INSIDE STORY:  The Future of Work – What’s in store

In the ever-evolving landscape of work, the future appears both promising and daunting. Technological advancements, demographic shifts, and global challenges are reshaping how, where, and why we work. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote work, with virtual collaboration tools continuing to advance, facilitating communication and productivity across geographies. 

Automation and AI are transforming industries, augmenting human capabilities, and reshaping job roles. While some routine tasks may be automated, new opportunities will emerge in areas requiring creativity, emotional intelligence, and problem-solving skills.  

The boundary between work and personal life will continue to blur as remote work becomes prevalent. Achieving a healthy work-life balance will require intentional effort from both employees and employers. Flexible work schedules, mental health support, and policies promoting well-being will be crucial in fostering a sustainable work culture. 

In our digital campaign ‘Future of Work: People, Culture, Tech’ – we delve deeper into the issues above and get insights from thought leaders from CIPD, Mental Health UK, the Institute for the Future of Work and the Scale Up Institute, as well as companies including Gallop, Matrix, TLT and Vistage.  

It’s been four years now since the world locked down and logged in from home, and it’s shaken up the way we work — the 9-5, and the daily commute are no longer the norm for many of us.  But it comes with challenges; while remote working can help people with caring responsibilities, we ask, is it also a case of out of sight, out of mind when it comes to work progression? 

It has also been a time of uncertainty with geopolitical challenges.  Pandemic aside, with Brexit and global conflict, businesses face a challenging economic environment which they need to navigate.  And of course there is the ever-present AI, with the threat that it is coming for our jobs. 

However, the future is still reassuringly human (for now), while AI will continue to take over some tasks and roles, the human touch is still important in the workplace.  And recruiting and retaining those humans is becoming a key focus for businesses.  Only a decade ago, ‘wellness in the workplace’ wasn’t discussed, and stigma around stress or burnout at work meant people were more reluctant to speak out.  This is changing and companies will need to address this, especially for the newest generation to enter the workforce. 

While there are many factors that contribute to developing a motivated and engaged workforce, having an effective internal communications strategy is critical. Delivered correctly, internal communications can inform, engage and inspire a colleague network to fulfil ambitions and overcome challenges.  It can encourage employees from all parts of the organisation to share ideas for continuous improvement and provides a platform for staff to learn from each other and celebrate success. 

“ITN Business has delivered multiple internal communications projects on behalf of clients to bring colleagues together and share common goals. Building on our expertise in live broadcast and as award-winning programme-makers, we apply our audience engagement expertise to produce content that creates more meaningful impact, ultimately making the content work harder and go further”, says Nina Harrison-Bell, Head of ITN Business. 

The ITN Business award-winning projects with Tesco in 2023 and 2021, were intended to mobilise and re-energise its 330,000 strong global workforce behind Tesco’s purpose and long-term plan; helping colleagues feel empowered and fully understand the role they play within the business.   Over an eight-week period, we filmed with 32 colleagues in 20 locations across five countries, setting out to lift the lid on the work happening across the business – in stores, distribution, head office, and across Tesco’s different markets.  

Our strategy was to show, not tell. Colleagues had heard about the purpose and priorities before; now, we harnessed the power of technology and TV-style production to show them in action, celebrate early gains and lift the curtain on future plans. The result was a fully interactive two-hour TV magazine style show, ‘Winning Together,’ combining live discussion with pre-record filming on location across the business and broadcast to all managers and all office colleagues across the Tesco group. 

ITN Business also partnered with Mental Health UK on a co-production and digital campaign ‘Play your Part’, that highlighted the importance of wellbeing in the workplace. Anchored by Dr Sian Williams, the campaign featured case studies from organisations that are putting employee wellbeing at the forefront of their business, and through human-led storytelling, amplified the voices of the people at the heart of these initiatives. The content featured organisations such as HSBC, the Walt Disney Company, Boots, Accenture, and Schroders — and secured many 100ks of views across social media and digital platforms. 

‘Menopause – Continuing the Conversation’ 

Our project, ‘Menopause – Continuing the Conversation’, delivered a live YouTube stream on World Menopause Day, hosted by Louise Minchin and featuring films produced for 15 businesses. The programme supported organisations in building trust with their internal audiences. 

If you would like to find out more about ITN Business and the services we can provide to enhance your internal communications strategy, please contact Nina Harrison-Bell, Head of ITN Business on nina.harrison-bell@itn.co.uk 

 Head to the ITN Business hub to explore our range of programmes and partner films amplifying human stories within the world of business.