SAM INKINEN, 39, Media and future researcher, author “ work is connected to a more general change in culture, society and technology. The industrial age is changing into an age of information and services, where experiences and innovations are emphasised. From the viewpoints of the labour market, social processes and decision makers the role of the service industry, creative knowledge work and information-intensive processes will gain importance.” The knowledge work of tomorrow is connected in networks and demands agility. Situations often change rapidly and it is essential to be able to react
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quickly. On the other hand strategic and long term planning also become more important: predicting the future and also shaping it. On the level of megatrends, developing characteristics in the forthcoming years will include the fragmentation of work history, the population aging, risk management, as well as ecological and ethical matters. The new era and creative knowledge work require a new kind of leadership and ways in which work is organised. Clinging on to the paradigm of the past can lead to unwanted results. Then again, the significance of change is often exaggerated and the hype can exceed substantial change.
Knowledge work of the future will be challenging and contain many uncertainties. That is something we have not been taught to tolerate. However, this type of work is unpredictable by nature. Creative and information-intensive work includes making continuous choices and focusing resources in the right areas. One key factor is impact, or how the resources at use (money, time, people) are directed in the right way. Instead of the quantifiable amount of work, it’s the quality of work that’s becoming important. The information society is filled with paradoxes. One of them is that, unlike in the “techno-paradise” prophecy from decades ago, creative knowledge workers are under demanding and constant pressure. There is never enough time, there is always a deadline around the corner, too many ongoing processes at once… and so on. Stress management and the ability to relax are often tested when time is limited and you’re in a constant hurry. It’s a bit amusing how in the 80s we presumed that robotics and high technology would take us into substantially shorter working hours. The future of working is tied to the essential question of organising and directing work, knowhow and resources. Maybe we should consider a broader view into employment and creating jobs by moving towards a four-day workweek?