Working world 4.0

What characterises the world of work 4.0?

Digitalisation is fundamentally changing the way we work: digital technologies - from emails and cloud applications to sensor-controlled production systems - are creating new work activities and structures and making working hours and locations increasingly flexible. As a result, vocational education and training processes can be optimally adapted to individual learning needs, for example via online courses. At the same time, more flexible working structures present employees with the challenge of constantly adapting to new applications and processes in lifelong learning processes.

Speaking and answering questions: companies from Baden-Württemberg on the world of work 4.0

To find out how companies in Baden-Württemberg view the future of work, the IHK Bodensee-Oberschwaben conducted interviews with companies in the region during the Baden-Württemberg Industry Week 2017. They provide an insight into how companies are tackling the changes in the world of work and what their future forecasts are. Four managing directors and CEOs of Baden-Württemberg companies from the manufacturing sector were interviewed.

All interviewees are positive about the future of work. Above all, they see digitalisation as an opportunity not only to eliminate jobs, but also to create new ones. On the one hand, digital assistance systems will relieve employees of repetitive routine tasks in the future. On the other hand, assistance systems will enable employees to handle even complex machines with ease. Human labour will remain important. The entrepreneurs also agree that industrial companies have a key role to play in the digitalisation of work. Although they assess the initial situation of SMEs in Germany differently, they are convinced that digital solutions can help to keep series production and value-added processes in Germany. The companies are adapting to the changes in the world of work 4.0 with different means - depending on the extent to which they are already digitalised. In one of the companies, employees are primarily motivated to achieve goals independently in order to make them fit for flexible, cross-location project management, while other companies are focusing more on the digitalisation of processes.

Conclusion

The companies show that SMEs in Baden-Württemberg primarily see opportunities for the future of work. In the world of work 4.0, employees will increasingly work in independent, flexible structures that give them more freedom - in terms of time, location and content. On the other hand, increasing flexibilisation also demands even more independent commitment, a constant willingness to learn and openness to new ideas.