The world of work is in transition. Are you ready?
 |
| In Japan, companies are encouraging employees to go for lunchtime sleep, or hirune. It could contribute to a better working environment. (From BBC / Image credit: Piero Zagami and Michela Nicchiotti.) |
The world of work is being struck by waves of change. Some are vast and visible – leaps in machine learning and artificial intelligence or the rise of ‘do anything from anywhere’ technologies. Other ideas are just beginning to emerge – like monitoring content to ensure proper gender balance, or rethinking office design to promote air quality. Behind it all are the people whose ideas and attitudes have the potential to shape the next chapter of our lives.
[In this reading article] are the 101 indispensable things that you need to know about our work-life future:
We’re more likely than ever to live past a century. Whether this becomes a blessing or a curse for society and business depends on how much we can prepare for it.
2. 5G
Self-driving cars, robotics and smart cities, to name a few, will be supercharged through the 5G wireless network. It’s the next step in mobile internet connectivity – and it’s here. Almost.
In an ever-changing work environment, ‘AQ’, rather than IQ, might become an increasingly significant marker of success.
More machines than ever can recognise us, but they inadvertently discriminate on race, gender and more. People like Joy Buolamwini are trying to fix these built-in biases.
For better or worse, the internet is an attention-sapping platform. Perhaps an app that blocks, well, almost everything can help you focus.
6. Autocomplete
We’re starting to trust AI systems to write our emails for us. Is this time-saving tool changing how we communicate?
AI can screen your job application – the question is whether it should also be allowed to scan your social media, analyse your facial expressions and even fire you.
8. Biohacking
Fasting, micro-dosing, supplements, some go to great lengths to boost productivity – even if the validity of such approaches is unproven.
Wearable tech that monitors physical performance is booming. Whether there is a place for it in recruitment and performance analysis is debatable.
Rethinking how buildings are designed, decorated and operated could help benefit our health and even our productivity at work.
11. Burnout
How the idea that we can work harder and be better at everything is creating an overwhelming sense of exhaustion and anxiety from not meeting these high expectations. (Continue reading)
