Automation May Take Over Routine Jobs, But New Ones Will Be Created

Forrester’s Future of Jobs Forecast predicts that over one-third of jobs across Europe-5 (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK) are at risk, with 12 million having the potential to be lost to automation by 2040. 

According to the report, workers with little bargaining are at high risk of being replaced by automation, particularly those working in retail, food services, and hospitality industries. 

Jobs that are routine will likely be the first to be taken over by automation. With routine jobs making up 38% of Germany’s workforce, 34% of France’s workforce, and 31% of the UK’s workforce, upwards of 49 million jobs could be at risk. 

On the bright side, the forecast expects that 9 million new jobs will be created in Europe-5 by 2040, specifically in relation to smart cities, clean energy, and clean buildings. 

Other revelations from the report showed that by 2050, Europe-5 will see a decrease of 30 million people of working age compared to 2020. By incorporating automation, businesses in Europe can help close labor gaps in the aging workforce. 

Additionally, countries that rely heavily on industry, construction, and agriculture are expected to invest more into industrial automation to keep productivity levels high. 

“Lost productivity due to COVID-19 is forcing companies globally to automate manual processes and improve remote work,” said Michael O’Grady, principal forecast analyst at Forrester. “The pandemic is just one factor that will shape the future of work in Europe over the next two decades, however. European organisations are also in a particularly strong position to embrace automation because of Europe’s declining working-age population and the high number of routine low-skilled jobs that can be easily automated.”