THE FUTURE OF WORK

 Article from my LinkedIn actually. Simple write up for simple people :

FUTURE OF WORK

Whether we like it or not the FUTURE IS ALREADY HERE TODAY. Things relate to Digitization actually is not something new. Way back in 2004 when I'm still with Motorola we've been talking about Digitization and how to make things better relates to HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT. At that time we are technically work from anywhere already using simple things like Boradband, 2.5G Technology, IT stuffs like online approval, emails and Conference Call since VC at that time still something that quite expensive.

Last few years in Malaysia, we started to talk about IR 4.0 and the tsunami of technology and also about Gig Economy. But my worry is, many organizations and leaders STILL keep on saying that we are not ready as an organization. Actually, when we are suppose to get ready when THE FUTURE IS ALREADY HERE ?

Based on Deloitte, IHS Markit, Intuit 2020 Report and WDR 2016 surveys / studies / report there are 7 DISRUPTIVE TRENDS that SHAPING THE FUTURE OF WORK.

1. TECHNOLOGY IS EVERYWHERE : I believe we can see this even for many years already. In 2020 we have 6 billions smartphones in the whole world already. Just imagine in year 2000 when I'm still using my NOKIA 3310, I thot that was awesome enough for me yet today, our office is in our pocket already. We can do many things with our Mobile phone. We are also moving from GSM to 5G rapidly. That's only about smart phone. The technology is offering actually more than that. Smart Car, Smart Home, Smart Office etc.

2. TECHNOLOGY ARE CHEAPER THAN BEFORE : According to Deloitte, technology that we need to buy at 500K in 2008, today we can get it at 22K. Just imagine as well just by paying few USD per person today you can get a DIGITAL RECRUITMENT and EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE AI + with Data, Dashboards and Reports. Some even with suggestiuon of action plan needed and prediction. Yups, we have expensive LAPTOPS and SMART PHONES but that is the matter of choice. Its about THE BRAND as well. I didn't say it is so cheap but it is something that AFFORDABLE already today even if you are looking for Robotic Process Automation ( RPA ). I still remember in 1998 I bought my NOKIA 3310 at RM 998.00 and later my Motorola A1200 for almost RM2K. Today even between RM 800 to RM 1000 you can get an excellent smart phone already.

3. TSUNAMI OF DATA : Yups, Data is not only about DATA MANAGEMENT but DATA is also a GOOD BUSINESS today. Just imagine many years ago how we need to get and gather data. This minus how we need to massaging and processing the data. In between transferring it from SPREAD SHEET to our system or vice versa we normally facing the Data Integrity issue. Today, its all can be done by Machine Learning, AI and RPA. The accuracy is better even faster than human. With these data as well with the help of analytics we can track many things within short period of time and faster than before. This can assist us to make faster decision and to comes out with faster and better action plan as well. Analytics also can grant us access to more data. Therefore, we can make a more data driven decisions and even can predict what might going to happened.

4. EXPLOSION IN CONTINGENT WORK : Seriously this is nothing new anymore. Under GIG ECONOMY we have many people known as GIGGERS today that not only work for one company for certain expertise or knowledge needed between 3 months to 36 months but they can work in few organizations at once. And they can work across continents too with the help of Technology etc. How our Current Labor Law, SOCSO and EPF ACT can jive into this kind of working environment I have no idea at this moment but the more people working in this kind of environment the larger employment and labor issues might arise.

5. CHANGE IN NATURE OF CAREER : Things change rapidly especially relates to technology. Therefore Life Span of job as well is expected to change fast within 3 to 5 year or less. This relates to things like outsourcing, attitudes and values, diversity, TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT as well as globalization. So, any organization even employee must ready to be Re SKILLED or move into different kind of working environment. We also need to be prepared to adopt and adapt into all these as well.

6. JOBS VULNARABLE TO AUTOMATION : This is not something new to us. Last 100 years as well many jobs started to move from Human to Machine. Today the only different is, today we called it ROBOT and AI. It is no longer about Mechanical things only. It goes beyond that. Many jobs like Research and Data Entry will be lost to digital technology. Same goes like TV Advertising, Fast Food Jobs, Customer Service etc. Even in the future we might not need human to drive our TAXI and BUS anymore. Even job like Travel Agent and Store Cashiers. The list is getting longer. Therefore, those Curriculum Developers in schools, technical college and universities MUST prepared to understand and learn about this faster in order to accommodate different kind employment in the NEAR FUTURE.

7. DIVERSITY AND GENERATIONAL CHANGE : Way back in 2004, my management was so concerned about GEN Y. So many programs and activities being done to attract, to develop and to engage this generation. Today, Gen Y mostly at the Middle and Senior Management already. Some even becomes CEO and Entrepreneur. Some even already becomes a BILLIONAIRE. Today, they also need to face different kind of generation that known as Millennial Babies. Whether we like it or not we need MANAGE THIS TODAY. The way they work, they think and react are totally different already. Simple things like CASUAL ENVIRONMENT is something they really look up too. The are not that keen to go to work wearing Neck Tie, Jacket and Long Sleeve. They also expect that they can work from anywhere and a bit more flexible. That's why even BANKS and FINANCIAL Institutions as well a bit open about this already. Even in certain countries, their Govt Sector also a bit more open toward this. Way back in 2004, I started to wear jeans ( with SMART CASUAL CONDITIONS ) to work because we are trying at that time to comply with new generation. On Friday we all go DRESS DOWN. In 2010 when I joined a Ministry of Finance Incorporated Company I tried to bring and change this bit by bit. Because I know it will can only start from the Board and The Management, we changed the way we work from full of paperwork at that time to more result driven. So we improved the processes, change certain level of authority approval, more empowerment kind of environment, smart casual environment, even in Board and Management meetings / discussions instead of using PAPER DOCUMENTS we started to use TAB. Not all can be done in one go at that time but I was so happy with the support given to me and my team.

Anyway, as I wrote in my previous post before. If a ROCKET SCIENCE Technology can send people to space in less than 60 years and later to the moon in less than 70 years with a speed that we cant ever imagine from the day the WRIGHT BROTHERS invented first successful powered airplane in 1903 just imagine what kind of DIGITAL technology will keep on coming to us in dealing with Human Resources Management. I believe today, HR cannot be a business partner anymore like the way we've been talking last 15 to 20 years. HR need to be part of the business already. Using DIGITAL technology as well can assist HR Practitioners to move from Transactional to TRANSFORMATIONAL environment, therefore our job will be valued more rather than just within OPERATION matters.

So, the FUTURE OF WORK IS ALREADY HERE and we cannot say we are not ready anymore. We need to make ourselves ready by TODAY. Things like Working From Home or Working From Anywhere should be seen as workable today. Either we make ourselves ready as soon as possible with all these technology and environment or we certainly gonna miss the future.