4 Megatrends Impacting the Evolution of Work
As the world transitions from the information age into the age of creativity, what are megatrends driving this global transformation of the work environment?
It’s 2 o’clock on a Wednesday afternoon, you get off a packed bus or train in the city centre and the streets are a wash with people, coffee shops are full and you wonder to yourself, does anyone actually work anymore? The obvious and immediate answer is yes, people are working, but the landscape and manner in which this work is done is evidently evolving. But why? Thanks to new and ever-improving technologies that are driving a shift from the information age into the age of creativity, work is no longer a place to go, but instead an activity to complete. Behind this shift are several megatrends accelerating the change, and this article will explore four such trends and how certain solutions are facilitating their exponential growth.
Collaborative technologies
Collaborative tools and technologies are drastically changing the way individuals can work. No longer does everyone need to be in the same meeting room to collaborate on a project, applications like Teams and SharePoint in Microsoft Office 365, as well as other tools like Trello, Yammer and Skype for Business means employees can now work from anywhere, at any time and on any device.
With the ability to collaborate alongside people across multiple departments and potentially up and down the traditional chain of command, hierarchies can essentially be flattened because any employee can connect with or communicate with anyone within the organisation. This creates opportunities for improved efficiency, processes and customer experience as well as improved employee confidence and job satisfaction[1].
Cloud computing
In early 2018, Forbes reported that 83% of enterprise workloads will be in the cloud by 2020[2]. Considering the aforementioned collaborative technologies, they’re virtually all cloud-based platforms in some way shape or form. What this means is, the barrier to implement a new way of working is essentially non-existent.
No longer do employees need to rely on the IT team to deploy a new piece of software, any individual with a credit card and internet access has the ability to utilise whatever tools best suit their requirements[3]. Without the need to wait on approval for implementation, processes will become more streamlined, improving productivity and efficiency.
Millennials
Workforces across the globe are becoming younger by the day. Millennials – people born between 1982 and 2004 - currently comprise some 34 percent of New Zealand’s workforce and by 2020 will encompass the majority[4]. They’re the first generation to grow up with technology and social media as the norm, paving the way for a work environment consisting of tech-savvy professionals who will redefine the typical ‘work style’, with many electing to prioritise workplace flexibility over pay[5].
Desiring a more fluid work-life balance than generations before them, organisations will need to deploy “technologies that can keep up with not only an always-on workforce”[6], but one that is vastly more ad-hoc than previously imagined.
Mobility
As individuals elevate work-life balance and flexibility over more traditional employment priorities, mobility’s prominence will also grow. “Work will be performed virtually anywhere and from any device, the line between professional life and personal life will become increasingly blurred.”[7] And although some may feel uneasy about the prospect of their employees not being under their watchful eye the majority of the time, early research highlights many benefits to the shift.
A recent TED Talk with Stacey Ferreira, CEO of Forge, highlighted a study of employees who worked in flexible situations. 77% reported increased job satisfaction with 66% reporting they were genuinely happier, not surprising right? What’s more surprising though was 85% reported improved work productivity and 63% reported less unscheduled absences[8].
At Acquire, we specialise in supplying IT products to the New Zealand market and understand the changes currently occurring within the work environment. To take hold and embrace these megatrends to the benefit of your organisation, you need the right tools for the job. This means devices that are powerful, mobile and secure.
Our philosophy is to create a place where customers pay less for their IT purchases while experiencing a superior standard of customer service. To take advantage of these megatrends and shift with the times, acquire an HP expert on 0800 444 774 or visit our HP Store https://acquire.co.nz/brands/hp/
[1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2013/06/20/five-trends-shaping-the-future-of-work/#3e3b8224aece
[2] https://www.forbes.com/sites/louiscolumbus/2018/01/07/83-of-enterprise-workloads-will-be-in-the-cloud-by-2020/#27f0c1526261
[3] https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobmorgan/2013/06/20/five-trends-shaping-the-future-of-work/#3e3b8224aece
[4] https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/better-business/101484083/as-of-2020-millennials-are-going-to-be-the-largest-part-of-the-workforce
[5] The Evolving Workplace: Global Trends, Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. 2017
[6] The Evolving Workplace: Global Trends, Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. 2017
[7] The Evolving Workplace: Global Trends, Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. 2017
[8] The Evolution of Work | Stacey Ferreira | TEDxEroilor, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTI5zuGR5mo