10 things you need to know about the future of work
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10 things you need to know about the future of work

13 Oct 2017

To complete a week focusing on the future of work, we’ve rounded up the essential information you need to know.

It’s been quite a hectic week here in the Careers section, and not just because Budget 2018 was announced.

This week, we celebrated our first Future of Work Week, in which we zoomed into the issues that are troubling the workers, graduates, students and employers of today.

Naturally, the first thing that comes to mind about the future of work as a whole is the idea of automation and the underlying threat of jobs.

So, in order to understand the future, we looked to the past to see what automation historically does to the economy, the workforce and jobs as we know them.

We also wanted to find out how far into the future this ‘future of work’ actually is. Who is it going to affect most? The generations of tomorrow, or the current workforce?

From a HR and recruitment point of view, there is much to think about, too. With a workforce that is constantly evolving, Dropbox’s Neil Frye gave some advice about how you can ensure you attract and retain the top talent.

We also received expert tips on how employers and HR teams can manage the workplace of the future from HR guru Dave Ulrich.

The future of work is not a new phenomenon. At Inspirefest 2017, it was an important topic, with thought leaders from Dropbox, Facebook and the Sodexo Institute for Quality of Life contributing. During the panel, they spoke about how AI will affect the jobs of the future and what current workers need to know about surviving in a brave new world.

Speaking of AI and the future of jobs, thought leaders and experts often dominate the conversation, and we should indeed pay attention to them. However, it’s easy to forget to ask employees what they think about automation and the future of work.

In a recent survey, 3,600 employees across the UK and Ireland were asked about how they feel about automation in the workplace, and the results are in.

If you’re thinking about the present as much as the future of work, this week also revealed the best countries in the world to work in. Thinking of relocating for work? This list will definitely be worth a look.

For those on the hunt for a job in Ireland, it was a quiet few days for announcements compared to last week, though telemedicine company VideoDoc did announce that it is looking to fill 30 new roles.

Finally, for those interested in pursuing a career as a business analyst, we’ve gleaned an inside look at the life of a senior business analyst at Liberty IT.

As always, for more on any of these stories, follow the links below.

1. What will automation really mean for the jobs market of the future?

What will happen to jobs as we know them when automation comes to the fore?

2. The grids are all right: Robots have never and will never steal jobs

They probably aren’t going to allow you to live in Oscar Wilde’s work-free, creative, socialist utopia either.

3. When exactly is the future of work?

There’s so much talk about the future of work, but when exactly is it and what do you need to know about it?

4. 7 future of work experts you need to follow on Twitter

We’re looking at the top influencers and thought leaders for you to follow on Twitter.

5. How will our working patterns change with the future of work?

As the future of work continues to encroach on our current patterns, how will our working hours and days change? WorkJuggle.com founder Ciara Garvan has some ideas.

6. Now is the time to bring humanity back to the workplace

With a renewed focus on how our working environment can affect our health, the time has come to rethink the workplace with humans at its heart.

7. In a robot revolution, embrace your humanity and curiosity about the future

At Inspirefest 2017, Monica Parker explained that adapting to and embracing change is not only beneficial, but necessary to navigate an ever-changing workforce.

8. How to prepare for future jobs

With the future of work well and truly upon us, how can we prepare for jobs that don’t even exist yet? Hays’ Nick Deligiannis has some advice.

9. What will the future of recruitment look like?

A lot of thought goes into how the future of work will affect employees and jobs, but what about HR and the future of recruitment?

10. What will my office look like in the future of work?

Many are pondering the stability of their jobs and how AI will affect their day-to-day work. But what about the office in which you will work?

Jenny Darmody
By Jenny Darmody

Jenny Darmody became the editor of Silicon Republic in 2023, having worked as the deputy editor since February 2020. When she’s not writing about the science and tech industry, she’s writing short stories and attempting novels. She continuously buys more books than she can read in a lifetime and pretty stationery is her kryptonite. She also believes seagulls to be the root of all evil and her baking is the stuff of legends.

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