There is a lot of research and work about the concept of “Future of Work,” but not so much around the idea, dimensions, and structure of “Future of Workplace.” Referring to E&Y recent reports, Shalinder Bakshi, Partner, E&Y shares with People Matters that 9% of deployed jobs will not exist in the near future and 37% of people will be deployed in jobs that have radically changed skill sets. What will be the implications on workplace design?

Shalinder Bakshi, Partner, E&Y shares with People Matters that 9% of deployed jobs will not exist in the near future and 37% of people will be deployed in jobs that have radically changed skill sets.

 Three Key dimensions behind redesigning the future workplace: The three “Ds” - Demographics, Digital and Design of the workplace.

• Demographics: Four generations are working together under one workplace today (traditionalists, boomers, Gen X, and millennials) and all expect to have their social and customer experience replicated in the workplace: on phone, responsive and agile. Adding to this is the element of the workplace of the gig; organizations will adopt “uberization” of talent where talent moves across locations and organizations.
  
  
• Digital: Bots will automate most of the mundane routine tasks letting employees focus more on high value, productive tasks. Re-humanization rather than dehumanization. How the organizations can leverage digital to drive collaboration, productivity and innovation is the key. 
  
  
• Design of the workplace: Design is critical to align the requirement of demographic, business and leveraging digital to create physical, digital and hybrid spaces. Focus on creation of hybrid workplace by integrating virtual assistants into the workforce. 

The future workplace is centered on adaptability. Bakshi concludes that physical spaces may start to disappear in size and at the same time, the need for official travel may be completely eliminated due to increase in the usage of immersive technologies.

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Excerpts from the session by Shalinder Bakshi, Partner, E&Y at People Matters & Zeta roundtable