Pictured Above: I am not a robot?

Click here for Part 1: Introduction
Click here for Part 2: Going Remote
Click here for Part 3: The Four-Day Workweek

If you’re anything like me (and I really hope you’re not, for your sake), then you’ve spent an absurd amount of time reading articles, Tweets and LinkedIn posts that forewarn, and I’m paraphrasing here, “you should really be concerned that your job might get automated maybe someday soon.”

Wonderful!

I’ve since come to recognize that there’s an element of click-baiting at play here. Some may even go so far as to use the term fearmongering. Could it happen to you? I mean, sure, but let’s dive into this a little deeper.

The reality is that technology and automation will take the place of human beings in certain workplace settings and that’s actually a good thing. In fact, it’s already happening and, in case you didn’t notice, it’s been happening for quite a while.

Consider farming. In 1840 there was about a 70% chance you’d be working in agriculture. Today, that number is 1.3%. This is largely due to advancements in technology and honestly, we’re better off as a society for it. Most of us are now free to pursue work that better suits our interests and provides value to society in other meaningful ways. That might mean conducting medical research, pursuing more sustainable energy solutions or becoming famous on Tik Tok. You do you.

Automation Reduces Danger, Boredom

Modern-day robotics and software programs have been designed to “relieve” humans of many of the dangerous or monotonous jobs of yesteryear. We now rely on robots for a variety of welding jobs (the fumes and materials are carcinogenic), assessing the situation at burning buildings and cleaning up nuclear disaster zones, to showcase a few examples. Meanwhile, software automation is taking over certain historically tedious office tasks like data entry or generating routine reports. Both of these developments are largely positive in the sense that, over time, they allow us to live longer and more fulfilling lives.

In 1930 economist John Maynard Keynes predicted that we’d eventually be working 15 hours a week thanks to advancements in technology. Well, we’re still not even sure what to think about 32-hour weeks. Perhaps he was thinking beyond just one century out? To this point, while modern-day technological improvements could theoretically have been parlayed into shorter workweeks, the prevailing cultural and political ideologies have largely prevented that from happening.

It’s also worth pointing out that just because something can technically be automated, doesn’t necessarily mean that the result will be optimal (or even in the ballpark for that matter). Remember, you are delegating work to a machine after all. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is steadily improving, but this is how we end up with healthcare chatbots telling people to kill themselves or facial recognition software misidentifying innocent people as criminals. Much progress has been made, but there’s plenty of opportunity for further improvement.

Evolving Alongside Technology

Automation is far more likely to alter jobs than straight-up eliminate them. At least that’s how this has worked historically. Accountants used to work in physical ledger books and with paper spreadsheets. Now, 6000 formulas and macros later, they perform most of their duties in Excel and an assortment of other software programs. It’s worth emphasizing that they haven’t disappeared from society. If anything, there are more of them now than ever and they’re performing far more effectively than their predecessors. The accounting profession has been altered (i.e., enhanced) by software, but not eradicated.  

An interesting example of this in action is Robinhood’s April 2022 layoffs. (Not to be confused with the August 2022 layoffs, mind you. This is what happens when you write something, leave it for a few months, and then the speed of the modern world happens…) In their (April) announcement, CEO Vlad Tenev mentioned the need to prioritize “opportunities for automation and operational efficiency.” During the bull market run of the pandemic, they added too many people and not enough systems. Modern companies require a healthy mix of both.

That Robinhood situation is the first time I can recall seeing the word “automation” in a layoff announcement. To me this demonstrates that it’s no longer an unspeakable boogeyman in our culture, but rather an increasingly understood reality of our modern economy.

There also happens to be a lot of relatively powerful people highly incentivized to keep the masses employed. Elevated unemployment rates are usually bad news for an incumbent politician. And even wealth-hoarding billionaire CEOs will have noticed that their customers need money to continue purchasing their goods and services. To summarize, society typically functions better when a majority of its (working age) members are gainfully employed.

The Future is Bright (for most)

To be clear, your job is probably safe from the likes of software or robots for the foreseeable future. If that vague statement did little to reassure you, then maybe this will. The World Economic Forum estimates that by 2025 technology will create at least 12 million more jobs than it displaces. But there is a catch. Those who possess the skills (or motivation to learn them) to install, maintain or utilize these new technologies will have the inside track on the better jobs of our future.

Remaining (or becoming) tech-savvy, continually developing your abilities and, when all else fails, practicing resilience will empower you to endure whatever innovations the world throws your way. To some degree, you should be hitching your wagon to projects involving new technologies, not shying away from them. As counterintuitive as it sounds, you want to be involved in implementing a solution that could one day make your current job obsolete. You might just create your next job in the process.

Let’s call a spade a spade though. Anyone currently getting by on outdated skills and/or minimal effort is in some degree of trouble. (I feel safe saying this now because there’s no way those types will get this far down the article.) Jobs that are relatively predictable but still command a decent salary are the ones at risk. These “mid-skill” jobs require a certain combination of training and stamina, therefore justifying higher wages. However, this also means they’re more likely to justify the cost of automating them.

Final Thoughts

My advice? Get comfortable picking up new skills on a regular basis. I’m currently working with my fifth company (classic Millennial) since receiving my undergraduate degree. While I never intended to be a “job hopper,” I’m honestly pretty happy with how things have worked out.

My first job taught me how to be a working professional. The second job introduced me to the up-and-coming Toronto tech scene. In my third job, I was tasked with managing someone for the first time. Job number four involved overseeing a seven-figure eCommerce operation. My fifth (and current) job now allows me to contribute to decision-making at the executive level. At each and every stop I met amazing people, learned new skills and had to adapt to a new working environment.

All of that being said, by no means am I suggesting that the only solution here is to frequently change jobs. Take a course, join a task force or volunteer for something you’ve never done before. Those who keep learning, remain open to new experiences and have “weathered a few storms” will thrive in tomorrow’s economy.