Increasing automation in our workplaces, demographic shifts and a customer-based economy are drastically changing the way we work. In order for people to keep up we will need a very different set of skills, particularly those that are unique to humans: imagination, creativity, curiosity, emotions and social relationships. How will we bring this skills transition into our jobs, and which implications will this have for employees, employers and organisations?
First we welcomed Julianne Coughlan into our ARENA. She brought an interesting case of Cork County Council, the authority responsible for local government in County Cork, Ireland. During her talk, she elaborated on the transformation she and her colleagues went through during the implementation of the Service rePublic. This is a service design and innovation centre with the mission to help people to have better lives, by delivering the best services for all. They operate as an independent umbrella department within the government. In this way, they can work with all departments across Cork County, to transform the way services are delivered.
In her talk, she concluded that people are the instigators for transformation, not technology. Innovation is everywhere. The trick is to recognise it, nurture it, find a way to connect it, enable it to be copied or expand and show the impact of what it does. According to Julianne, this will be a determining factor in the future of work.
