The Changing Nature of Work: 30 signals to consider for a sustainable future 

SIGNAL 10. Ethical considerations

The fourth industrial revolution, artificial intelligence (AI), a potential robot apocalypse, new workforce compositions, machine learning (ML) and a fast-paced lifestyle may all sound Star Wars-like and interesting, but they may also create a disturbing sense of a dystopian future. But the future of work is all about us, so the future need not be so gloomy and unethical. Ethics in relation to the future of work should be more concerned with how we should work than could work. In general, companies should move from reacting to ethical dilemmas as they arise, to managing ethics as part of their strategies and missions, focusing on how these issues can affect everyone involved.

The fourth industrial revolution is rife with ethical dilemmas: new opportunities are enabled by AI and automation, but they are often perceived as threats. AI ethics is emerging as the single biggest challenge in AI progress and widespread deployment, and companies can no longer ignore it. As a concept, trustworthy AI should offer a structured and comprehensive way forward, including clear policies on responsibility and accountability, and AI should be just as reliable as the traditional systems it is augmenting or replacing. Privacy should be secured, and everyone involved should be aware of why and how their data are used, and make informed decisions about the possibility to opt in or opt out of having their data shared at any moment. AI should be free from bias, which is a great challenge since the biases and what constitutes fair could be categorized as ongoing challenges for humans regardless of AI. 23 .The Changing Nature of Work AI should include internal and external checks to reduce discriminatory biases as it learns from datasets. If those datasets are biased, the whole system could amplify and propagate these biases in the digital realm.

Work sustains people. It enables them to meet their material needs and gives them a sense of identity, belonging and purpose, empowering them to reach their full potential. Certain studies suggest that millennials are becoming more vocal in advocating for business that does not just create profit, but also added value for everyone’s benefit. Millennials expect businesses to focus more on how to deal with ethical dilemmas and engage in issues such as diversity, inclusivity and climate change, etc. In the eyes of the millennials, profit alone is not what makes a business successful.

All technological advances pose many challenges and opportunities for the workforce; many of today’s jobs will not be jobs of the future. Thus, a great deal of reskilling and upskilling will be involved in the successful transition to more human-centred jobs in the future. An emerging ‘superteams’ trend is being built on two evolutions: the rise of these teams, and the growing adoption of AI in the workplace. And as pivotal forces in the future of work, these suggest that technology should be seen as an opportunity. There will be an evident shift from jobs to super jobs that will integrate machines and humans, creating broader job roles that will require fresh thinking and a high level of collaboration. However, inclusion will be an essential dimension since not everyone will be willing or able to shift from jobs to super jobs. Transforming economies that will go hand in hand with the future of work will need to promote decent and sustainable work for all; hence, labour rights will also change to reflect the accelerating transformation of work in general. Due to the close link between economic activity and the natural environment, the fact that people are using tomorrow’s resources to satisfy today’s needs and trends such as environmental degradation and environmental sustainability will also shape the future of work. In all aspects of the future of work, ethics should be a priority rather than an afterthought.

Check out the next signal, #11: Emerging sectors.

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The Changing Nature of Work: 30 signals to consider for a sustainable future

Work helps sustain livelihoods and largely determines the quality of life. Its changing nature is at the frontier of development. This report is the result of a broad horizon scanning by six UNDP Accelerator Labs across Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States.  They reveal 30 signals that shape the “where, who, how, and why” of the changing nature of work. From the impact of COVID-19 on the workforce to new work models and entrepreneurial ecosystems, the authors explore opportunities and threats, as well as solutions from local contexts that can be scaled up into positive answers to the challenges people around the world are facing.  Download the full report here.