Thinkers360 2024 Predictions for Future of Work are member-sourced from our opt-in B2B thought leader and influencer community with 100M+ followers on social media combined. The 2024 Predictions for Future of Work are part of a series to provide actionable insights for business and technology executives.
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We asked a selection of our Thinkers360 global thought leaders and influencers about their predictions for Future of Work in 2024. Here’s what they told us…
What are your predictions for Future of Work in 2024?
Automation and artificial intelligence will continue transforming the workforce in 2024, taking over more routine tasks and freeing up humans for creative and complex work. Remote and hybrid arrangements adopted during the pandemic will become permanent for many knowledge workers, enabling more flexible digital nomad lifestyles. Lifelong learning will be essential as skills rapidly become outdated, requiring on-demand training from companies. Non-traditional contract and gig work will rise as full-time jobs decline in number. Collaboration tools like augmented reality and virtual assistants will enhance connectivity among distributed remote teams. With some jobs unstable, debates over job guarantee or universal basic income programs will grow as ways to support citizens’ basic needs.
– Jonathan H. Westover, PhD, Managing Partner, Principal, Chief Academic and Learning Officer at Human Capital Innovations, LLC.
In 2024, we will see a deeper penetration of AI technologies in everyday life. Generative AI is a transformative technology just like cloud computing. It will impact how we work, we learn, we live, and conduct business. The use cases will go beyond personalization and recommendations and we will see climate, healthcare, education, technology, fintech, and research industries leveraging AI for mission critical initiatives. And this is one of the reasons why the White House issued an executive order on safe, secure, ethical and trustworthy development and use of Artificial Intelligence.
– Rashim Mogha, Founder and Keynote Speaker at eWOW.
The evolving landscape of work and life reflects our growing realization that they are interconnected aspects of a singular journey, rather than separate entities. No longer buying into the myth of work-life balance allows us to question everything. This shift is marked by a movement towards ‘life working,’ where work is merely a part of life’s vibrant tapestry, not its entirety. In this perspective, success is redefined as finding fulfillment in various aspects of life, not just professional achievements. This shift, embraced by people across different age groups, prioritizes values and life choices over traditional career paths and material success. It encourages us to align our actions with our hearts and seek purpose in all life areas, which is why we will see an increase in freelancers, digital nomads and different new models emerge. This paradigm shift leads us towards simply being ‘lifeaholics’— integrating work into a fulfilling life journey, focusing on connection, community, and co-creation.
– Ayelet Baron, Forbes Top 50 Global Female Futurist at ayeletbaron.com.
In the swiftly approaching year 2024, the workplace as we know it stands on the cusp of a thrilling metamorphosis. Picture this: AI and machine learning are not just buzzwords but powerful engines driving the evolution of management into realms previously unimagined. However, this exhilarating future brings its own set of hurdles. At the forefront is the crucial enhancement of diversity and inclusion. The goal? To weave these essential values not just through the corridors of HR but into the very fabric of business strategies. This shift is particularly vital in championing the cause of accessibility for disabled employees. Meanwhile, the rise of the hybrid work model casts a revealing light on the limitations of our current digital communication tools. While these tools promised to bring us closer, they risk overwhelming us, highlighting the pressing need for a thoughtful overhaul to boost productivity and collaboration. The issue becomes even more pronounced in organizations where experienced senior talent is scarce, revealing a glaring gap in effective collaboration and knowledge sharing. This scenario underscores the need for a balanced approach that honours both the cutting-edge advancements in technology and the timeless value of human well-being. As we gaze into the future, 2024 beckons with a promise: a workplace that is not only adaptable and inclusive but also integrated, where technology and humanity dance in harmony. Embracing this holistic strategy is the key to nurturing a work environment that is both productive and equitable.
– Antonio Santos, Social Media Business Evangelist at Atos.
In 2024, generative AI will materially reshape learning, career development, and internal mobility. Generative AI will accelerate the ability of talent leaders to develop deeply personalized learning strategies that align with business goals, employees’ skills, aspirations, and career preferences and drive engagement and retention. Generative AI will also facilitate the democratization of learning as workers harness its power to move beyond role barriers to skill up, evolve, work, and thrive on their own terms.
– Dr Terri Horton MBA MA SHRM-CP PHR EQi2.0, Founder and CEO at FuturePath LLC.
The Confluence of Generative AI and Proprietray Data Opens a World of Possibilities in the Workplace
Companies will begin using their proprietary data to fine-tune and customize existing generative AI models according to their specific needs. Training a model with proprietary data allows organizations to capture domain-specific knowledge and enhance the model’s performance in their particular context. This confluence will be next-year’s competitive advantage for forward-thinking organizations courageous enough to take the steps needed to leverage the power of generative-AI.
– James Kerr, Principal at Indispensable Consulting.
In 2024, the SEC will approve Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETF’s) which will allow employers to offer employees an investment option in Bitcoin as part of their 401k’s. We will also see a decline in the number of people using traditional 2D video meetings as more people will begin using technology like the Apple Vision Pro for immersive collaboration and spatial computing. We’re also going to see increased demand from people for additional flexibility in their work beyond just working more from home. Additional flexibility will be sought around when to work, who to work with, and the tasks to be performed. And lastly, we will see AI start to alleviate the impact of talent shortages in certain industries with less complex, highly repetitive task demands (e.g., fast food).
– Jason Cochran, Organizational Psychologist, People and Culture Strategist, The Adaptive Futurist at humanworks8.
The spotlight in 2024 will be on ‘Transparency’ as businesses prepare for new laws regarding pay transparency. However, the scope of transparency extends beyond compensation. Younger employees are calling for clear insights into various workplace aspects, including career progression opportunities and decision-making processes. This push towards workplace equity enhances employees’ sense of value and motivation, leading to increased job satisfaction and productivity. Ultimately, embracing transparency in all its forms will be essential in building the equitable and trustworthy organizations that people prefer to work for.
– Anita Lettink, Keynote Speaker & Advisor at HRTechRadar.
In 2024, leaders must tackle two key Future of Work challenges: First, reversing the decline in social connection and employee engagement. This is crucial for wellbeing and essential for collaboration and productivity in hybrid workplaces. Second, they need to practically implement AI with a focus on its impact on workforce strategy and organizational design. It’s about more than skill investment; it’s about sparking behavioral change to enhance effectiveness and make work more meaningful. Companies excelling in these areas will gain a competitive advantage.
– Nick Lynn, Principal at WTW.
Agile has Failed and will be Replaced by AI Modeled Work Optimizations
There is now a common shout to move on from agile to the next fad. However there are so few examples of agile it is hard to validate these calls as anything other than misdirection. AI being the latest call to action many consultancies and organisations will seek to move towards this, but fail to fix their underlying organisational issues that would make such a move possible.
– Karl A L Smith, Co-Founder at Agile World.
Generative AI will personalize training and learning at speed and at scale. As organizations continue to reskill and to upskill employees amidst rising economic pressures, Generative AI will play a prominent role in customizing content and programs based on each employee’s learning style, goals and aspirations. Elevating employees while containing costs is made easier through the power of Generative AI.
– Karen Mangia, President & Chief Strategy Officer at The Engineered Innovation Group.
How culture can be managed in the digital space
I believe cultural studies must proactively pay attention to certain emerging realities. Some of these domains include: (a) culture’s role in bringing an intelligent equilibrium to digital platforms, (b) culture’s role in creating the required balance within organizations as a system, and (c) the value of the intelligent and dynamic culture in establishing intelligent or knowledgeable organizations.
– Ahmad M. Salih, DBA, Senior Director Knowledge Management and Operational Excellence at Khatib & Alami PTE.
According to SHRM, half of workers want their next position to be a remote one – a figure that’s only expected to grow. Asked if they’d like work remotely at least part time, 97% of employees said yes – and 7 in 10 say their companies already offer at least part-time remote work options. From McKinsey to Gallup, poll after poll is clear – people are embracing flexwork and hybrid work and will only want more of it in 2024 (and 2025!) In other words, as much as managers might want people in the office, the genie is out of the bottle – and isn’t going back in: Thanks to rapid-fire advances in technology made over the past two years, it’s clear that the future of work will be more remote, hybrid, and digital. But while job postings have returned to – or in some cases are exceeding – pre-pandemic levels, continuing labor shortages may see over 85 million positions go unfilled by 2030, costing organizations as much as $8.5 trillion. Faced with growing hiring constraints, association leaders have no choice but (as they routinely do with core programs and offerings) to give their HR and workforce management strategies a next-gen upgrade. From an operating standpoint, it additionally means having to invest in and put new tools, technologies, and operating strategies in place that make it easier for your staff and members to connect, collaborate, and build shared cultural understandings at every turn. Likewise, with game-changing innovations like AI and machine learning now gaining in prominence and prevalence, it’s clear that anything that can easily be automated will in coming months. In effect, technology and communications tools continue to make exponential advancements – our operating strategies will have to shift equally pronouncedly to be more adaptable and keep up.
– Scott Steinberg, Futurist and Trends Expert at FutureProof Strategies.
Translating Digital Transformation into People Transformation will be among this year’s critical and valued skillsets. As ChatGPT and other smarter-than-any-individual technologies take off, the design of work will face a major inflection point. Will 2024 be remembered as the year a real-world Skynet was ushered in? Or will we finally realize that we need to focus on that translation to turn “people are our greatest asset” into reality. Where we invest most this year — in people or technology — will foretell our future.
– Bill Jensen, Mr. Simplicity, best-selling author, speaker and future of work thought-leader.
The Chasm Between Normal and Reality Widens
For 2024, I predict ‘VUCA’ – Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous – will be the “word” of the year! It encapsulates the global mood amidst AI advancements, natural disasters, climate change, geopolitical confrontations, demographic shifts, and a pivotal U.S. election. This convergence of rapid transformative events leads to Alvin Toffler’s ‘Future Shock,’ where change outstrips adaptation. Through this dynamic period, we will see the gap widen between “normal” and reality. We will see more people adapt and thrive, while hundreds of millions of people fall further behind. I predict 2024 will be a pivotal year in recalibrating where, how, and why people work. Buckle up, folks. Our future depends on it.
– Ira Wolfe, Chief Googlization Officer, President at Poised for the Future Company.
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