The world is changing, and the current workplace seems to be under the influence of these developments, as well. Robotics, artificial intelligence, and augmented reality – these seem to be the new rules of the game. In the next years, expect to see robot servers, AI therapists, and have unlimited assistance from collaborative robots.
As industries evolve and change, companies try to find new ways to remain competitive, profitable, and relevant to market changes. In this context, changes will be visible in the workplace as well. The workplace of the future is so different than what we are used to today. Below are some of the way employees will have to change and adapt in the following years.
Expect to Interact with AI More and More
Human-AI interactions are not novel. You already watch movies and TV series based on Netflix recommendations, you receive bad weather alerts and fraud alerts on your smartphone and you are already used to human-AI call center interactions. But the future of the modern workplace is more than this.
Production plants have few human employees that control commands and coordinate activity. Soon enough, you won’t be able to interact with your colleagues as you do today. Intelligent systems might replace some of them.
Companies in different industries that already use artificial intelligence enjoy a huge aid when carrying on with their internal processes. For instance, smart human resource tools and apps that use artificial intelligence coordinate today employees, their schedule, and how they carry on their daily tasks. They are due to ensure higher levels of customer satisfaction and to ease some of the staff’s workload.
And this is only the beginning. In the following years, we should expect to interact with similar interfaces, but with more immersive ones. Workers of tomorrow have to get used with the idea of having their performance evaluated by AI, to receive training and coaching from similar interfaces, and to have those assist them in terms of personal and professional development.
Expect to Have Robot Colleagues
Manufacturing robots are already used at a large scale in manufacturing plants all over the world. They have so many applications, we should expect to see them used for a series of departments and applications. From packaging to assembly lines and painting lines, many human employees already have robot colleagues to assist them and make their workload easier. AI and robotics seem to have unlimited capabilities when combined, and the industry is only due to make serious advancements in this regard. The robot server at the restaurant we mentioned in the beginning? Yes, you should expect to be your colleagues in the near future.
Robot applications have been implemented lately in more areas and industries than we ever dreamt about.
Expect to Work Remotely More and More
When AI and robots can take over the tasks at the workplace, human employees should be prepared to work remotely more and more. You are probably aware of the huge benefits remote work has: better work-life balance, more flexibility, and higher productivity rates. Besides, you should count in advantages like lower commute and meal costs and reduced environmental impact.
In an environment where companies try to reduce costs as much as possible, working remotely becomes a common practice. Besides, human employees will only have to take over those higher-value tasks and duties, leaving the repetitive and redundant ones to robot employees.
Although working remotely is a perk desired by many employees, they will have to find better ways to remain connected with their bosses, managers, and colleagues. They will have to learn how to remain productive and effective in virtual teams and how to get involved in tasks like brainstorming sessions from their homes.
Fortunately, work-oriented platforms like Slack are here to make virtual workgroups more functional and boost connectivity. These applications ensure a smooth flow of communication and preserve the same capabilities employees have when working in physical offices. So, the latter become redundant and costly.
Expect to Have a Better Work-Life Balance
As the need for your presence in a physical office becomes less accentuated, you should expect to have a better work-life balance. This should lead to better employee wellness standards and practices. For companies, this should translate in reduced costs with medical leave and health issues employees have when being overworked.
When you have a better work-life balance, you should also expect to be able to maintain meaningful human connections with your family and friends. In today’s environment, where loneliness is one of the main causes of anxiety and depression, the workplace of tomorrow looks brighter and happier than ever before. If you look at the matter from the wages’ perspective, this can only be a good thing. The employees of the future won’t have to waste money to treat their mental disorders rooted in loneliness. They can save up the money and find themselves in a financial advantage, as compared to the current situation.
Develop Soft Skills
As robots and AI take over the redundant, repetitive, and even dangerous tasks, human employees will have to develop new sets of skills, this time targeted at soft skills. Soft skills matter enormously in the age of automation and digital transformation. As human employees will have to take higher-value tasks and operations, these skills become more relevant.
Although it is unlikely for robots to replace humans in the workplace, the workplace of the future will look completely different than it looks today. You will need to interact better with customers and to work on self-improvement more. This will mean you will have higher chances to remain valuable for your employer and relevant for the industry you activate in.
The workplace of tomorrow seems to look completely different than what we are used to today. However, your fears of being replaced by robots and AI tools are unrealistic. You should, however, expect to be forced to work on your soft skills. The demanding and repetitive jobs will be reserved for robots, and you want to remain employable and competitive.
