Independent working will soon be a best skill to have on your CV

Connectivity is changing the way we live. It is also changing the way we work.  As a result, future generations will evolve to become experts at working in isolation, yet at the same time excel at collaboration through largely virtual means.

This trend is set to fundamentally shift the working landscape for a huge number of European workers. As technology continues to advance, our classrooms and boardrooms will become increasingly technology centric, according to recent research carried out by Epson that included interviews with 17 leading experts and a survey of over 7,000 European workers.

Educating the future

Our education systems are moving towards an era in which creative collaboration and meta-learning will reign. According to 70 percent of the respondents, teachers will no longer be responsible solely for imparting knowledge, but will assume a more critical role of guiding students through the learning process. Sixty-four percent of respondents agree that application of information and analytical skills will be the focus in the education system of tomorrow.

This future does not come without its pitfalls. Sixty-nine percent of respondents fear that an over reliance on accessing information via technology could lead to general knowledge diminishing. Similarly, 67 percent of respondents agreed that knowledge-retention would no longer be the goal of education, as information will be constantly accessible.

Virtual collaboration

According to 74 percent of respondents, technology has the capacity to revolutionise education and working practices, yet no virtual application will ever replace face-to-face connections for relationship building. It’s fair to say this view may be challenged by the emergence of future technologies, as functionality such as holographic projection develops.

In conjunction with this virtual expansion, just 30 percent of respondents believe the evolution of the physical workspace will improve the connection between employees. However, there still exists a complementary relationship between online and offline tools, and 71 percent of respondents agreed that ‘blended learning’ would make education more dynamic and teachers more efficient.

A world of global work

New-technology will support even greater collaboration between local and global employees, although developing the training and support for employees in adapting to new-technology will be vital.

According to 71 percent of respondents, future meeting rooms will be entirely virtual, with employees around the globe using technologies such as AR and holographic projectors to join real-time workgroups. It is clear however that there is a gap in peoples’ understanding of how to best use these technologies. As future generations gain an understanding of new-technology, those currently in work will inevitably need to upskill in areas that they were previously unfamiliar with.

Developing a willingness to learn

Vital to this necessary technological upskilling will be engaging the enthusiasm of workers. Crucially 65 percent of respondents said they would retrain for a different role if they felt theirs was threatened, and organisations should work to capitalise on this willingness to learn in-order-to maximise the opportunities provided through technology.

Education for the future workplace will require a wide range of new skills. Underpinning this will be core soft skills of imagination, understanding, compassion and relationship building. Recognising these skills, and engaging workers to nurture and support growth, will play a vital role in preparing for technological transformation in industry.

Want to know more?

The full report has all the insights, you can download it here