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A recent study by the City & Guilds Group has revealed that the British workforce is unthreatened by the predicted rise of automation and artificial intelligence, and its effect on the workplace.
The Skills Confidence report, an international study of 8000 employees in the United Kingdom, United States, South Africa and India, measured how confident people feel about their skills and jobs today, and in five and ten years’ time
When asked about the impact of automation on their job prospects over the next decade, 18% said it would have a negative impact, and 42% said it would not have any impact. Thinking about artificial intelligence, 20% said it would have a negative impact on their job prospects, and 48% said it would have no impact at all. Additionally, 62% are not worried about the rise in automation and artificial intelligence in the workplace and 69% are confident that a machine could not do their job.
UK respondents were also surprisingly unconcerned about the impact of immigration and globalisation with only 27% and 17%, respectively, citing these issues as having a negative impact on job prospects. Only 15% said that immigration could stop their skills from being relevant in five years’ time.
However, the research shows there may be a gap between economic projections and workforce opinions over skills relevancy and jobs confidence. The World Economic Forum has described a ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ where the role of humans in the workforce will change in favour of smart machines and automation.
Commenting on the report findings, Chris Jones, Chief Executive of the City & Guilds Group, said: “It’s rare that a week goes by without some new evidence pointing to a fundamental shift in what’s required of the workforce of the future. From the automation of tasks for everyone from journalists and junior lawyers to retail assistants, to a rapid rise in flexible and intergenerational working, the evidence is clear that the world of work is changing. Yet as our research shows, the workforce seems to be living in ignorant bliss about their skills and job security.
“It’s vital that leaders step up and tell the story of what the future workplace could look like and the skills that will be required. They also need to plan ahead and invest in the right training initiatives to support their employees to develop their skills for the future. Otherwise, this false confidence could lead to skills gaps continuing to increase, productivity continuing to stagnate, and businesses struggling to compete in the global market.”
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