Webinar Free

Where Matters: the role of place in the future of work

2pm – 3pm 9 November 2023 Online

Jake Wall

Policy Manager, Skills and Future of Work, techUK

Jake has been the Policy Manager for Skills and Future of Work since May 2022, supporting techUK's work to empower the UK to skill, attract and retain the brightest global talent, and prepare for the digital transformations of the future workplace.

Previously, Jake was the Programme Assistant for Policy. He joined techUK in March 2019 and has also worked across the EU Exit, International Trade, and Cloud, Data Analytics and AI programmes.

He also holds an MA in International Relations from the University of Sussex, as well as a BA(Hons) in International Politics from Aberystwyth University. During his time at Aberystwyth University, he won the International Politics Dissertation Prize.

Email:: [email protected]
Twitter:: @jww_tech,@jww_tech
Website:: www.techuk.org,https://www.techuk.org
LinkedIn:: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jwwuk,https://www.linkedin.com/in/jwwuk

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Nimmi Patel

Head of Skills, Talent and Diversity, techUK

Nimmi Patel is the Head of Skills, Talent and Diversity at techUK. She works on all things skills, education, and future of work policy, focusing on upskilling and retraining. Nimmi is also an Advisory Board member of Digital Futures at Work Research Centre (digit). The Centre research aims to increase understanding of how digital technologies are changing work and the implications for employers, workers, job seekers and governments.

Prior to joining the techUK team, she worked for the UK Labour Party and New Zealand Labour Party, and holds an MA in Strategic Communications at King’s College London and BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from the University of Manchester. She is currently taking part in the 2024-25 University of Bath Institute for Policy Research Policy Fellowship Programme.

Email:: [email protected]
Phone:: 07805744520
Twitter:: @nimmiptl
Website:: www.techuk.org
LinkedIn:: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nimmi-patel1/

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Future of Work

The future of work is changing. Technology is powering a growth in flexible work across the economy, whilst emerging technologies such as robotics and AI are set to become common place. techUK believes the UK must consider the implications of digital transformation in the world of work now, equipping people and businesses across the country with the skills and conditions needed to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the 4IR.

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In this event, as part of techUK's Exploring the Future of Work series, we will be joined by speakers from across the tech and policy landscape to discuss the future of work through the lens of 'place'.

The relationship between work and place remains a key consideration as technology transforms the world of work. Technologies like AI are changing jobs across the country, and innovations in hybrid and flexible work already have.

But the impact of tech transformation in businesses of different sizes, from different sectors, and in different places will vary depending on a number of factors. These include the specific needs of these businesses, but also key place-based factors. To realise the full potential of tech-powered innovations, strong digital foundations must be the backbone of every region of the UK.

The widespread adoption of flexible work has the potential to catalyse local economies. Hybrid and remote work arrangements can generate local employment opportunities and activity, and flexible work can play a pivotal role in addressing workforce entry barriers and reintegration. This can, in turn, address skill shortages, bolster social mobility, and enhance workplace diversity.

In their report, the Hybrid Work Commission recognise many of these benefits, finding that hybrid working is worth £13.5bn to UK hybrid employees annually. Businesses save between £6.9bn and £10.3bn annually across the UK due to improved retention from hybrid working through recruitment costs alone. The Commission set out several recommendations for businesses and government to capitalise on this type of work.

But for places across the UK, adapting to tech-powered change extends beyond the realm of just flexible work. Tech can not only support the effective implementation of flexible work arrangements and the management of a dynamic workforce, but also support sustainable growth for entire regions.

Recent research by the Institute for the Future of Work emphasises the importance of enabling regional innovation-readiness factors, alongside good human resource management, for driving high quality jobs and good work in the age of automation and AI.

However, techUK’s Local Digital Index 2023 shows that some regions are better placed to reap the benefits of new technology than others, and building robust digital ecosystems in every part of the UK will be imperative as technology like AI becomes a central component of work in all sectors of the economy.

Enabling every business to adopt new technologies, including technology that enables flexible work and boosts productivity like AI, will be essential to equip them with the tools they need to remain competitive and appealing as digital transformations take hold. And ensuring that businesses across the UK’s nations and regions can harness the potential of these technologies will be contingent on having the right enabling factors in place, such as access to good digital infrastructure and skills provision.

This session will explore how we can ensure that new innovations in work and workplace technology empower local economies and communities across the whole of the UK.

Panellists will discuss how strong local digital ecosystems impact jobs and work, the importance of good digital foundations for the economic development of every region, and what the UK can do to create and maintain high quality digital jobs across the country.