3 Major Technology Shifts That Will Change the World of Work Forever
The world of work is changing. Setting aside the current health issues our world is facing that is forcing workplaces to adapt, there’s a tide of technological change already taking place, driving the way we work forward and changing the professional landscape. Remote work is the obvious indication of this change, but there are also several monumental shifts taking place you may not have recognised yet.
Remote Work
A survey conducted in 2019 found that 61% of global companies allow their staff to work remotely in some capacity, while looking at the UK specifically, we can see that data from the Office of National Statistics in 2017 showed an increase of a quarter of a million people working remotely across a decade. In fact, at that time, remote workers were expected to make up 50% of the UK workforce by 2020. While that’s likely not the case, it’s certainly fast approaching. According to a survey conducted this year by Buffer and completed by over 3,500 remote works, remote work cuts commuting times to zero, increases work efficiency, and reduces office overhead costs. Furthermore, staff who work from home find they’re less stressed, less involved in office politics, and tend to stay in their jobs longer. Remote work, both from home locations and on-the-go, means work isn’t simply done in the office anymore. It’s something staff can do from anywhere, and feel happier doing so; expect to see off-site work become a more commonplace occurrence throughout 2020 and beyond.The Internet of Things (IoT)
We live in a connected world. That phrase used to signify how easy it is for one person to communicate with another, no matter their location in the world. Instead, it’s now quickly coming to mean how everything in our world is connected; specifically, our technology. This year, it’s expected we’ll see 20.4 billion IoT devices (Gartner) throughout our workplaces, homes, and wider world.Interested in learning what IoT is? Read our article on the topic here: The Future of Computing and the Internet Doesn’t Involve Us: The Internet of Things
As our technology grows smarter, sourcing data from various devices and using to improve how we work, customer experiences, supply and demand, and more, workplaces will see a dramatic change. With computers able to quickly use streams of data quickly to decide what changes to make to improve efficiency, we’ll see rapid changes from retail spaces to the financial sector shift. A perfect example is supply in retail spaces; IoT devices can quickly track which products are selling quickly and which aren’t, dynamically sourcing more stock for the quickly-selling products and reducing demand for those products that aren’t. IoT means smarter business decisions, better experiences for customers, and less business wastage.Virtual/Augmented Reality
Virtual and augmented realities are making waves in the gaming space, but have more significant applications to the world of work. Every sector from medical care and education to construction and design stands to gain from advancements in mixed reality devices. Sarah Potter, immersive design leader at PwC UK remarked to ZDNet on how her company is able to offer skills training and development to thousands in just one day: “We've delivered skills training and development to over 1,000 people in a day in VR, and immersive experiences are a fantastic way to learn, “It can transport the learner into difficult conversations, appraisals or interviews. It can create press conferences or high-pressure presentations. VR can put you on stage, with all eyes on you." (ZDNet) PwC’s report predicts 23.5 million jobs will be using AR and VR by 2030, and that prediction isn’t surprising when you consider the applications:- Immersive virtual training enables large-scale standardised training across whole companies
- AR heads-up displays will enable professions such as electricians and IT technicians to quickly fault-find and read manuals/documentation without their attention needing to leave the project in question.
- Education becomes more vivid and interesting to students as they use virtual reality to explore other worlds, different subjects, and more.
The World of Work is Changing: Change with It, with ASUS
Technology moves quickly, and the way we’re working is changing with it. With so many exciting new developments, it can be hard to know what to look for and where to source your next wave of business tools from. Look to ASUS to help, from server technology to mobile devices capable of powering your most demanding work: ASUS.com/UK
