Real estate giant CBRE and Genesis, a prominent real estate developer in China, interviewed executives, office workers and "expert observers" around the globe – many of them younger employees, including Millennials, uncovering some intriguing trends. They include:
- A shift in artificial intelligence from basic robotics to "knowledge work," which may result in the elimination of more jobs than it creates, but may also free up workers to do less mundane tasks and more challenging, creative types of work.
- The addition of a Chief of Work to the C-suite of executives in many companies. This professional coordinates the efforts of disparate corporate departments like HR, IT and real estate, and helps organizations negotiate an appropriate balance between full-time staffers and independent contractors, among other responsibilities.
- Physical changes that can make workplaces more engaging, healthier, and even more fun. Imagine your office with color-changing LED lights replacing those old fluorescent bulbs; more of a "campus-like" atmosphere a la Silicon Valley and some forward-thinking European companies; and underutilized cubicle farms being farmed out to artists and musicians who can make better use of the space and liven up the atmosphere.