Your future workplace

'New technology, globalisation and the rising power of international brands are changing the way we work and fuelling the competition for talent.'
'Riding the Wave: The new global career culture', Winter J & Jackson C, 1999.

Your career in today's working world will be very different from what your parents and grandparents experienced. The job for life, with its planned career structure and company training scheme, no longer exist. Nor do the clearly defined role and progressive rise in income and stability.

Instead, the 21st century workplace is defined by communication technologies, customers and clients, adding value, lifelong learning, portfolio careers and self-development. The positions on offer, the skills you need to get them, and what people want from their work have changed dramatically, and will continue to change.

What you'll experience in the 21st century workplace

New technologies

Information and communication technology use in all sectors is increasing and changing rapidly. You'll be expected to keep up with changes and learn the relevant new technologies as they emerge.

New forms of work

There's a shift away from traditional forms and cultures of work, such as working a five day week, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Instead, workplaces are embracing new forms of work, such as telework, self-employment, sub-contracting and temporary employment. You'll probably move between employers more often and think and behave as though you're in business for yourself.

Integration and globalisation

The development of new technologies has resulted in increased integration and globalisation of work, so that national solutions become increasingly dependent on international conditions.

Ambiguity and uncertainty

Prepare for a workplace that's fluid, fuzzy and fast. You'll have to learn to improvise, to 'wing' it. You must be willing to learn new skills - very often skills that are not part of the advertised job.

Lifelong learning

With changes in the job market, employees' priorities are also changing. There is more interest in autonomous work, self-realisation, staying healthy, and other forms of lifelong learning and development. Lifelong learning is also an important part of maintaining your employability in a changeable job market.

Growth of the service sector

The services sector (business and financial services, leisure, catering and hospitality, personal services, health care and other services) will continue to be the fastest growing sector of the labour market. This means that there will be more positions, and different kinds of positions emerging in these fields.