It is no secret that the world of work is changing. These changes come with this new millennium: the increasing competitiveness of other countries; outsourcing of operations; generational shifts in the workplace, and the rate of technological change.

Predictions from Gartner Inc. (a technology research and advisory firm) are that organizations will face 10 key changes moving forward.

The first five changes that Gartner predicts are as follows:

1. Work will become less routine.
2. Employees will work more in teams–many of an ad hoc nature.  Individual work will decrease.
3. Work relationships will include more “weak links” where individuals who barely know each other will have to work together.
4. Informal groups of people outside the direct control of a company will impact its success or failure. Social media groups are one example of this change.
5. Work processes will become highly informal with a light-handed approach to collecting information becoming the norm.

These changes are significant.  Old business models and outdated management and leadership practices do not fit this new reality.  Organizations will need managers and employees with change management, innovation, communication, and strategic thinking skills.  People skills are of course essential for everyone in the business enterprise as informal and ad hoc collaboration becomes the norm.

Here’s part two of the 10 Key Ways That The Nature of Work is Changing.