Future of Work

Massive shifts in technology, employment models, workplace trends, and employee preferences are changing the nature of work

OXFORD ECONOMICS HAS A GROWING RESEARCH PRACTICE FOCUSING ON THE FUTURE OF WORK

Our studies have included programs about the changing nature of work in the digital era, the redefinition of employment and the management of the non-payroll workforce, and the evolving workplace and its impact on productivity and wellness.

These projects have examined the future of work as it is shaped by powerful forces like technology, demographics, and globalization, and considered the impact of critical factors such as leadership and skills development. We continue to develop ideas for future programs in this area, with approaches ranging from better ways of training for the AI era to the geography of talent, the return of trades, and the meaning of work.

Examples of our future of work research include:

Return on Culture: Proving the connection between culture and profit

Assigning a measurable value to something as intangible and fluid as organizational culture — defined here as the often-unspoken rules that guide the behavior of leaders and employees alike — is a challenge for even the best-managed companies.

To address this quantification gap, Oxford Economics worked with Grant Thornton to create an economic model that tracks how particular aspects of culture map to key performance indicators. This work was based upon a cross-industry survey of 500 executives and 500 employees in the United States.

Learn which cultural attributes are most related to business performance

External Workforce Insights 2018: The forces reshaping how work gets done

The number of external workers in today's world is growing, and businesses must adjust talent strategies to capture value from this section of the workforce.

In early 2018, Oxford Economics completed a survey of 800 senior executives in procurement, human resources/talent management, information technology, and finance at enterprises with revenues greater than $500 million (more than half greater than $5 billion). One-third of the respondents are C-suite executives. The research shows that the external workforce makes up a growing share of a business's total workforce, yet this group is drastically undermanaged.

Read about strategies for managing non-payroll workers

Workforce 2020: Building a strategic workforce for the future

Preparing for the 2020 workforce is critical to business strategy, growth, and performance. To understand the challenges and opportunities, Oxford Economics and SAP surveyed over 2,700 executives and more than 2,700 employees in 27 countries during the second quarter of 2014.

Based on survey responses, we found that many companies lack the structure, strategy, culture, solutions and resources to manage employees effectively. In order to succeed, a number of factors need to be addressed, including the role and relevance of people strategy; changing demographics and evolving definitions of work; leadership ability and cultivation; employee wants and needs; and talent development.

See our Workforce 2020 study

Leaders 2020: The next-generation executive: How strong leadership pays off in the digital economy

Strong leadership pays dividends in the digital economy, where continuous innovation, rapid decision making, and a global mindset are essential to success.

Oxford Economics surveyed more than 4,100 executives and employees, around the world and from diverse industries, during the second quarter of 2016.

We found that companies that get digital leadership right perform better in the marketplace and have happier, more engaged employees.

See our Leaders 2020 study

When the walls come down: How smart companies are rewriting the rules of the open workplace

Open-plan offices are meant to encourage collaboration and contribute to a collegial workplace culture, but they also come with serious drawbacks like noise and distraction.

Oxford Economics conducted a survey of more than 600 executives and 600 employees to better understand what works for employees—and what doesn’t—about open-plan layouts, and to test for disconnects between workers and their managers. The results show that threats to productivity and worker peace of mind are bigger issues than most executives realize, and most do not have the technology or strategies in place to deal with the problems.

Understand the promises and pain points of open-plan offices

Building the Digital Workplace: What comes next in the mobile revolution

Oxford Economics worked with Citrix to survey 600 business and IT executives around the world and across industries to measure their progress toward digital work.

We found that big changes are happening—but much work remains to be done. This report includes findings from our survey of 600 business and IT executives as well as real-world commentary from five senior leaders.

Read about how mobility is reshaping work

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