We are currently undergoing a fundamental transformation in the way we work. The pace of this change is expected to accelerate rapidly, creating significant challenges and opportunities for organizations and talent. From AI-based assistants to automated work management tools, we now have a range of technologies available to help us thrive in an increasingly dynamic work environment. In other words, these technological innovations allow us to work smarter, not harder. With that in mind, these CTOs share their predictions for the technologies that will transform the future of work as we know it over the next year.
Robbie O & # 39; Connor, EMEA Manager, Asana
This year, more and more companies are embracing new technologies and ways to increase productivity. However, according to Asana's work anatomy, workers spend 60% of their time at work doing avoidable tasks like finding information or sharing work updates—what we call "working at work." In the coming year, companies need to focus on the work that goes on in their organization to make sure that employees are spending time on work that matters and that the tools they use are helping them. to get there We anticipate that more companies will abandon outdated systems like email and spreadsheets for tools that facilitate teamwork and greater transparency. Another challenge many workplaces are currently facing is duplication of work, our study reveals that British workers spend one month a year (30 days) doing work that a colleague has already done. Therefore, in 2020, at the turn of a new decade, we will see more companies turn their attention to automation and artificial intelligence in the workplace. The UK currently lags behind its international competitors when it comes to the adoption of workplace automation, but we predict that instead of automation taking our jobs "will be the 'creation' of our jobs." Their adoption is vital for staff retention and engagement, helping to remove invaluable and repetitive tasks from the workday and giving people time to focus on the work for which they have been hired.
Stuart Templeton, UK Head, Slack
Next year we will see an even bigger transformation in terms of work and the workplace. Yet despite these transformations, the critical discipline of collaboration—the ways we work together to get things done—is hampered in many organizations due to the use of email as a primary source of communication and communication. 39; information. To be successful, companies must take the time to think and, more importantly, recognize that there is a better way to work together than email. This "aha" moment will come for more organizations next year. Businesses must evolve over time. With a wide range of professional apps and remote work now available at your fingertips, email will become an even bigger hurdle for teams, creating silos and fragments of information. Moving away from this traditional mode of communication will be crucial for companies to win. Companies must move away from the "tradition" of email and look for a flexible and scalable structure that allows for coordination and alignment in the future. It is only then that they will gain a competitive advantage in this new world of work. In addition, they should worry less about the cheapest tool on the market, but more about what provides the best business performance.
Vinay Ramani, Product Manager, Pipedrive
Today, large software developers sell their enterprise software to large corporations or companies, such as the FTSE 100 and Fortune 500. These solutions are usually highly customized to each client's needs, which is time consuming. Develop and expensive. In recent years, we have witnessed the rise of transformative technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, which have led to the democratization of enterprise software. Previously reserved for large conglomerates and international companies, enterprise software became more accessible to a wide range of customers in 2019 as it became simpler, more visual, easier to use, and less expensive to use. In 2020, we expect enterprise software to reach the SMB level soon, allowing them to reap the benefits of highly customized software: increased efficiency, lower costs, and better workflow. With AI and ML, even small businesses can use software and customize it accordingly; Complex, highly individualized and consequently expensive solutions from enterprise software developers are no longer necessary.
Peter Arvai, Co-Founder and CEO, Prezi
The way we communicate at work is changing – recent research has found that 71% of UK office workers present, watch or create videos to aid effective communication at work. Over the next year, we will probably see this prevalence increase; Businesses continue to grow globally, and the way all businesses communicate and interact will need to modernize as the workforce and its culture evolve. However, it is important to remember that even if the main focus is on digital tools in the overall concept of "the future of work", the need for human connection remains strong. So much so that two-thirds of respondents in the same study described it as "vital" for effective communication. In this perspective, new technologies must be adopted to improve internal and external communications to companies, even when video is already present. Tools that deliver compelling visuals, immersive experiences, and seamless integrations with other platforms will be essential for the next twelve months and beyond. As in years past, in 2020, businesses will need to keep pace with connecting their workforce deeper thanks to innovative video technology. The benefits for remote workers and teams across the country are easily balanced by the challenges of maintaining employee engagement. New technologies must be adopted so that internal and external business communications can evolve by providing impactful images. Video communication tools will help companies maintain their most important asset: talent. "
Liron Smadja, Director of Local Marketing, Fiverr
We expect 2020 to be the biggest year yet for UK freelancers. Already 4,4 million people consider themselves self-employed; we expect that number to reach five million in the next 12 months. There are a number of factors behind this, but we mainly believe that people are starting to realize that freelancing is the fairest way to work. Since men and women are paid the same for similar tasks, the gender pay gap that still exists in many workplaces is effectively eliminated. In fact, our research suggests that globally, freelance digital platforms enable women to earn a higher average salary for work than men.
Carl Standertskjold, Marketing Manager, European Business Segment, Sony Professional Solutions Europe
The future of work will undoubtedly be dominated by technology. With a focus on improving the user experience, smart spaces and connected devices are developed to support collaboration between internal teams and with external stakeholders. However, today's AV technology landscape has become so vast that creating a meaningful environment that resonates with a business and its employees is increasingly difficult. Along with significant improvements in well-designed work environments, we are already starting to see many projects looking for more customized solutions; and automation is at the heart of that. Automation and connectivity are the foundation of any user experience in the workplace. Through the integration of projectors, meeting rooms, screens and reservation systems, a workplace can become an office that works for employees instead of against them. The impact in the next 10 years will be induced by increased efficiency and productivity through better physical and digital UX integration.
Alan Jacobsen, Director of Data and Analytics, Alteryx
2020 will be the year of the final democratization of data. The analytics move away from a data science team and toward complete saturation across the enterprise will finally boil over after simmering in recent years. This self-service revolution will change the way organizations interact with their data, bridging the gap between business savvy people and data savvy people. With easy-to-use APIs and joining a wide range of data sources, once adopted, self-service analytics will be one of the important steps in digital transformation: Data Integration. The typical data worker begins to move away from the IT field to enter the corporate arena, resulting in a higher volume of workers performing data tasks. This will result in more data being processed, a greater amount of analysis, and ultimately a greater positive impact on the business.