The Future of Work isn’t All Tools and Tech

When we imagine the workplace of the future, we might picture robots and technology. And while automation will undoubtedly have a key place in the future of work, one of the main changes businesses must brace for is that of the emancipated employee. Since the pandemic, workers have been handed more freedom to choose how they live and work, and this newfound power has been fueling wider workplace trends in 2023 and beyond. 

We’ve taken a closer look at these trends, predicting the biggest shifts in the future of work. 

The rise of remote work

Whether leaders like it or not, remote working is here to stay. The freedom to live and work anywhere is not something employees want to give up lightly. In fact, 40% of employers say they expect more than half their workforce to work regularly from home, with employees all over the world saying they’d move jobs if a hybrid work option wasn’t offered. But remote work isn’t something to fear. After all, happy employees are better employees. 

The growth of the gig economy

With the rise of remote work flexibility comes the rise in gig work, as more and more workers choose to work for themselves as freelancers, rather than traditional nine-to-five employment. This trend is only set to grow as technology enables gig workers to perform their jobs perfectly from anywhere in the world. 

Increased use of artificial intelligence  

You’d have to be living under a rock not to notice the rise in artificial intelligence in 2023, but it doesn’t stop there. According to McKinsey, nearly all occupations will be affected by automation, irreversibly changing the way companies operate in almost every industry. As these technologies become more mainstream, the key is to adapt our skills to work with them, rather than fear them.  

The importance of diversity and inclusion

No longer a tick box exercise, diversity and inclusion in the future will be ingrained into company culture, from leadership all the way down to entry level. Practices like cultural awareness, unconscious bias and sexual harassment training will become normalised, and hiring pools will no longer be restricted to people with degrees or specific experience. In short, the corporate world will be refreshingly varied.  

Taking sustainability seriously  

Like diversity and inclusion, the issue of sustainability will be given more prominence in the workplace of the future. In the past, sustainability in the workplace might have revolved around cycle-to-work schemes and in-office recycling. In 2023 and beyond, sustainability will be a much more radical conversation. Think remote work to erase commuter emissions, and entirely paperless companies. 

Better work-life balance 

All in all, the workplace of the future looks to be a good place for workers and leaders who wants to reclaim more of their personal lives. The normalisation of “the grind” is being put to question, and people are prioiritising their mental and physical health over corporate gain. 

At Remotify, we’re all about future-proofing your business, while keeping leaders and employees happy, healthy and thriving at work. Want to find out how we do it? Give our friendly team of experts a call today!