Future of Work: What Job Roles Will Look Like In 10 Years [Updated]

Will technology kill jobs and aggravate inequality, or bring in more significant work and healthier societies? This question has worried humankind ever since technological advancement took over certain manual jobs. The services of a clock keeper, film projectionist, switchboard operator, etc. were no longer required once we developed better technology. The question still remains as is, what will the future of work look like?

What is the Future of Work?

Digital cameras and mobile phones changed photography and the way we click photos. To stay resourceful, photographers had no option but to embrace the new technology. At one point, nobody could have thought that these interesting jobs would not make it to a list of top future jobs and would be redundant in the future.

However, we have come a long way since then and learned from our experiences. Our past has taught us that there could be a world in the future where the human resources function vanishes and gets replaced by automation, outsourcing, and self-organizing teams. A world in which top talent is fought over so fiercely that the most skilful workers hire personal agents to manage their careers isn’t hard to imagine. The idea is to stay prepared for that future.

For the last 10 years, Simplilearn has helped learners to keep up with changes in the world of work. Let’s look forward another 10 years to what the future of work will look like in 2030.

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Four Possible Worlds of Work in 2030

PwC sees four alternative worlds of work, all named after different colors. One world could move away from big companies as new technology allows small businesses to gain more strength. In another, companies might work together for the betterment of society as a whole. Let’s have a look:

The Red World

Here, technology will allow tiny businesses to tap into the vast reservoirs of information, skills, and financing. HR will no longer exist as a separate function, and entrepreneurs will rely on outsourced services for people processes. There would be fierce competition for talent, and those with in-demand future skills will command the highest rewards.

2. The Blue World

Here, global corporations will become larger, powerful, and more influential than ever. Companies see their size and influence as the best way to protect their profit margins. Top talent is fiercely fought over.

3. The Green World

As a reaction to strong public opinion, scarce natural resources, and strict international regulations, companies will push a strong ethical and ecological agenda.

4. The Yellow World

Here, workers and companies will seek out greater meaning and relevance. Workers will find autonomy, flexibility, and fulfillment while working for organizations with strong ethical and social standards. The concept of fair pay will predominate in the future of work.

What is the Future of Work? 10 Key Trends for the Next 10 Years

According to independent studies published by CBRE and Genesis, and a report in WSJ, the workplace in 2030 will be very different from the one seen today. Here is a glimpse of how work in 2030 could look like:

1. There Will Be “Places to Work”- The best workplaces will have different quiet areas so that workers have choices to where they want to work, eliminating assigned seating altogether.

2. Smaller Individual Organizations- There will be smaller corporations. With so much opportunity for collaborations, there will be no need to build a costly big business.

3. Less Hierarchy- Everyone will be a leader. Work will thrive in teams, not with dictators.

4. Big Emphasis on Wellness- Offices will be much healthier environments, whether that’s good lighting, relaxation areas, sleeping rooms, music, pets at work, etc.

5. Need For a “Chief of Work” Role- The Chief of Work will set the culture in the organization. This role could also feature amongst the best jobs for the future.

6. Flexible Floor Plans- When workers arrive at their office building, wearable devices will let them know what floor to go to, that can be changed based on sensor data.

7. Goodbye, Desk- There won’t be any physical desks; employees will just park themselves anywhere and have a simulated office before their eyes.

8. Your Robot Assistant- All workers at all levels will be using robotic helpers in the future like Siri or Alexa, to sort through incoming email, schedule meetings, create spreadsheets, etc.

9. Smarter Brainstorming- Most meetings will take place between different groups of workers in multiple locations, allowing seamless sharing of ideas and brainstorming across time zones.

10. The Virtual Water Cooler- Informal get-togethers will take place via virtual and augmented reality headsets.

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Megatrends in Job Roles

Pearson conducted research into what skills and employment in 2030 might look like and identified some possible trends in job roles:

They forecast that only one in five workers is in current jobs, and that will shrink in the future.
Occupations related to agriculture, trades, and construction, which in other studies have been forecast to decline, may have pockets of opportunity throughout the skills ladder.
In sectors such as education and healthcare, they forecast that only one in ten workers are in occupations that are likely to grow.
Pearson forecasts that seven in ten workers are in jobs where there is greater uncertainty about the future.
Their findings also confirm the importance of higher-order cognitive skills such as complex problem solving, originality, fluency of ideas, and active learning. These will be the most in-demand skills for the future.
Their findings rank knowledge areas, skills, and abilities that will be in greater demand in the future.

Most in-demand Skills for the Future of Work

McKinsey Global Institute’s research report has highlighted the top three skill sets workers will need to secure the best careers for the future. These most in-demand skills for the future are:

Higher cognitive- These include advanced literacy and writing, critical thinking, and quantitative analysis and statistical skills. Doctors, accountants, research analysts, and writers use these.
Social and emotional- These include advanced communication, empathy, to be adaptable, and the ability to learn continuously. Business development, programming, and counselling require these skills. These jobs are also amongst the best careers for the next ten years.
Technological- This includes everything from basic to advanced IT skills, data analysis, and engineering. These future skills are likely to be the most highly paid.

Also Read: Learn How These 5 Simplilearn Members Transformed Their Careers

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Top Future Jobs in 2030

Analyzing the major technological and business trends today, Cognizant and ZDNet propose the best jobs/careers to emerge over the next 10 years will include:

1. Virtual Store Sherpa- will focus on customer satisfaction through virtually advising customers using the knowledge of the product line.

2. Personal Data Broker- will ensure consumers receive revenue from their data. The broker will establish prices and execute trades.

3. Personal Memory Curator- will consult with patients and stakeholders to generate specifications for virtual reality experiences.

4. Augmented Reality Journey Builder- will collaborate with talented engineers and technical artists to develop vital elements for clients.

5. Highway Controller- will monitor automated road and air space management systems to ensure no errors occur.

6. Body part maker- will create living body parts for athletes and soldiers.

7. Nano-medic- will transform healthcare.

8. GM or recombinant farmer- will transform farming and livestock.

9. Elderly wellness consultant- will cater to the physical and mental needs of the elderly.

10. Memory augmentation surgeon- will boost patients’ memory when it hits capacity.

11. ‘New science’ ethicist- will ford the river of progress.

12. Space pilots, tour guides, and architects- will allow pilots, tour guides, and architects to live in lunar outposts.

Impact of Automation

There are fairly divided opinions on whether technological advances will reduce human jobs, or technology advances will produce as many jobs as they displace. An article by WSJ says that automation is expected to impact work in a series of three waves:

1st Wave (in early 2030)- Algorithmic
2nd Wave (till late 2030)- Augmentation
3rd Wave (from 2030)- Autonomy

3% of jobs are expected to be displaced in the first wave. This number can rise considerably in the next two waves as 30% of jobs might get automated, with more and more workplaces starting to embrace the advancement in technology. Due to their greater presence in administrative and clerical jobs, women might face a larger risk of automation during the first two waves. Later, many manual tasks performed by men are likely to be replaced by automated vehicles and machines.

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Job Interviews in 2030

The hiring managers and job hunters of today would agree that an interview isn’t the ideal way to find the best person for the job. Managers rely on subjective information to make their decision, which sometimes isn’t the most accurate. Hence, as per an article by WSJ, interviews in the future would look nothing like they do today:

Personality Profiling—With the Help of AI- As soft skills gain importance, more employers will use AI to create personality profiles using social-media.
A ‘Credit Score’ for Skills- One day, companies could automatically score skills using the text that candidates put online.
Testing Job Performance Virtually- Employers are already using VR for on-the-job testing, training, and diversity initiatives.
The Right Brain for the Job- Wearable health technology will be able to be used to find the right brain for the job.

Getting Ready and Staying Ready

Preparing for 2030 will put heavy demands on businesses and learners alike. Simplilearn provides blended learning that helps the digital economy workforce keep its skills current in areas like data science and digital marketing. We also ensure our clients develop upcoming and trending skills like DevOps, cloud computing and AI and machine learning in order to stay relevant and have the best jobs for the future.

FAQs

1. Which jobs will still be there in the next 10 years?

With the advancement in technology, there is a possibility that manual jobs will go extinct in the next 30 years. Here is a list of the same –

Travel Agents
Taxi Drivers
Store Cashiers
Trades People
Sales Professionals at Stores

If you are into any of these professions, now is the time to make a career switch. Find a career domain that suits you and sign-up for a course that can help you gain the right skills. You can explore a wide range of industry-focus courses at Simplilearn.

2. Which job is best for the future 2030?

Following specializations will remain popular even in 2030 –

Data Science
Cloud Computing
Digital Marketing
Machine Learning
Artificial Intelligence
Augmented Reality
Software Development
Cyber Security

3. What will the future of work be like?

According to Deloitte, the nature of the workplace and workforce will be changing in the next 10 years. The future of work will be driven by 2 main factors –