Office life was always going to evolve. The Covid-19 pandemic merely made that evolution more obvious than expected. In the years since, employers in Ireland and across Europe have struggled to keep up with the rapidly evolving world of work.
The sheer breadth of influences is causing headaches for employers. From remote work to an ageing workforce through to the increased influence of artificial intelligence (AI), jobs as we know them have changed.
Barbara Gerstenberger, head of the working life unit at Eurofound, says that any effective use of technology in the workplace must begin with thoughtful planning.
“Job redesign is crucial if workers are supposed to use technology effectively and co-operate with advanced machines and robots,” she says.
“As regards dealing with demographic change and managing an ageing workforce, overcoming age stereotypes is key. These stereotypes with respect to new technologies and digital skills, for example, are often reinforced and even internalised by older people themselves, which can result in an underestimation of their own performance or technology skills.”
Rather than viewing change as a cost, Gerstenberger says it can be approached more practically.
“Job quality has so many dimensions; it is not necessarily difficult or expensive to improve aspects of it. Companies that want to be prepared for the future must turn their attention to the quality of jobs they offer.”
The question of skills and career mobility is also front of mind for Irish employers. Martina Fitzgerald, chief executive of Scale Ireland, says there is a growing value to broad, transferable capabilities.
“There will always be a need for expertise in key strategic areas, but employers are also now placing a stronger value on transversal skills. That focus will facilitate less rigid career paths and people transitioning to different sectors,” she says.
“Problem solving, creative thinking, leadership and communication skills are valuable and valued.”
Technology is reshaping the nature of work itself, especially with the growing role of AI, according to Dr John Lonsdale, chief executive of CeADAR.
“AI is reshaping work in virtually every sector. In manufacturing, AI-driven robotics and predictive maintenance systems are augmenting human labour on factory floors. In healthcare, AI is helping clinicians with diagnostics and resource allocation,” he says.
“Investing in people’s skills is essential for employers seeking to adapt to these shifts. Companies that succeed in the AI era actively upskill and reskill their workforce. Big companies are spending significant sums on AI literacy programmes covering the fundamentals of AI, responsible AI use, and advanced topics like generative AI.”
Nessa McEniff, centre director at the Learnovate Centre, says strong leadership will play a vital role in navigating this shift.
“As the value of skills continues to increase in our knowledge-based economy, every leader, starting with the chief executive, must champion a culture of learning. When leadership values learning, employees are far more likely to invest their time and energy into developing their capacity to continuously learn,”
McEniff says traditional training models no longer suffice. “In today’s demanding work environment, organisations must also ensure learning is accessible anytime, anywhere, personalised to individual needs and embedded into the daily flow of work.”
The flexibility of remote work remains one of the most tangible changes since the pandemic. Its success is reliant on structure and active communication from managers, says Dónal Kearney, community manager at Grow Remote.
“Being clear about what remote means is important. Does that mean fully at home or are you expected to be in the office sometimes? If so, when are you expected to be in the office? The best companies tell employees why they are expected in the office.”
He says the best outcomes are achieved when managers focus on results rather than employee visibility.
“The managers who are most flexible and who listen to employees but keep the focus on output and productivity rather than presenteeism are most likely to succeed,” he adds.
The greatest risk to employers, says Kearney, is in failing to adequately support managers who are trying to navigate the changing world of work.
“The risks, when you don’t adapt, are centred around poor management. Managers need to be supported. There’s a gap right now where there are huge benefits available for staff at large, but managers are struggling to adapt.”
