At Misco we often get asked about future trends in the workplace, especially from an HR perspective. It is impossible to predict the future because no one has that skill. However, on the basis of what is happening today, we can possibly guess – which has a different meaning from the word ‘predict’ – what the future trends will be.
The most obvious one is the impact of technology. If technology changes the way we work, it will certainly impact the HR function. There is talk of the growth of what is referred to as the platform economy, namely the economic activity that is facilitated by technology platforms, which very often enable transactions such Amazon, Airbnb, and various apps. In addition to this is the growth in the use of artificial intelligence in various aspects of economic activity.
Such developments will impact the HR function in a significant way, as it will give the concept of teamwork a totally different dimension. Till now we have developed the concept of teamwork and employee engagement within a framework where persons are physically present in the workplace.
Technology shall be making it possible for us to be increasingly managing virtual teams and the usual tactics of employee engagement cannot work with virtual teams. We will need to think of employee engagement in a totally different way. In many companies today, the practice of hot-desking is common and this is already challenging the status quo, let alone if remote working or self-employment working arrangements via the technology platforms take off.
As such there may even be the need of a total rethink of the HR function. The impact of technology may not only cause the re-engineering of the HR function but will also bring up a number of ethical issues. I believe that the question of how to use technology in the HR function in an ethical and responsible manner will gain attention as a top issue in future. In some respects we have just started to scratch the surface of this issue.
We need to live the present but we need to think about the future as well
Technology will change significantly how work gets done and who does it. As has happened for centuries, some jobs will disappear as they will become completely automated as technology advances relentlessly. Moreover, probably all jobs are likely to have some parts automated. This may sound scary and we need to be prepared culturally for it.
If we look at it more optimistically (as I would like to), as technology takes over the more routine tasks, employees will need to develop and refine skills that are uniquely human. Training employees in soft skills is a priority issue today. We will probably need to extend what we mean today by soft skills.
In addition to elements such as communication, conflict management, collaboration and creative thinking, we will need to train employees how to manage their financial wellness (managing their financial expenses) or how to optimise their own employee experience and manage their mental wellness. This will again have an impact on the HR function and its activities in employee development.
The third trend I would like to mention is in fact about the employee experience. The expectation is that the HR function delivers an employee experience that mirrors customer experience. In a way employees have become consumers and we may be experiencing the consumerisation of the HR function. This will require the HR function to reinvent itself to remain relevant and retain a strategic importance.
Some of us may have a different view of things and different opinions on future HR trends. The good thing about the future is that we can all be clever after the event. The important thing is that we have an objective discussion about current trends such that the future does not catch us unawares. We need to live the present but we need to think about the future as well.