I mean, do you remember what the future used to look like when we were young? Back then the projected views of work and how we would live in the future look very dated and amusing now. I have a vivid memory from 1975 of "Life at Work in the year 2000". I was about seven years old in 1975 and this image secretly chose my career!! It was silver suited beings, with jet packs, hover cars and interestingly enough – paper files and pens! How different work was in the REAL year 2000 when we all thought planes would fall from the sky and essential systems would collapse with the millennium bug.
My view of the future as a child was before mobile technology and energy conservation - so maybe our ability now to predict the future is a little more reliable. Or is it? If we were to peek at 2025 what would we find?
Dr. Ian Pearson 'a futurologist' tells us about 'tomorrow' at work and what changes to expect. He suggests the future really is bright, organic and diverse. We will see the breakup of highly formalised companies and corporate structure will become more organic. Freelancers, co-operatives and social commerce will be the way forward.
Human inter-action improves. Technology enhancements allow humans to interact with other humans whilst technology works for us (think supermarket check outs). As we age, our human inter-action skills improve so good news for us all I think ☺
Business will change. Responses to web based commerce and social commerce will mean greater flexibility for companies large and small. In short, today's web infants will grow up. Companies will need to learn to co-exist with these groups or be wiped out. Geographical boundaries become blurred as social interaction and social commerce creates technogrouping.
Convergent technology - not just fuel and manufacturing links but with bio technology and IT allowing health monitoring and smart drugs. Here's where we see our ability to use our responsible, positive outlook to make our organisations responsible and positive. Be at the forefront and tell our customers that's where we are.
Communication will change and improve. No more mobile phones or laptops but semi transplanted 'chips', smart lenses, SMART DUST or rings on fingers which hold music, data and knowledge we can recall by finger taps or movements. Cordless energy to charge and power these gadgets with no need for batteries. The motor industry will be revolutionised by small wheel mounted motors controlled from within a stylishly designed shell – cars will become things of beauty again rather than just functional vehicles.
These new technologies require new ways of working and thinking - skills will need to be discovered and learnt – we don't know what many will look or feel like yet.
So how do we keep ahead?
It's not about being perfect and fully functional – it's about agility and adaptability.
You will be giving some thought as to how your organisation could be adaptable to energy conservation and new ways of improving your business – I know SMARTCOOL will be there at the forefront of this new way of working. You are more than welcome to work with us...
