Technology, which experienced rapid development before the pandemic, continues to change and develop at the same pace. In today’s world, characterized as the Digital Age, in the next 10 years, a very large part of the workforce will work in a very different way. Digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI), the internet of things (IoT), Industry 4.0, mobile and the rise of Generation Z will have a huge impact on how people work in the next decade.
Cile Montgomery, a senior consultant for “Dell Technologies Unified Workspace”, referring to the results of a panel discussion she moderated, said that the new young and digital generation in particular , define work not as a place to go to work, but as a place to see what they can achieve in their time . “While the introduction of mobile technology and cloud-based solutions are certainly helping to make the idea of working anytime, anywhere a reality, the generational mix of Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials and Gen Z is creating a complex work style dynamic in the business world.
“As work becomes less of a place to go and more of a task to be done, employees expect to be able to work when and where they want.”
In today’s business world, which is undergoing a rapid digital transformation – with the pandemic – working conditions are characterized by virtual teams and workforces that rely on web-based production and collaboration tools to connect to their work, regardless of location or time of day. While today this trend applies more to specific groups, such as “knowledge workers”, over the next five years these trends are expected to accelerate, combining process-oriented jobs that can be augmented or replaced by technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics, and that can be repeated. Over the next five years, the biggest challenge for organizations and businesses will be to provide career paths that offer exciting opportunities for employees – especially Generation Z, who have grown up to be highly digital and social media savvy – to progress. Montgomery says that Gen Z employees want to offer their talents and skills to companies that provide the flexibility and freedom to be entrepreneurial through personalized roles, and he sees the tech industry as a sweet spot for the new generation to realize these career goals. Therefore, providing intuitive technology and solutions will only be one piece of the puzzle for organizations looking to attract this new wave of talent.
Ten years from now, the picture is expected to be quite different as Industry 4.0 technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and IoT become mainstream. According to a McKinsey study cited by Cile Montgomery, “by 2030, 60% of jobs will be transformed through automation of component tasks.” Still, technology is not expected to replace humans. Instead, digital transformation will free people from many mundane tasks, provide opportunities for advancement and create whole new job categories, such as edtech to be more empathetic. Some companies may then run the race faster than others, widening the gap between businesses that are future-ready and able to take advantage of emerging technologies and those that are not. But one thing is certain: The steps businesses take today – modernizing infrastructure, inspiring employees and deploying next-generation technologies – will lay the groundwork for their digital future and help the next wave of human-led, technology-enabled progress come to fruition.
