2. Gig manager

More and more people are becoming self-employed and freelancers, which in many cases means an increase in the freedom to exercise control over the work situation. However, self-employment also entails a number of challenges, such as difficulties in achieving a steady income and an increased risk of burnout. Therefore, a gig manager is needed to help the “gigger" to achieve a more sustainable business and work life by managing both the practical and psychological aspects of working life.

•Ensure that the gigger has a steady workflow and income through contin• • • uous assignments Help the gigger to develop procedures and organise the work day Ensure that the gigger achieves a good work-life balance

Provide training and coaching in business development and communication skills

•Finance • Legal affairs • PR/communication • Psychology • Occupational health

Not only is working life becoming more flexible because we can work where, when and how we want, it is also becoming more fluid in that we can jump between occupations and workplaces to a greater extent than in the past. In addition, a development is underway in which occupations are being reshaped and merged into "hybrid occupations", at the same time that completely new occupations are being created. For example, it is estimated that as many as 65 per cent of today’s university students will have jobs that do not even exist today, and that 85 per cent of the jobs that will be available in 2030 have not yet been created.

These changes mean that employees in the working life of the future need to become more adaptable, multiskilled and prepared to further develop their skills – a development that the World Economic Forum describes as “the Reskilling Revolution”.

Much of this change is driven by developments in AI and automation, which fundamentally transform many occupations and industries. According to McKinsey, by 2030, 75–375 million workers – up to 14 per cent of the global workforce – will be forced to learn, retrain and adapt to new occupations, as a result of increased automation. Already today, both employees and employers have realised the need for constant skills development. In one global survey, almost three of four employees responded that they are ready to learn new skills or retrain in order to remain attractive to the labour market through 2030. More and more companies are also investing in education, partly through specific subjects such as IT, programming and AI, but also based on a broader definition of learning. For example, employees at Unilever, Mastercard and Airbnb are encouraged to learn and to broaden their horizons by reading books and articles, and listening to podcasts and TED talks.

Even the experts we interviewed expressed a consensus that employees of the future need to be prepared to update their knowledge throughout their careers, and that curiosity and a willingness to learn new things are desirable qualities when recruiting.

Ellinor Axell, head of sales and marketing, Telenor

• Working life is becoming increasingly flexible, which means that we have greater control over when, where and how we work. Meanwhile, current social protection systems still accommodate only traditional forms of employment, leaving many people to fall between the cracks. However, there is a growing demand to adapt these systems to alternative working methods.

•As roles are being reshaped and merged, the demand for multiskills and constant skill development is on the rise. Employees of the future need to be prepared to learn new skills throughout their careers. Curiosity and the desire to grow will be crucial in the working life of the future.