Trying to predict the future is always an interesting exercise,
and one with varying degrees of success. Of course,
none of us can say for sure how the world of work will
change and evolve over the next couple of decades – and
for most of us, exact predictions aren’t the intent. Instead, we
seek to identify the emerging trends and patterns that, together,
comprise the seismic shift the working world is facing – the
“Intelligence Revolution.”
The Intelligence Revolution is a small phrase with a big impact,
and it’s one you’ll likely be seeing quite a bit over the next few
months. It lends itself, both in title and theme, to a few high-visibility
HR landmarks – the 2018 Human Resources Professionals
Association (HRPA) Annual Conference & Trade Show, for one,
and HRPA and Deloitte’s much-cited white paper that coined
the term.
The Intelligence Revolution is the epoch next in line to the
Industrial Revolution, according to the 2017 white paper. While
the lengthy, drawn-out process of the Industrial Revolution had
numerous phases and a great deal of technological advancement,
the paradigm shift that is the Intelligence Revolution is marked by
one critical factor: the very definition of what we call a “job” is fundamentally
changing.
This brave new world of work is hallmarked by automation,
rapid technological advancement, machine learning, innovation,
robotics and even the advent of artificial intelligence (AI). These
trends are much talked about, but they’re also quite tangible: by
2018, up to 42 per cent of Canada’s workforce will be affected by
automation. A full 30 per cent of new robots being built will be
capable of working with humans. And 41 per cent of companies
have already adopted AI technology into their workforce in some
shape or form, according to the white paper.
And the key factors at play – machine learning, computer power
and machines exceeding humans – are already creating significant
impacts in terms of how work is performed.
“The Industrial Revolution aggregated work into jobs and people
went to where the work was. The Intelligence Revolution will
disaggregate jobs and the work will go to where people are,” the
paper reads.
So, location-based “jobs” are far from an employment imperative
these days, and that’s a trend that will likely increase in prominence.
But what else is changing about what we call a “job?”
THE GIG ECONOMY
It’s not just where you’re sitting when you carry out your day-today
work that is changing dramatically – it’s the very structure of
your job itself. Instead of full-time, permanent employment with
a single employer, there are many more diverse employment relationships
coming to prominence. Working for multiple employers,
working on a freelance or project basis and working as a contractor
or third party provider are trends we’re seeing more and more,
and with that, we in HR are tasked to figure out how best to manage
these less conventional workforces.
Continued on page 22
cover feature
“HISTORICALLY, MOST WORKERS
PREPARE TO ENTER THE WORKFORCE
BY HONING THE SKILLS REQUIRED
TO SUCCEED AT A SINGLE JOB.
AUDITORS LEARNED HOW TO AUDIT;
AUTO MECHANICS LEARNED HOW
TO FIX CARS. YET THIS SKILLSBASED
APPROACH IS RAPIDLY
BECOMING OBSOLETE.”
– THE INTELLIGENCE REVOLUTION
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20 ❚ CONFERENCE ISSUE 2018 ❚ HR PROFESSIONAL