The Future of Work Is Now: Key Trends Shaping Tomorrow’s Workforce

The future of work isn’t just a vague concept or something to worry about “down the line”. According to ICMS MBA lecturer Jolanda Rotteveel, “The future of work is not future. It’s actually now.”

This powerful statement, shared during her keynote address at the ICMS Faculty Forum in May, sets the stage for a deeper exploration of the trends reshaping industries, communities, and how we prepare students for the workforce of tomorrow.

Jolanda’s talk, titledThe Future of Work: Transforming Industry and Communities through Industry Focused Higher Education, outlined not just what’s changing, but also how educators at ICMS can better support students to face these transformations head-on.

Where We Work Has Changed Forever

The ‘where’ of work may seem straightforward, but Jolanda highlighted how the shift to hybrid and remote models has completely rewritten this narrative.

“You’re not going to your office to go to work. You’re now going into an office to work with people,” she explained.

Offices are no longer just spaces for head-down tasks. Instead, they’re central hubs for collaboration, creativity, and teamwork.

But the ‘where’ goes far beyond office versus home.

Jolanda pointed out the growing popularity of working abroad as a “digital nomad” in over 50 countries. Many nations now invite professionals to work remotely while enjoying exotic locations, with simpler visa requirements focused on proof of income.

This flexibility has created exciting opportunities for geographical mobility, an attractive prospect for younger generations seeking both adventure and professional growth.

Flexibility in the ‘when’ of Work

The traditional nine-to-five workday? It’s outdated.

“When are people most productive?” Jolanda questioned, urging educators and organisations alike to reimagine rigid schedules.

Workforce flexibility takes many forms, from asynchronous workflows to experiments with four-day workweeks.

Jolanda shared the impressive results of four-day workweek pilots in the UK and Australia.

Pilot companies report sustained productivity by working smarter and rethinking work practices like meetings, while employees enjoy what they call “the gift of the fifth” day.

Whether it’s using that extra time for family, recharging, or studies, this kind of flexibility could be a game-changer for work-life balance.

And while trends like flexible scheduling sound great for employees, they also serve a business need.

By giving workers more autonomy over their schedules, companies unlock higher engagement and productivity, better retention, and, ultimately, stronger results.

Evolving Jobs and Skills

The ‘what’ of work is another critical piece of the puzzle: what work needs to be done, and which tasks and skills are required to get that work done?

Many of the jobs today’s students will step into don’t even exist yet.

Jolanda highlighted fascinating emerging roles, such as drone traffic controllers and AI human collaboration specialists. These examples paint an exciting, but also daunting, picture.

AI continues to reshape tasks once thought to require a human touch.

“Organisations are really trying to think about work design: which tasks and process steps can be automated and augmented and which tasks will need to be done by humans / are innately human?” Jolanda noted.

This shift moves focus away from job descriptions to a more agile work design and using data on talent, skills and tasks to match who does what work.

And AI isn’t just a passive tool; it’s becoming an active teammate in many workplaces. HR departments, for instance, will soon manage teams that combine humans and digital workers.

However, this advancement creates a gap.

Research shows nearly 40% of the skills we rely on today will be transformed or obsolete by 2030 (WEF Future of Jobs Report, 2025) and 59% of workers will need reskilling.

Some need training to stay relevant in their roles, while others need retraining entirely for new positions. Jolanda drives this point home, stressing the importance of future-proofing skills now to stay ahead of job displacement caused by automation.

The Growing Demand for Lifelong Learning

Education will play a pivotal role in helping students and workers thrive in this shifting landscape.

Jolanda reminded us that, “In the workforce of the future, learning isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s essential.”

Organisations no longer view training as an occasional perk; instead, they integrate it as part of day-to-day operations.

This push for continuous skill development challenges traditional ideas about education. When Jolanda asks students to reflect on what they’ve learned, she goes beyond subject knowledge.

The focus shifts to building curiosity, resilience, and problem-solving skills. These qualities, often dismissed as “soft skills”, Jolanda reframes as “power skills” critical to navigating complex, uncharted workplaces.

For educators and students alike, this means preparing not just for a first job but also for a lifetime of learning and adapting.

How Education Can Shape the Workforce of Tomorrow

At ICMS, the connection between education and industry has always been strong, but Jolanda’s keynote emphasised the urgency of keeping that relationship dynamic.

She highlighted ways for lecturers and educators to bolster their approach:

• Focus on critical thinking and creativity skills and enable students for lifelong learning. These are among the fastest-growing needs in the job market and transcend industries.
• Encourage teamwork with diverse perspectives. Many classrooms already include students from multiple countries and backgrounds. Lecturers can build on this diversity by promoting leadership, communication, and cultural agility.
• Regularly update course content. With jobs and skills evolving so quickly, Jolanda stressed that course material that was cutting-edge a couple of years ago may already be outdated today.
• Leverage practical learning. Real-world projects, internships, and mentoring opportunities are central to ICMS’ industry-focused ethos. These experiences don’t just teach students what to think, but how to apply it.

Looking Ahead

The trends Jolanda outlined paint an exciting, yet complex picture of the future.

Work is more flexible, global, and AI-driven than ever before. But this also means workers – not to mention educators and institutions – must stay adaptable.

Ironically, despite all the talk of future work, everything Jolanda spoke about is fully present.

“The future of work is happening as we speak,” she said. To thrive in this present-future, education must evolve to not just match the pace of change but to lead students toward opportunities we cannot yet imagine.

By focusing on adaptability, creativity, and a willingness to learn, ICMS and its community are poised to ensure students are ready for whatever comes next.

After all, the future belongs to those who are prepared to meet it.

• Jolanda Rotteveel is a lecturer at ICMS (for MBA courses) and Director of House of Change. She was recently recognised as a Fellow of the Australian Human Resources Institute.