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WORKSMART
By considering these new ideas, and taking the substantial increase in the number of people who
changes which have already happened in the have become self-employed, work multiple jobs,
workplace over recent years one step further, this have a side-business on top of their day job, or
is how the workplace of the 2050s might look... take on freelance work in their spare time.
All these factors are combining to produce a
REMOTE WORKING - THE NEW NORMAL? vast number of highly productive, well trained
Remote working is rapidly on the rise all over the and well-educated workers, who do not need to
world, and the stats are striking. For example, be physically present at the office of a primary
a 2019 study by Forbes found that there has employer between the hours of 9am and 5pm,
been a 159% rise in remote working in the USA Monday to Friday.
since 2007, while the same study estimates that
before 2020 is over, 50% of the UK workforce However, many people who enjoy working
will work remotely, at least part of the time. from home do not enjoy working alone, and this
Allied to this development, is the decline across has caused a massive rise in co-working over
much of the western world of the traditional ‘job recent years.
for life’, whereby employees stayed with same
employer throughout their working life, and The growth of co-working spaces looks well-
their concept of career progression was seeking set to continue into the 2050s and beyond if,
a promotion within the same company. as expected, more and more of the workforce
begin working remotely. Indeed, as co-working
The reasons for this decline are complex and spaces become busy activity hubs populated by
multifaceted, but it is something which has arisen skilled and enterprising people from a variety
in part due to the desires of both employers of different backgrounds, it is only natural that
- who responded to economic recessions by these people connect, network and synergise
calling for greater flexibility with regards to with each other - all of which means co-working
labour rights - and employees - who responded spaces could become a fertile source of fresh
to a decades-long period of wage stagnation by innovations and vibrant new startups all over the
becoming more willing to switch employers (or world, not just Silicon Valley.
even careers) in search of greater opportunities
and better working conditions. THE 4 DAY WORKWEEK
Even for those people who have jobs where
As well as the decay of the ‘job for life’ remote working is not an option, changes in
contributing to greater flexibility for both their working patterns may be afoot, as the
employers and employees, it has caused a idea of switching to a 4 day workweek has been
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