Future of Work Special Report

The companies in Derry letting their employees decide where they work

What will the workforce look like in 10 years’ time and will women have achieved parity with men?

How automation is affecting jobs – and how to successfully navigate it

Ergonomic furniture no longer as important as hybrid working, and hot desking more prevalent

A belief exists it will be human qualities that are most important in the future

Disruption caused by the advance of tech has been a source of concern and opportunity for both employers and employees

How will the office of the future deal with staff who come down with colds, flus and other bugs, as well as Covid?

We look at what companies on the cutting edge are doing

We asked four business leaders what advances will be game changers for their sector.

Future of Work case study: Tommy Doherty, partner at Mazars

‘There is nothing like face-to-face interaction to build your team... yet not having the commute to and from work gives great time back’

Taking a flexible approach will be key to making new patterns work – for staff and employers

Future of Work case study: Conor Jacob, co-founder of events company Sofft Productions

If we are serious about human-centred collaboration it is time to move away from old layouts like cubicles or row of desks

Service providers have had to adapt quickly and create improvements for the new virtual working space

Future of Work case study: Paul Murphy, An Post branch manager Phibsborough

Problem-solving skills critical as people navigate rapidly changing work environment

Manual jobs are changing as blue-collar workers take on more intellectual tasks

Hybrid is more scalable for smaller companies once they have the right focus on connectivity, security and inclusion

The green agenda filters down through every aspect of working, from how offices are designed and built to employee behaviour

‘In the office when you leave in the evening work is finished. Closing the virtual office door at home can be a bit more difficult’

Focus to shift from traditional benefits to balance between performance and wellbeing

Employers must plan for the opportunities and changes remote working will bring

‘The biggest challenge starting the business was having children...home-schooled around me and trying to manage their Zoom calls without enough devices’

Future of Work case study: Yvonne Holmes, European Recycling Platform

‘I don’t think we will ever revert back to having the first round interview in the office’

Legacy of pandemic will involve major changes to work, shopping and leisure practices

Promoting wellbeing and managing culture is a challenge when employees are working remotely