1. Bring your own device
Say goodbye to company-supplied phones, tablets and computers, and hello to a wide spectrum of personal devices.
2. Why not choose your own workspace too?
By 2020, oDesk predicts that one in three people will be hired to work online from anywhere they want. American Express asks all new employees to take a survey on their working habits and decides where to put them – at a desk, in a home office, on the road or a mix – based on the results.
3. Get used to group projects
Physical, virtual, status and geographical barriers are being demolished to encourage the free flow of ideas. Samsung is installing floor-to-ceiling windows in its new US headquarters in the belief that people who can see each other are more likely to work with each other.
4. I, worker
Clerical and call centre jobs will be the first to be replaced by clever computers that can handle customer questions and accomplish routine tasks. And it’s already happening. Last year, ANZ Bank employed IBM’s Watson supercomputer to offer advice to its private wealth clients.
5. It won’t only be cyborgs cutting your grass
Get ready for a truly global workforce. By 2030, China, India and Brazil will be talent powerhouses, pumping out more highly qualified individuals than anywhere else.
6. Gen Y will be running the show
By 2020 Generation Y will make up 35 per cent of Australia’s workforce. This young, tech-savvy group will demand employers accommodate their values and lifestyle choices, but they’ll deliver results in return.
7. Your boss will give you shoulder massages
Employees – particularly Gen Y and Z – will expect to be taken care of in ways most employers can scarcely imagine at present. If you want to attract top talent, you’ll need to lay on the free food/yoga classes/housing, etc.
8. Permanent jobs will become extinct
The casualisation of work will continue apace as it becomes increasingly uneconomic for businesses to offer ongoing employment. Having contracts from multiple employers will be the new normal and building a strong personal brand will be essential.
9. Pay will be totally merit based
With increased capacity to measure (down to the last second and cent) exactly what contribution workers are making, expect to see remuneration much more tightly tied to your impact on the business’s profitability rather than the job title you flaunt.
10. You’ll get paid to play games
Workers used to Angry Birds during their commute will keep on playing once they reach the office. Japan’s NTT Data built an online game to foster leadership qualities in their staff, and other companies are enthusiastically embracing the ‘gamification’ of work.
The future of work is all about more. More talent, more demanding workers, more exciting working spaces and more challenges for employers. But get ahead of the curve and there’s something else waiting: more profits.