The World of Work in 2025: top trends for the year ahead
From the AI -powered workplace and resilient real estate to a vibrancy metric and video hegemony, WORKTECH Academy’s report, The World of Work in 2025, presents 25 scene-shifting ideas
How will work and workplace shape up this year as organisations get to grips with the impact of AI, new forms of leadership and the changing parameters of employee experience?
WORKTECH Academy’s new report, The World of Work in 2025, presents 25 trends right across the spectrum of people, place, technology, culture and design, building up a broad picture of challenge and transformation.
The Academy’s predictions for people in 2025 are focused on the development of hybrid and creative leaders, better management of human capital, more accessible ‘short-circuit’ mentoring, growing attention to neurodiversity in the workplace, and wellbeing initiatives more closely linked to productivity.
Place-based directions include a ‘vibrancy metric’ for the workplace, the rise of relationship-based as opposed to activity-based working, the data-driven influence of experience design, the amenities of work resorts, and initiatives to improve the resilience of cities in the face of rapid climate change.
AI is the dominant trend
Technology trends look at ways to improve videoconferencing and create meaningful connections to combat loneliness at work. The ‘digital everywhere’ is explored alongside its mirror-image trend – the need for ‘digital detox zones’.
The dominant disruptive trend of 2025 is the irresistible rise of AI. The final three trends in this report are devoted to this theme, concluding with an extended essay by WORKTECH Academy co-founder Philip Ross, who writes: ‘Such is the potential of AI to both enhance, augment and replace human endeavour that, as we head into 2025, we are only just beginning to understand its potential impact.’
Human connection
Commenting on the report, Frankie Jack, managing director of Unwork, observes: ‘Emerging trends suggest a workplace that prioritises human connection, employee wellbeing, and a blend of technology and experience. This shift is being driven by several forces, from the rise of hybrid work and the evolving needs of a tech-savvy generation to the growing importance of wellbeing as a performance metric.’
Report editor Kasia Maynard, WORKTECH Academy’s Head of Editorial and Research, adds: ‘The workplace in 2025 is in state of tension. Dynamic innovations are pitched against stubborn challenges. The themes explored in this report highlight the ways in which evolving employee expectations can be at odds with what businesses feel they need to do to win through.’
The World of Work in 2025 report was compiled in partnership with the Global Partners of WORKTECH Academy and drew on expert contributions from around our global member network.
Access The World of Work in 2025 report here.
For a deeper dive into the report, visit WORKTECH Academy’s Innovation Zone.
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