The Future Of Work: Analysing Trends For Careers In The Next Ten Years

Gone are the days when people used to aspire to stick to conventional job profiles because it was believed that such job profiles were more “risk-free”. Though they were able to achieve some kind of stability in pursuing these careers, they offered scope for growth and resulted in a lack of creativity. Today, things have changed to a great extent.

Technology has paved the way for the mushrooming of many new fields such as digital marketing, cloud computing, cybersecurity, blockchain development, artificial intelligence, to name a few, that were unheard of, even ten years ago. 

There was a time when people were terrified that technology would replace humans, but now, people have learned to leverage technology to their advantage. And those who are doing a great job at it are earning the perks of it too, which include flexible work schedules, higher pay, better career growth opportunities and in some cases, remote work.     

Ten years ago, if someone had said that a person in India would work remotely for an American company without facing the hassle of relocation, no one would have believed it. Similarly, there are many trends that might seem too far-fetched to become a reality now but can become commonplace in the future. Let’s have a look at these trends that will develop over the next ten years:

Spotlight On The Trends

Here are five trends that are going to be the centre of attention in the next ten years:

Smaller Organisations Are Going To Be The Next Big Thing In IT

Unlike large organisations, small businesses are going to be far more resilient to the changing work landscape and will be able to adapt quickly to changes in market demands. Bigger organisations and enterprises may struggle with getting rid of their old, obsolete processes because of bureaucratic delays. The key is for small and large organisations to collaborate to keep up with the times and further innovation.

Hierarchy Will Eventually Become Obsolete

Everyone is going to have a say and be their own boss. Hierarchy, which has been disappearing slowly anyway, will eventually disappear as the concept of leadership itself evolves. Everyone is going to be a leader in their own right, which means that micro-management will also not continue to be a problem. This will result in a more empowered workforce.

Emerging New Role Of A Culture Setter

The role of the culture setter is going to be a new role in the upcoming years; this person will be responsible for shaping the culture of the organisation. It will be their responsibility to ensure that the company and its employees are abiding by the codes of ethical, professional, and moral conduct. With their involvement, employee engagement rates can improve, and employees will be more productive too. 

Employee Well-Being Will Be At The Core Of It All

Health is going to be at the forefront and the companies will pay a great deal of attention to their employees’ health. They will finally understand that productivity is tied to the employees’ physical and mental well-being. As a result, companies can offer better health policies, conduct awareness programs, and be a partner in their employees’ healthcare journey. 

AR And VR For Socialising

The future is likely to be largely remote. As a result, socialising and ice-breaking activities will take place in a virtual environment with the involvement of augmented and virtual reality [AR and VR]. 

These technologies are capable of creating an immersive environment where face-to-face interactions are conducted virtually but have the same impact as real-world interactions. Interactive team-building games and VR social events will be commonplace. 

These trends overall, are going to take the world by storm, and completely change the dynamics of industries as a whole. The only way that an employee can stay relevant is to keep up with the change and embrace the future of work. 

It takes much more than money to keep employees satisfied and productive. Once employers understand the importance of work-life balance and mental health, they will automatically be one step ahead.

What Will The Future Of Work Look Like?

A recent report by PwC titled ‘Workforce of the future: The competing forces shaping 2030’ imagines that the future work world will be divided into four categories based on colour.

The Red World is where innovation is key. Companies are fiercely competitive, motivated by a desire to be at the forefront of technology and product development. The Blue World is governed by massive businesses that prioritise efficiency, scalability, and stability. Work is structured and managed according to typical corporate hierarchies, with an emphasis on maximising shareholder profit. 

In the Green World, companies take on a greater social and environmental responsibility. There is a strong emphasis on sustainability, ethical practices, and community well-being. Organisations in this world prioritise long-term societal benefits over short-term gains, and employees are engaged in meaningful work that aligns with their core inner values. 

The Yellow World values uniqueness and human-centric methods. It is distinguished by a commitment to social cohesiveness, well-being, and work-life balance. Companies throughout the world value the human components of work, such as creativity, teamwork, and personal fulfilment. Employees are driven by a sense of purpose and aim to make a positive difference.

The Bottom Line: Be Prepared For All Kinds Of Change

The report underlines the need for both prospective employers and employees to adopt a dynamic approach to fit into this new work world order. Change is already happening and it is accelerating at an unprecedented rate.

So adapting to change should have begun already via upskilling, accepting that automation and the use of AI will be a part of the deal, and focusing on building a mature conversation about the future.