This report by Deloitte explores why the future of work is still human in Australia, noting that Australia has the opportunity to make better choices about work, their workers and their workplaces to pave the path to prosperity for all.
Australia has retained 27 years and counting of continuous economic growth, even though a period of global economic volatility. As a result, Australis benefits from higher living standards (third highest globally, according to the Human Development Index).
But looking forward the future economic standing is not guaranteed. Improvements in future living standards rely on continued gains in productivity, and that means fostering creativity and innovation in the workplace. A big part of Australia’s productivity story will be about people. Yet there is a lot of anxiety about the future of work and the rise of robotic process automation (RPA). Nonetheless, there should be no fear as technology is not a sunstatitue for people. Instead, it has the potential to make workforces more productive. Ultimately, it’s about augmentation, rather than automation or replacement. While jobs are changing in nature because of automation, they will not disappear altogether.
How Australia structures the future of work will say a lot about their society, and the decisions made now will be a key driver of their economic success. If better choices are made about work, workers, and workplaces it could amount to a $36 billion annual boost to economic welfare.