‘sensible’ option, but it's usually fear that’s running the show. For both camps, ‘overwhelm’ is to blame for the urgency- or lack thereof- when it comes to adopting new types of tech. So how can that be avoided when it comes to AI?

Ultimately, AI is here to stay and treating it like a passing trend that your organization can simply shrug off, doesn’t make sense (it’d be like shrugging off the concept of the Internet in the early ‘90s). Equally though, treating AI like the ‘shiniest new thing’ without regard for what works for your organization and its goals, is just as unwise.

For AI to benefit your organization, it needs to be implemented strategically- like any other business decision- with consideration to the potential trade-offs for both your employees and customers. Are you willing to use AI to assist with more creative aspects or idea generation? Not everyone in your creative teams will embrace this decision to the same degree. Would using AI chatbots in lieu of human customer service teams allow for a more streamlined customer experience, or would your customers prefer a more human interaction? Having AI complete more mundane administrative tasks can save time and allow staff to focus on more fulfilling work, but time would still need to be allotted to quality-check the end result. Going through each potential use of AI in your organization in this way, and weighing up the benefits vs. drawbacks, allows you to produce a realistic picture of how AI could work for you. The urgency culture when it comes to new technology almost dissuades this measured decision-making process, but the reality is- you do have the time to make a strategic decision here.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that the technology is constantly evolving- what didn’t seem remotely possible even six months ago is now reality. To that end, being aware of updates is key to ensure that your use of AI isn’t becoming obsolete by the time teams are trained to use it. Additionally, data protection and privacy are a huge consideration - particularly when using dialogue generators like ChatGPT, where sensitive data could easily be disclosed. Reputationally, using AI assistance for creative roles (such as copywriting or graphic design) needs to be managed carefully to avoid plagiarism or cookie-cutter style content that isn’t discernible from competitors. When managed effectively, though, AI can undoubtably make a positive contribution to your organization - it’s all in the planning.

The gig economy shows no sign of slowing down, and with it, comes an array of organizational challenges, regardless of your personal opinions on it. Whilst the gig economy promotes and encourages different types of work, bringing flexibility and opportunity, it’s also rife with exploitation, mistreatment and instability. As an organization, how do you navigate that?

The antidote to confusion is often just simplicity. While the types of work available from the growing gig economy are vast and often shrouded in deliberately murky legislation, you can protect your organization by getting really clear on your employment policies.

This could look like sitting down with your HR teams and explicitly detailing the types of employment you currently offer and would like to offer. For example, maybe your current model only employs full-time permanent employees, but you’d like to hire the occasional freelance staff to help with busy periods. The gig economy allows you to do this in myriad, seemingly simple ways- but hiring staff through the latest low-cost staffing app could cost you in the long run. Seeking out reputable agencies to hire temporary staff and having a robust policy for the hiring of contractors, will help you avoid any sticky situations. Whilst this route tends to be more expensive, it pays to remember that the most in-demand talent won’t be offering their services to the lowest bidder (in other words, as the saying goes- you really do get what you pay for).

You’ll also have the peace of mind that your organization is protected from a legal standpoint, and not at risk of exploiting temporary staff. As more and more companies take advantage of the gig economy to hire low-cost staff, those who choose not to will also stand out to potential employees who value integrity and make you far more attractive to new talent.

We hope you got value from these tips- if you’d like more where that came from, our newest programme offering, Lighthouse, dedicates a module to the Future of Work. If you’re a senior leader looking to future-proof your organization to new levels of agility, resilience and impact, visit Lighthouse to find out more and apply.