The path to prosperity: Why the future of work is human

The future of work is human. This inspiring insight follows Deloitte Access Economics’ analysis of changes to the nature of skills in demand since 1988, and extrapolations to 2030. From work of the hands (manual labour), to work of the head (cognitive labour), Deloitte Access Economics has identified an emerging need for work of the heart (i.e. soft skills such as judgement, resolving conflict and customer service). Indeed, as robotics and artificial intelligence change the nature of work, augmenting both work of the hands and work of the head (e.g. completing excel spreadsheets and making calculations), humans will increasingly need to attend to non-routine work of the head (i.e. generating insights) and work of the heart (i.e. collaborating with diverse teams to make complex decisions). Historically, schools, universities and workplaces have mainly focused on developing and rewarding technical skills (e.g. data analysis). Therefore, the supply for soft skills is being outstripped by the growing demand. Using Australia as a sample of our research, the key message from The path to prosperity: Why the future of work is human is that investment in more skilled, happier and more engaged people is of material benefit to economic growth and will add $36B to the Australian economy each year.