The latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) analysis shows that around 1.5 million jobs in England could be impacted by technology, with some of their duties and tasks being automated in the future.

Technology is already transforming many industries, with changes to hiring, training and much more. In this article, experts at The Access Group look at the opportunities this presents, and how SMEs may need to adapt to the changes being brought about by technology.

From driverless cars to chatbots and artificial intelligence, there’s no shortage of emerging technologies which are changing the way businesses operate. It is predicted that organisations will need to become more efficient than ever, and all professionals need to be aware of the importance of understanding and responding to the rise of automation.

Automation improves productivity and enables companies to remain or become competitive. It enables new business models focused on providing new products to be more efficient and also helps companies improve the flexibility of supplying those goods and services.

Many economists agree that increased productivity is key to improving Gross Domestic Product, the value of goods, and in turn, jobs and wages.

Technology is everywhere; people apply for jobs on their smartphones whilst getting the bus to work, use computers daily, and with the rise of remote working, collaboration video tools have grown.

The move to the Cloud, or Software as a Service (SaaS) products has been a big influence and change, not because the functionality is much better, but because it has forced businesses to become more efficient by allowing many elements to come together in one place.

Organisations and SMEs who have moved to the cloud do see a reduction in transactional work and benefit from streamlined day-to-day processes, and it allows more time for strategic activities and core tasks.

Automation and new technology are changing the very nature of many jobs. The good news is that new jobs will create more opportunities for people to try something new or develop their skills.

This past summer, a study published by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) suggested that by 2037, widespread adoption of AI could generate more jobs in the UK than it displaces.

But every workforce needs to be more agile, and there will be an emphasis on companies to recruit and develop workforces with high levels of learning agility. Invest in people management skills, as this won’t be replaced.

As long as there are people in the workplace, there will need to be other people there to recruit and manage them. Negotiation is also a skill that cannot be automated. Ask what skills will be useful in the future and make these integral to your business.

Everyone needs to keep up to date with the latest trends. To make sure automation makes you irreplaceable, you’ll need to plan ahead and be proactive on both a professional and business level. Upskill in areas that cannot be done by technology and stay ahead of the game.

With technology continually enhancing, a lot of people are feeling uncertain about the security of their jobs. Input your job on our automation tool, and find out the percentage and likelihood of your current job becoming automated.

How should you be preparing and developing your skill-set now, to meet the workplace needs of the future?