Workforce of the future: the competing forces shaping 2030

This report examines in detail how the workplace might be shaped over the coming decade. It draws on research begun in 2007 by a team from PwC and the James Martin Institute for Science and Civilisation at the Said Business School in Oxford and a specially commissioned survey of 10,000 people in China, India, Germany, the UK and the US. This has provided insights into how people think the workplace will evolve and how this will affect their employment prospects and future working lives. No exploration of the future of work will ever be conclusive so this report develops Four Worlds of Work for 2030 that will help to generate thinking about the many possible scenarios that could develop, and how to best prepare for the future.

These four worlds are: (1) Yellow World where humans come first - social-first and community businesses prosper; crowdfunded capital flows towards ethical and blameless brands; there is a search for meaning and relevance with a social heart; artisans, makers and new 'workers guilds' thrive; humanness is highly valued; (2) Red World where innovation rules - organisations and individuals race to give consumers what they want; innovation outpaces regulation; digital platforms give outsized reach and influence to those with a winning idea; specialists and niche profit-makers flourish; (3) Green World where companies care - social responsibility and trust dominate the corporate agenda with concerns about demographic changes; climate and sustainability becoming key drivers of business; and (4) Blue World where corporate is king - big company capitalism rules as organisations continue to grow bigger and individual preference override beliefs about social responsibility. Show less