Megatrends

In this report, we will delve into six areas that impact the working life of the future in various ways. They are based on “megatrends” — large, long-term movements that affect essentially all people, companies, industries and communities — and thereby also working life. We briefly describe these megatrends below.

The nations of the world are drawing closer together culturally, politically and economically, while financial integration among different economies is also on the rise. Both business growth and cross-border collaboration are keeping pace with this trend.

Worldwide, people are abandoning rural life in favour of urban living. More than half of the world’s population now live and work in cities, and by 2050, almost 70 per cent of all humans are expected to do so. Urbanisation affects where consumers and businesses—and thereby also jobs—are to be found.

In January 2018, the number of Internet users exceeded four billion — a figure that continues to grow. Today, half of the world's population is connected to the Internet. Employees of the future will be “digital natives”; they will have grown up with digital technology as a natural part of life. Digitalisation makes it possible for us to work where and when we wish and for companies to be global from day one.

The development of artificial intelligence (intelligence created by machines, unlike "natural intelligence" which humans and animals possess) and automation (having a machine or technology perform a task) is creating fundamental changes in the global labour market and how we work. Robots

are already in common use within many industries. Between 2013 and 2017, robot sales doubled, reaching a record high of 381,000 robots sold in 2017 — an increase of 30 per cent over 2016. Predictions for exactly how and to what extent AI and automation will affect working life within different industries vary, but there is no question that they will impact essentially all industries and occupations.

Given the increasing threat of climate change, business and industry have begun to react and act — in earnest. Greater responsibility is now being assumed by most industries and levels of society, as more and more companies transition from linear to circular production. As sustainability has become a strategic issue for a growing number of companies, both more and new jobs are being created in an array of sectors.

Health and well-being are being integrated into more aspects of our lives – from beauty and fashion to tourism and architecture. The health industry is

now a growing billion dollar industry, which represents more than five per cent of global returns. Both in Sweden and abroad, large investments in individualised health are being carried out, which will change both working methods and professional roles in healthcare.

Worldwide, life expectancy is increasing, and Sweden is no exception. By 2028, an additional 309,000 Swedes will be age 65 or older compared to 2018. The greatest increase will occur among those who are age 80 and older—by 2028, they will have grown by 255,000, about 50 percent more than the 2018 figure. The elderly today and in the future are more active and work longer, making them an important consumer group. This is a shift that will be accompanied by both new occupations and needs. The millennials, people born in the 1980s and 1990s, are emerging as yet another influential generation. By 2025, millennials will account for 75 per cent of the global labour force. This generation is clearly purpose-driven and places high demands on social responsibility, both as consumers and employees.