10 Workforce of the future: The competing forces shaping 2030 Shaping our own destiny Megatrends provide the context for future worlds but they don’t dictate their shape or features at a specific point in time. How humans respond to the challenges and opportunities which the megatrends bring will determine the worlds in which the future of work plays out. Public sentiment, and its impact, is difficult to predict, affected by culture, history and many other local factors. As we’ve seen in recent years, public sentiment can radically affect the approach of a nation in the space of a single election or referendum. But there’s no doubt that governments and public sentiment will influence the forces underpinning each scenario. For this reason, we added some distinctly human dynamics into our scenario analysis: the ‘push and pull’ effect of collectivism versus individualism, and integration versus fragmentation. Collectivism versus individualism Will ‘me first’ prevail, or will societies work together through a sense of collective responsibility? What is the role of government in balancing a strong economy with the interests of its people? Regions and countries – and even cities – will inevitably take a different view on the level of state intervention needed. Integration versus fragmentation Will digital technology inevitably mark the end for large companies? Technology has allowed tiny businesses to tap into a vast reservoir of information, skills and financing that used to be available only to large organisations. Through the use of technology, small has become powerful. It’s also allowed large companies to drastically reduce their internal and external costs. Organisations can be more productive with fewer staff and can expand their operations (through contingent workers, for example) without having to invest significant amounts of capital. But once again, human agency plays its part. Government actions can incentivise or penalise larger businesses, or encourage small business and start ‑ ups. Corporate integration: Big business rules all. Companies get bigger and more influential – the biggest have more sway than some nations. Brands span many business areas. Individualism: Where ‘me first’ rules. A focus on individual wants; a response to the infinite choices available to consumers. Collectivism: Fairness and equality dominates. The common good prevails over personal preference, e.g. collective responsibility for the environment, social good and ‘fairness’ over individual interest. Business fragmentation: Small is powerful. Large businesses lose their dominance as customers seek relevance and organisations find scale a burden rather than a benefit. Social bubbles and affinity groups take on a new importance. Many could not exist without digital platforms.