It’s estimated that almost 20% of our daily tasks at work could become obsolete with robotic automation. Thriving in predictable physical activity and data management, many jobs are vulnerable to robots – but that doesn’t mean all our skills are entirely replaceable.
An automated workforce makes for some incredibly streamlined operations. Increasing productivity by five to ten times faster and boosting profit with an extra $15.7 trillion into the global economy by 2030, million of workers could see their own jobs automated in just a few short years. Nearly 50% of employers say that automation could lead to a reduction of their human workforce, replacing cooks and servers, warehouse workers, even retail salespeople by 2022. Just this past year in January 2018, Amazon opened an entirely cashier-less grocery store Amazon Go, putting this very concept to the test.
While our automated future isn’t far off, not every expert agrees on the extent of its impact. In one study, it had been shown that only less than 5% of occupations could be fully automated. Instead, the face of automation will look more like the restructuring of jobs, rather than replacement. The difference comes down to the spark of humanity that lies in soft skills. Communication abilities from compassion and empathy to humor and creativity are uniquely human experiences that prevent total automation, at least for the foreseeable future. Positions in in-person customer service, planning or creative work, and management tasks are among the least likely to see automation – and for good reason. In robotic environments, human skills go a long way.
Turning over our menial responsibilities to the capable and sometimes figurative hands of robots, the automation revolution is on its way. Are you keeping up? This infographic details how you can robot-proof your career, keep your position relevant in the face of automation, and master the soft skills that robots simply cannot.
Do you feel like automation is a threat to your current job? What do you think about the “robot proofing” tips in the infographic above? Let us know in the comments below or on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook.
Last Updated on February 3, 2021.
