According to Generation Alpha, we will look at jobs very differently by 2040

New research by the International Workplace Group of 11-17 year olds and their parents asked young people what changes they expect in the workplace by 2040, when Generation Alpha will make up the majority of the active workforce. The survey found that almost nine in 10 (86%) expect the world of work to fundamentally change and office life to be unrecognizable from today.

The daily commute is expected to end by 2040

One ​​of the most striking predicted changes concerns commuting. Less than a third (29%) of Gen Alphas expect to spend more than 30 minutes commuting each day, as their parents typically do today. Most believe they will be able to work flexibly, closer to home.

Three-quarters (75%) of respondents said reducing their commute time will be a top priority, allowing them to spend more time with their own families when they become parents.

Robots and AI will become commonplace, and email will disappear

The research also looked at major technology predictions, which – unsurprisingly – largely revolve around artificial intelligence. 88% of Gen Alphas expect to use smart assistants and robots regularly.

A number of other technological innovations are also expected, such as VR glasses for 3D virtual meetings (38%), gaming zones (38%), sleeping pods (31%), customizable temperature and lighting settings (28%), and meeting rooms with augmented reality (25%).

Perhaps the boldest prediction is that a third of respondents (32%) believe that email is dead, replaced by new platforms and technologies for more effective collaboration.

Hybrid work is the foundation of the new reality

The research also found that hybrid work will become the norm. 81% believe that flexible working will be the norm in 2040, with employees free to choose how and where they work.

Only 17% of Gen Alphas expect to always work from a central office. The majority would rather split their work hours between home, local workspaces and the company’s central office to complete their tasks as efficiently as possible. The main benefits of moving away from the traditional, rigid model of office work include less travel stress (51%), more time with friends and family (50%), better health and well-being (43%), and higher employee productivity (30%).

This flexibility is expected to increase productivity to such an extent that a third (33%) of Gen Alphas say a four-day workweek will become the norm.

Mark Dixon, Founder and CEO of IWG, said:

“The next generation of workers has made it clear that flexibility in where and how they work is not a choice, but a necessity. Today’s young people grew up with their parents wasting a lot of time and money on long daily commutes – but technology has made this completely unnecessary.

Technology has always shaped the world of work, and it will continue to do so. Thirty years ago, the widespread adoption of email revolutionized the way we work, and today, the rise of artificial intelligence and robots is having a similarly profound impact. This will fundamentally shape how and where Gen Alphas work in the future.”