Hopes and fears 2021

• 60% are worried that automation is putting many jobs at risk.

• 48% believe traditional employment won't be around in the future, and that we’ll sell our skills on a short-term basis to those who need them.

• 56% think few people will have stable, long-term employment in the future; this jumps to 81% in India.

• 61% feel that their government should act to protect jobs, with that feeling being more acute among 18-34 year-olds (66%) than those over 55 (51%).
  

• 39% think it’s likely that their job will be obsolete within five years.

Takeaway

The pandemic has already disrupted whole industries, contributing to people’s anxiety about the future.

As companies accelerate their automation plans and many jobs continue to be remote, employees across every sector will need to acquire new skills that enable them to think and work in different ways. The future isn’t a fixed destination. We need to plan for dynamic rather than static tomorrows.

• 50% of workers say they’ve faced discrimination at work, which led to them missing out on career advancement or training. 

• 22% were passed over because of their age — with younger workers just as likely as older people to be affected.

• 13% report missing out on opportunities as a result of ethnicity.

• 14% of workers have experienced discrimination on the grounds of gender, with women twice as likely to report gender discrimination as men.

• 13% report discrimination on the basis of social class or background.

Takeaway

The pandemic illuminated racial inequities and social tensions around the world. It also reversed progress toward gender equality, as many more women than men have left the labour market over the past year. At the same time, many younger workers are not being given opportunities to rise in an organisation. 

There’s a real need to open up genuine, fully inclusive conversations about how to build more diverse and purpose-led workplaces. Companies need to ask tough questions and really consider the answers they’re getting. And not just because it’s the right thing to do; it’s also good for business. A diverse workforce and deliberate inclusion efforts help drive better outcomes—through different perspectives, creative thinking, and open collaboration—that can lead to the broader economic development of our society, which benefits everyone.

• Only 9% of those who can work remotely want to go back to a traditional commute and work environment full time.

• 72% of respondents who can work remotely say they prefer a mixture of in-person and remote working.

• 19% would be happy to not return to an office at all and work entirely remotely.

• Workers in metropolitan areas (66%) are more likely to work in roles that could allow remote working than those who live in rural areas (44%). 

• 51% think tech breakthroughs will transform the way people work over the next three to five years.

• 44% of workers would agree to let their employer use technology to monitor their performance at work, including sensors and wearable devices, with 31% against it. 

• But 41% of respondents say that they are unwilling to give their employer access to their personal data, including social media profiles, with only 35% willing. 

Takeaway 

A remarkably low percentage of people who find that they can work remotely want to go back to the office full time. With that in mind, most companies are planning to maintain at least some virtual work or flextime. More than half expect remote working to be a permanent part of their workforce strategy. And as a consequence, they’ll need different kinds of physical space.

As leaders reimagine the offices of tomorrow, we expect the focus to be on increasing space where people can initiate, develop, and strengthen relationships. Where they can experience the culture and brand. And of course, where teams come together to brainstorm, collaborate, and problem solve.