Perhaps you think about automation and the job market and immediately imagine factories that have big machines that churn out hundreds of products per day. However, increasing automation alters many aspects of how companies do business and hire people. Consider these facets of automation as you think about how to land a great job in the future.
Study Results
A 2013 study conducted by the University of Oxford revealed as many as 47 percent of jobs face obsolescence due to increasing automation. Computers, software and efficiency tools may make routine tasks easier to accomplish. Therefore, rather than worrying about a computer replacing your job sometime in the future, adapt to the situation and learn some skills that can help you in today's highly competitive job market.
Software Skills
Companies may have to develop certain jobs, such as computer coders and programmers, to keep up with the demand in automation. As such, people who know how to code computers have an advantage over people who don't. Learn how to code, even at a basic level, to stand out from other candidates and increase your chance of having job security. Who knows? Even if automation doesn't impact your company, management may call on you to fix a buggy piece of software or improve the functionality of a remote sensor.
Increasing automation creates several transition points for firms. Better efficiency brings down costs, and lower costs bring prices down. Once prices drop, customers are more likely to invest in the company's products or services. Greater investments lead to more profits, and those profits can be used to invest in more customer service staff. Companies would also have more money to invest in more automation, which can help increase their bottom line.
Automation Creates Jobs
Consider the story of Bench, a bookkeeping firm in Vancouver, Canada. Due to increasing automation and more efficient software, Bench lowered the prices of a key piece of software. Suddenly, small businesses could afford Bench's product. Bench grew from four employees to 250 workers to handle the increased load. Human bookkeepers at Bench became more efficient at their jobs so they could handle more clients. Bench also hired more customer service staffers and support staff.
Protecting Yourself
The best way to protect yourself against replacement due to increasing automation is to find jobs that seem to be the safest in terms of needing a human touch. Automation probably can't replace nurses or doctors who help treat patients. Sales reps and marketing gurus are always in demand for making sales pitches to prospective clients.
Increasing automation doesn't mean your career is in jeopardy. Seek ways to adapt now, as technology advances very quickly, and companies have to keep up if they want to remain competitive.
Photo courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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