| Abstract |
In the post-pandemic world, the media sees the future of work through an optimistic lens. Unfortunately for staff now returning to work, the workplace will not be like they all once remembered. What the future of work will look like for each of us is just beginning to take a new shape. The insights organizations derive from new economic models, hybrid working conditions, and automation will define work and the workplace for years to come. Investments in innovations will not lead to improvements in quality, operational efficiency, or cost reductions if investments in human capital are not balanced. This is becoming evident as “smart” initiatives, such as smart cars, smart cities, and smart factories, are expanding toward intelligent platforms where investments in human capital are as important as investments in advanced technologies. These new technologies affect workers and the workplace in different ways. They will be unevenly distributed, and it will take time for effective optimization. Here is an opportunity for workers to assemble, discuss, collaborate, engage, and reposition as an integral piece of the “future of work” puzzle. This chapter looks beyond what Industry 4.0 technologies can do and explores the environment where the IR 4.0 technologies will be applied—the work, the workers, and the workplace. © 2023 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. |
