Dr. Gleb Tsipursky – The Office Whisperer
Nirit Cohen – WorkFutures
Angela Howard – Culture Expert
Drew Jones – Design & Innovation
Jonathan Price – CRE & Flex Expert
What if we stopped limiting our views of what the Future of Work can be? In our What if…? Series, Allwork.Space is letting imagination run wild to explore what the world of work might evolve into, if we don’t limit ourselves with the trappings of the past. In these articles we explore how we might move into the future of work, and thI nee impact those imaginings could have on those who want to thrive in it.
Have a wild idea that you are curious about? Shoot a note to [email protected] with the subject line “What if…?” and we’ll dive in.
What if the future of work is not digital, but uniquely human?
Much of today’s conversation about artificial intelligence revolves around fear, such as headlines warning of mass layoffs, automation, and the displacement of white-collar professionals who once felt untouchable in their knowledge-based roles. While AI grabs the spotlight, however, another story is unfolding beneath the surface.
For years, it was widely assumed that blue-collar jobs would be the first casualties of automation. But the reality is more complicated. Countless white-collar roles, particularly those involving routine digital tasks, have become vulnerable.
In contrast, skilled manual trades such as plumbing, electrical work, hairdressing, and personal care are not only holding steady but becoming more essential. These professions rely on qualities that algorithms cannot mimic: hands-on expertise, emotional intelligence, adaptability, and trust.
While some manual roles will inevitably be affected by automation, those rooted in local demand and specialized human skill are far more likely to endure. Their value lies not just in what they do but in how they connect to everyday life — offering relevance, reliability, and a sense of community that remote or digitized knowledge work often lacks.
Just as the Industrial Revolution redefined what counted as essential work, today’s AI revolution may end up doing the same, and in its attempt to replace human labor, it may ultimately reveal its enduring worth.
Will Job Security Start to Favor Blue-Collar Workers?
Although it was initially assumed that automation would affect blue-collar jobs first, it has become evident that white-collar roles involving structured, repetitive tasks were more vulnerable. By contrast, blue-collar trades that rely on hands-on problem-solving in unpredictable, real-world settings have proved to be more resilient.
According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2023, nearly a quarter of all jobs will undergo significant transformation in the next five years due to technological advances and changing business demands. The McKinsey Global Institute estimates that by 2030, as many as 375 million workers globally may need to change occupations, with 12 million Americans alone requiring retraining to remain competitive in the job market.
Key white-collar sectors already affected by automation and AI:
- Administrative work and data entry: undergoing rapid automation.
- Customer support roles: increasingly handled by chatbots and AI voice agents.
- Finance and accounting functions: Services such as fraud detection and data analysis are now handled by algorithms.
- Marketing and content creation: AI is generating everything from product copy to ad campaigns.
- Legal services: AI is drafting documents and summarizing cases (reducing the need for entry-level roles).
Amid this mass automation, some manual jobs appear to remain resistant. Roles that demand physical presence, fine motor skills, nuanced judgment, adaptability, and emotional intelligence are still beyond the reach of AI.
More stories for you
Blue-collar and essential service roles still in demand:
- Skilled trades: HVAC technicians, welders, plumbers, and electricians remain critical given their need for on-site problem-solving and specialized hands-on expertise.
- Healthcare and transport professionals: From nurses and physical therapists to truck drivers and pilots, these roles rely on real-time decision-making, human interaction, and situational awareness, which are qualities automation continues to struggle with.
The demand for skilled manual labor is surging, with reports of over 770,000 job postings for skilled trades from nearly 95,000 different employers.
The blue-collar sector now presents some notably strong career prospects. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), installation, maintenance, and repair occupations are expected to grow at a rate on par with the average for all jobs between 2022 and 2032, with approximately 582,100 openings projected each year.
In addition, these roles offer competitive pay: as of May 2023, the median annual wage for this category was $53,920 (well above the overall median of $48,060).
Beyond the economic opportunities these roles offer, the growing demand for skilled trades, and the increasing instability of white-collar work, may also begin to challenge long-standing class distinctions that have traditionally linked status to job type, with blue-collar roles seen as lower prestige and white-collar positions as more desirable.
Could a Manual Expertise-Tech Proficiency Hybrid Become the Most Robust Skillset?
As automation reshapes the white-collar landscape, once-overlooked hands-on professions are emerging as pillars of a more resilient, future-ready workforce.
These roles, which are rooted in physical presence, technical expertise, and human connection, are proving far more durable than many knowledge-based jobs once considered untouchable.
Patrice Williams-Lindo, Workforce Futurist and CEO of Career Nomad, told Allwork.Space that the workforce is entering a renaissance:
“We’re entering an era where the value of work is being redefined, not by degrees, but by demand,” she said. “As AI and automation continue to hollow out white-collar middle layers, skilled manual labor could emerge as the backbone of a more sustainable, resilient economy.”
This transition is already unfolding on the ground, and businesses are already taking notice, with 60% of leaders anticipating increased mobility and advancement among blue-collar workers.
Over 70% of executives now agree that technology is fundamentally transforming blue-collar jobs by enhancing hands-on work with digital tools. While machines can take over routine decision-making, adaptability, judgment, and dexterity remain uniquely human strengths.
When paired with digital literacy, these hands-on skills could equal (or even exceed) the value traditionally associated with office-based roles.
The Japanese automaker Lexus offers a compelling example of how this hybrid skillset, combining human dexterity with digital literacy, can drive real-world productivity. The company’s investment in digital training for its field technicians resulted in a 5% increase in repair efficiency, translating to $300 million annually. Their elite Takumi technicians are repairing machines as well as mentoring the next generation and exemplifying the fusion of craft, expertise, and technological innovation.
Could Skilled Labor Shape the Future of Flexible Workspaces?
Blue-collar careers, grounded in strong local demand and deep community ties, may soon redefine what flexible workspaces look and feel like; moving them away from sleek startup hubs and toward practical spaces rooted in local needs. To explore this emerging trend, Allwork.Space spoke with three workplace and HR experts about how the rise of skilled labor could reshape the flexible workspace industry.
“Coworking and flexible workspaces will need to evolve, shifting from polished startup hubs to functional, localized hubs for tradespeople and mobile professionals,” Williams-Lindo explained. “Think tool libraries, EV charging bays, and skill-share stations. Flexibility won’t vanish, but it will look a lot more hands-on in a blue-collar future.”
This change is more than hypothetical. Eric Kingsley, Partner at Kingsley Szamet Employment Lawyers, told Allwork.Space, “If blue-collar work continues to grow in value — due to the shortage of tradespeople, the resilience of manual labor against automated technologies, and increasing need for construction projects — then we should see a recognizable structural and cultural transformation of what we deem valuable and stable work.”
“Coworking centers and other flexible workplaces, along the realm of remote workers, would need to adapt to host trade professionals, mobile service workers, and freelance employees,” Kingsley added. “Far from disrupted, flexible workplaces have a critical role to play to facilitate decentralized modern skilled labor — to the extent that they’re ready to adapt.”
This reimagining of flexibility extends beyond just physical space.
“If skilled labor outpaces white-collar jobs, flexibility won’t mean answering emails from the beach,” Pavel Bahu, Global HR Head at Trevolution, told Allwork.Space. “It will mean picking the most suitable shift, a specific project, and a crew you prefer to work with.”
Bahu envisions a revival of the guild model: “Plumbers, welders, and even architects might band together like digital blacksmiths — sharing tools, setting fair rates to ensure fairness, and swapping ideas in virtual workshops… Less coworking spaces, more modern-day guilds for specific professions and trades so that people could share knowledge, discuss work-related issues, and set some standards for the community of professionals.”
There is also a crucial sustainability angle. Many skilled trades, such as retrofitting buildings, installing solar panels, and maintaining local infrastructure, contribute to carbon-efficient, circular economies.
Unlike many geographically flexible digital jobs, these roles are embedded within the communities they serve, which could lead to the emergence of flexible workspaces that accommodate local tradespeople and sustainability initiatives.
Beyond the Blue vs. White Collar Divide
Despite growing demand, the skilled trades continue to face an image problem. Societal attitudes that have long devalued manual work continue to discourage many young people. Yet soaring higher-education costs and growing doubts about the value of traditional degrees are prompting a re-evaluation.
Educational and economic experts emphasize that skilled labor offers solid financial prospects without the burden of student debt, positioning it as a deliberate and sustainable career choice rather than a fallback option.
Many of these roles also align with what younger workers increasingly say they want: control over their time, tangible outcomes, and real-life impact. While those aged 16 to 24 job-hopping at record rates in search of flexibility and purpose, blue-collar careers deliver long-term stability and steady, skill-based growth without the constant pressure to switch between employers.
According to the World Economic Forum’s Reskilling Revolution report, technological advances and rising demand for green skills will transform 22% of global jobs over the next five years. In response, 85% of employers say they plan to prioritize reskilling, which could place renewed value on manual roles that are less susceptible to automation.
The real dividing line in the workforce may no longer be between blue- and white-collar jobs but between tasks machines can automate, and those only humans can perform.
Although corporate culture has historically placed more prestige on desk-bound roles, these are often the ones most at risk of replacement. In the future, status may stem not from a job title but from the very human traits machines cannot replicate.
