While rapid adoption of AI and automation in the workplace brings opportunities to enhance productivity; re-skilling and adapting to different ways of working remains high on our to-do list.
Good news if you’re a Human Resource Manager - there’s only around half a percent (0.55%) probability that your job will be taken over by robots. Not so great news for Compensation and Benefits Managers, Accounting Clerks, or Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks for whom it’s 96-98% likely their jobs will be automated in the not so distant future.
That’s according to willrobotstakemyjob.com – an online tool developed to illustrate how susceptible jobs are to computerisation. Although the tool is based on research specific to the US job market, it is easy to see how this might apply all over the world.
And while it can provide for a lively discussion over dinner, the reality is that the future of work is rapidly evolving with some of our biggest challenges around re-skilling and learning to adapt to new ways of working, still ahead.
The upside of robot colleagues
There are some obvious benefits in having robots for colleagues, assuming they aren’t “smart” enough to go after your own job. On the plus side, they can’t say no unless programmed to, and can be used for mundane, difficult, unwanted or dangerous work where humans may be unwilling or unable to offer services.
Robots don’t tremble or shake like human hands making them exceptional at tasks requiring precision, like assembling electronics. Unlike the human brain, which tires and can become error prone with fatigue, robots and automated processes are highly productive, can work error-free on tasks 24 x 7, and never become tired of what they have been programmed to do.
Imagine a loyal and courageous team member who could work through the night processing data, or be sent into a remote location to gather information.
Future proofing for the long game
Don’t worry, humans in the workplace are not going the way of the dinosaurs just yet. Organisations and individuals who are the most successful recognise that the combination of human and machine brings the strongest results.
In many cases only parts of jobs are becoming automated, with technology replacing manual and repetitive tasks, in turn creating new opportunities and tasks for humans – and some jobs we haven’t even yet conceived.
"The best thing you can do as a worker is to make sure you're not doing something routine and repetitive and predictable" - Author and futurist Martin Ford.
To future proof your own career, remember to continually develop your capabilities, focus on skills that are transferrable, and keep abreast of emerging technologies. For the less technologically savvy, consider development opportunities that are human-focused, move towards more strategic or creative roles, or roles that involve leadership, critical thinking, empathy and emotional intelligence.
If you’re an HR leader or manager, you should also consider ways to take the lead, and help the business and your leadership team adapt faster. Focus on nurturing the rising stars, and on rewarding humanistic strengths like innovation, adaptability and agility.
