As technology and robotics gather momentum, almost every job profile is being reconstructed, which will also affect how jobs are outlined, work is structured, and the future is forecasted. Data analyses coupled with the application of human knowledge, creativity, and understanding, will provide decision-making support. There had been several disruptions post digital transformations at the workplace where people feared that almost everyone would be losing their jobs. However, McKinsey estimates that while technology will ultimately replace less than 5% of occupations, but nearly 45% of the activities people now perform could be taken over by machines.

ManpowerGroup recently launched their latest innovations- Zara the avatar who hosted the Digital Room which assesses digital fluency which will help organizations and leaders to access their readiness to lead in the digital age. Zara the avatar will calculate your readiness for a future digitalized organization by asking scientifically validated questions developed by ManpowerGroup's Right Management career and leadership experts. Here is how life has changed and what can we expect from the future of the digital workplace.

Understanding workplace automation and the inevitable changes

Lives have been improved, and traditional structures have been replaced with more employee-centric managements all caused by automation of manual work and more organizations are taking advantage of the power of networks. These advancements have led to flexibility for workers and employers, boosting productivity and enabling greater work-life integration. Organisations nowadays prefer cognitive learning and a workforce that is eager to learn and adapt to the new and challenging environment. A workforce that is driven by a need for highly skilled talent and new roles is motivated and manages to attain desirable goals within set expectations.

Workforce needs to strategize as per automation

Soft skills like creativity, emotional intelligence, and curiosity are some of the crucial skills that will be required in the human workforce of the future. Companies must upskill their workforce and adapt to a fast-changing world to stand out in a faster-paced, global market. Here are a few steps to upgrade your strategies as per automation:

• Creativity: Artificial intelligence or technologies are programmed to work as per commands add human touch by generating the most significant and most creative ideas. Create and come up with ideas that will give you a competitive advantage over your competitors.
  
  
• Emotional intelligence: Emotional intelligence means an ability to feel the emotions of others, integrate passion into decisions, understand the implications of feeling and manage emotion. Developing emotional intelligence will help manage customers and colleagues also inculcating leadership qualities.
  
  
• Curiosity: Becoming lifelong learning will feed your curiosity and open up possibilities for innovation also helping you to be prepared for new technologies.
  
  

Provide relevant & customized opportunities to re-skill

Improving acquired skills and polishing the inbuilt abilities is more than important in a world of technology. Organisations look for employees who have the desire and ability to grow and adapt skill sets quickly. Constant feedback and training to enable employees to learn and grow have to be provided by the organization. One needs to be on top of the technological changes that will affect your career and adjust accordingly. Here are five ways to update or re-skill:

• Self-learning: Motivate and encourage self-learning. Create specialized and personalized courses that will improve productivity and enhance skills.
  
  
• Feedback: Both employee and organization should follow the practice of regular feedback. This will help polish skills and set goals for how to develop and acquire new skills.
  
  
• Provide resources: Companies should offer new technology and courses to improve knowledge. Along with LMS and on-job learning conduct training that will upgrade job skills.
  
  
• Volunteer: Organisations can provide you with immense resources. However, these resources can be used to optimize only if the employees are willing to learn and grow. Inculcate the habit of experimenting it may lead to opportunities to develop your leadership skills.

Zara- Reshaping your organizational structure and protecting you from digital disruption

Supported by artificial intelligence Zara, the avatar asks scientifically validated questions developed by ManpowerGroup's Right Management career and leadership experts. Zara measures verbal and non-verbal responses including body language, voice, and focus, to assess an individual's readiness to lead in the digital age. With the help of Zara, companies can understand their workforce, skills and design a structure to future-proof their organization.

With the launch of Zara, the picture has become crystal clear that the age of technology is here and we better gear up for the future. Companies that do not adapt to technological advances will be extinct, and individuals with highly technical and creative skills will be employed. Research shows that 65% of the jobs Gen Z perform don't even exist yet. The potential of automation will lead to more engaging and fulfilling work for individuals while unleashing higher levels of productivity and creativity.