The next generation of workers
In the digital age, new forms of work have emerged.
These new forms of work are defining the future of the labour market in many ways, and despite concerns about unskilled work on the edge of disappearance, technology has proven that its purpose is not to eliminate jobs but complement them.
THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON THE LABOUR MARKET.
“The way we work is ending”. “Millions of jobs will disappear”.
Concerns about the impact of technology on the labour market are growing as new technology reshapes the way we work.
These new technological advances could result in the loss of many jobs, however, many governments and unions seemingly still do not consider that these technological advances are intended to change the way we work.
For instance, the World Economic Forum (WEF) report on the future of jobs predicts that technology will create over 133 million jobs by this 2022, almost doubling the number of jobs that will be eliminated.
“But, many workers will lose their jobs and won’t be able to suit these new skilled jobs”.
The globalisation of technology is allowing people from different parts of the world to offer their services online.
A web developer in India can create a website for someone in Spain.
But, what is even more interesting about the emergence of new types of digital work, is the creation of local work open to all skill levels.
Today, digital platforms like Uber, Glovo, Rover, Deliveroo, TaskRabbit, and many others, are providing the technology that is generating work opportunities for many unskilled workers.
Countless digital platforms are creating local work, many of which do not require skilled labour, and these new forms of work without technology, would not exist as they are today
“Sooner or later ArtificiaI Intelligence will replace us”.
It will, at least in some areas, but it doesn’t mean that human capital will be displaced.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) will continue to grow and stimulate productivity positively.
The effects of productivity will mean that industries will grow, expand, and create more jobs that will be open to all skill levels.
What we must consider is that many of these jobs will be completely different and will require new skills.
For this reason...
upskilling is crucial, and a new educational system will be needed for us to be able to fit in these new roles.
However, AI is a double-edged sword while it may seem to be creating work that is more difficult to perform, it also intends to complement human skills and logic.
This means that with a forged educational system boosted by AI, we will be able to polish and learn new skills easier and much faster.
What is even more interesting about AI, is that existing labour will be used more effectively and workers will be able to focus on what they do best:
IMAGINE. CREATE. INNOVATE.
Throughout decades, the purpose of many tech innovations has been to replace human labour.
The world’s population has doubled in the last 50 years and yet, employment rates have increased.
Work performed by humans will be augmented by AI, complementing our intellectual capacities and covering basic tasks, allowing us to work faster and giving us more time to focus on value-added tasks and learning.
Also, the demand for human work will be most valued for skills that machines aren’t good at doing, like creativity and social/emotional skills.
A report provided by the World Economic Forum shows the evolution of the human-machine working hours ratio between 2018 and 2022. (See chart below).
AI will complement human skills, from data processing to complex technical skills and even more physical and manual work.
Finally, AI may be greater than we think; we are looking at a better quality of life for everyone, with reduced workweeks and perhaps even at one point, guaranteed income for everyone.
EMBRACING THE NEW FORMS OF WORK.
Trying to stop the development of these new forms of work is not the solution.
Governments, unions, educators, and individuals still have much to learn about the next generation of workers and the many challenges ahead.
Therefore, policymakers should embrace these new types of work, taking the necessary steps towards creating an educational infrastructure to be globally competitive.
There are exceptions, and they should be treated as exceptions rather than the basis for general conclusions.
Trying to stop the development of these new forms of work is not the solution.
Governments, unions, educators, and individuals still have much to learn about the next generation of workers and the many challenges ahead.
Therefore, policymakers should embrace these new types of work, taking the necessary steps towards creating an educational infrastructure to be globally competitive.