A recent report compiled by the World Economic Forum (WEF) has shed some light on the future of work, and the results could have widespread consequences for bookkeepers, accountants and businesses more broadly.
Bookkeepers, payroll clerks, cashiers, accountants, sales agents, lawyers and administrative secretaries have all been earmarked as so-called “redundant roles” in the WEF’s Future of Jobs Report 2018.
Meanwhile, data analysts, artificial intelligence specialists, e-commerce experts and process automation specialists are named on a list of “new roles” predicted to become increasingly important to employers in the coming years.
The role of high-speed mobile internet, artificial intelligence and cloud technology are cited by WEF researchers as trends that would change workforces over the next four years.
Roles embedded in digital technologies are expected to grow, while those related to data entry or repetitive tasks are predicted to wane in importance.
The WEF’s research focused on survey data from medium-to-large businesses across the world, together accounting for 70% of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP). A range of employment experts were also consulted in the formulation of the report.
David Fagan, an adjunct professor at QUT responsible for its Real World Futures Program, has written a book on how digital disruption is changing the world and believes small business owners need to be paying attention.
He argues businesses will need to transition their workforce from labour intensive tasks of the past to jobs that support automated processes and focus on human-to-human customer interactions.
“The more human aspects of behaviour is what will preserve human jobs,” he says.
“That will then be done best when those human aspects can be combined with technology which will really inform people.”
The WEF’s “redundant roles”
- Data entry clerks
- Accounting, bookkeeping and payroll clerks
- Administrative and executive secretaries
- Assembly and factory workers
- Client information and customer service workers
- Business services and administration managers
- Accountants and auditors
- Material-recording and stock keeping clerks
- General and operations managers
- Postal service clerks
- Financial analysts
- Cashiers and ticket clerks
- Mechanics and machinery repairs
- Telemarketers
- Electronics installers and repairers
- Bank tellers and related clerks
- Car, van and motorcycle drivers
- Sales and purchasing agents and brokers
- Door-to-door sales workers
- Statistical, finance and insurance clerks
- Lawyers
The jobs of the future, according to the WEF:
- Data analysts and scientists
- AI and machine learning specialists
- General and operations managers
- Big data specialists
- Sales and marketing professionals
- New technology specialists
- Organisational development specialists
- Software and applications developers
- IT services
- Process automation specialists
- Innovation professionals
- E-commerce and social media specialists
- User experience and human-machine interaction designers
- Training and development specialists
- Robotics specialists
- People and culture specialists
- Client information and customer service workers
- Service and solutions designers
- Digital marketing and strategy specialists
This is an edited version of a piece that first appeared on SmartCompany.
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