Dr. Gleb Tsipursky – The Office Whisperer
Nirit Cohen – WorkFutures
Angela Howard – Culture Expert
Drew Jones – Design & Innovation
Jonathan Price – CRE & Flex Expert
- Many 2011 predictions came true, including hybrid work and the rise of flexible, digital-first workplaces.
- Gig work and flatter structures gained traction, but traditional job models still shape most organizations
- The vision of a borderless, tech-powered workforce is underway, though progress varies across industries.
Back in 2011, we painted a bold vision for what the workplace might look like in 2025. That vision was nothing short of transformative: physical offices would fade into the background, traditional hierarchies would give way to agile networks, and talent would move freely across borders.
Now that 2025 has arrived, it’s time to ask: Did those predictions come true — or did the future take a different turn?
That question guided a future of work initiative at Intel back in 2011: What will it feel like to work in 2025?
At the time, work was still grounded in office buildings, clear chains of command, and a mindset of talent ownership. While smartphones, the cloud, and wireless internet were beginning to reshape possibilities, their impact hadn’t yet been fully realized.
Today, we have a chance to revisit that vision. Some aspects have become reality, others are progressing more slowly, and a few are still on the distant horizon. Let’s look at how the workplace has shifted across the three pillars of Everywhere, Everything, Everyone — and what remains a work in progress.
Everywhere: The New Location
Back in 2011, work and workplace were virtually inseparable. Most professionals traveled to fully wired office buildings, complete with desktops, phones, and in-person meetings. Remote work was an emerging trend, but trust and infrastructure were lacking. Even though smartphones and cloud platforms existed, they were far from being fully embraced. Work was still defined by location.
The 2025 vision anticipated a break from this dependency on place. Offices would become collaboration hubs, not daily destinations. Emerging tools like virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) were expected to make remote teamwork feel seamless and immersive. Innovations in transportation, such as self-driving cars, were predicted to ease the burdens of commuting.
Fast forward to today: work has undeniably become more flexible. The pandemic accelerated the adoption of hybrid models, and tools like Zoom, Teams, and cloud collaboration suites are now essential. Offices have been reimagined as gathering spots, not obligatory desks.
Yet, immersive VR/AR remains a niche experience, and smart transportation hasn’t scaled the way we imagined.
The move toward location independence is clearly underway, but adoption of the more futuristic elements is slower than expected. The foundation has been laid — but broad cultural and technological integration is still evolving.
Everything: The New Work
A decade ago, job structures were largely fixed. People climbed ladders, stayed in roles, and operated within traditional departments. Freelancers were outliers. The workplace valued predictability, and work was measured by task execution.
The future-forward vision for 2025 imagined a more dynamic reality: project-based teams, widespread freelancing, and work defined by outcomes rather than roles. Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation would handle repetitive tasks, freeing up people for more strategic, creative work.
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Today, those shifts are visible. The gig economy has expanded, and independent work is far more common. Platforms like Fiverr and Upwork support a growing wave of freelancers. Portfolio careers — blending freelance, part-time, and entrepreneurial work — are increasingly mainstream. Some companies have adopted flatter organizational models, emphasizing agility over hierarchy.
Still, the shift is incomplete. Traditional employment and corporate hierarchies remain dominant. While AI has progressed, its role as a creative partner is just beginning to unfold. We’re heading in the direction envisioned, but the pace varies across industries and organizations.
Everyone: The New Talent
In 2011, talent management was largely about ownership. Companies hired full-time employees, mostly local, and aimed to retain them for the long haul. People were labeled as “human capital” or “resources” — assets to manage.
The future vision was different. It called for flexible talent ecosystems built on partnerships, not ownership. Teams would be composed of contractors, freelancers, and globally sourced specialists. Age diversity would expand, with people working well into their 70s and beyond.
Today, the shift is evident in the growing use of flexible work arrangements. More professionals are juggling multiple roles or combining employment with freelance gigs. Companies regularly tap into global talent pools for specialized projects.
Yet, much of the old structure persists. Full-time roles still dominate, and legal or cultural barriers slow the integration of global and generational diversity. While the direction is clear, the journey toward a fully borderless and inclusive workforce remains ongoing.
What’s Next?
Many of the predictions we made back in 2011 have proven remarkably accurate: hybrid work is widespread, the gig economy has gained serious traction, and AI is beginning to reshape work as we know it.
But some ideas — like virtual collaboration that feels fully immersive or seamless access to multigenerational, global talent networks — are still works in progress.
The workplace will likely continue to evolve along the lines of Everywhere, Everything, Everyone, thus dissolving boundaries between work and life, flattening structures, and extending reach across borders.
And perhaps the real takeaway is this: We still don’t have the future of work all figured out. So maybe now is the right time to ask the next big question:
What will work feel like in 2040?
