In 2010, analysis firm Gartner published ten predictions on how the workplace would look in 2020. Now that we’re here, it is clear that its expectations of a hyperconnected, virtual workforce have become reality, but what other trends can we expect from the beginning of the new decade?
Remote workers have increased 115% over the last decade, with Gartner predicting that half of the U.S. workforce would work outside the traditional office setting the majority of the time by 2020.
Companies who have yet to offer flexible offerings are on track to losing top talent. To fully embrace this trend, companies will need to invest in technologies that will help communication between stationary and remote workers.
“Communicating constantly will be crucial and making sure agile collaboration guidelines are established from the outset is essential,” said Joel Farrow, MD for EMEA at HR tech firm Hibob.
Technology firms in particular have also become mindful of their lack of diversity and have implemented policies to ensure they support a more diverse, inclusive workplace.
According to Glassdoor research, hiring demand for diversity and inclusivity in the UK has risen by 106% from the last year.
“You can’t expect to cultivate a versatile and agile team, able to react in real-time to the ever-changing needs of customers, if you continue to hire the same kind of people, who think the same way,” said Mark Holt, chief technology officer at transport app Trainline.
Additionally, there is expected to be a growth in the number of digital workers as companies struggle to recruit digital skills. These digital workers will use “augment automation efforts with AI and machine learning, working in harmony alongside humans,” according to Neil Murphy, global VP at ABBYY.
