The future of jobs, 2027: Working side by side with robots

There’s a lot of talk these days about the bleak future of employment: Claims that robots will steal all the jobs are commonplace. But the future of jobs isn’t nearly as gloomy as many prognosticators believe. In reality, automation will spur the growth of many new jobs, including some entirely new job categories. But the largest effect will be job transformation: Humans will find themselves working side by side with robots. Infrastructure and operations (I&O) leaders must make sure these technologies not only cut costs but also drive customer value. This report helps I&O leaders think about the future of the workplace and the workforce and offers guidance on how to plan your company’s strategy. This is an update of a previously published report; Forrester reviews and revises it periodically for continued relevance and accuracy. We’re now updating the underlying model with full-year 2015 employment data and adjusting our assumptions based on recent robot technology announcements, uptake, and changes to the regulatory climate.