The future of work what does it mean for London

The way we work is changing rapidly and profoundly.

Significant advances and developments in technology, computing power, Internet platforms and social media are altering how we engage with the labour market, create value in products and services, identify and secure consumption opportunities and engage in learning.

Overlaying this with new developments in robotics, automation, material and human sciences, as well as machine learning and artificial intelligence – altogether creates tremendous pressure on workers to become ever more flexible and adaptable.

These critical trends raise important questions for London’s continued economic growth. In the face of a rising population which is also ageing, alongside an infrastructure platform that is become increasingly pressurised, how do individual workers and the labour force more generally learn to adapt? If adaptation is slow or constrained, how might this affect London’s overall competitive position? What forms of support from both government and private sector would help? In particular, what does this mean for communities in London already distanced from the labour market? How do young people in particular enter the labour force when many entry level jobs may simply disappear? What do these processes mean for the way we use business space?

Is it really possible to upgrade skills and aptitudes quickly enough to readily adapt to these changes? And while some jobs become obsolete through automation, will there be sufficient alternative employment opportunities elsewhere to make up the deficit?

The event will explore these topics and will comprise a chaired, panel-type discussion consisting of a group of selected experts who have interesting views on the subject.

Panel speakers:

1. Matt Leach – CEO HACT (Housing Associations’ Charitable Trust)

2. Richard Fagg – Deputy Managing Director, Bouygues Development

3. Lord Lucas – Creator of the Good Careers Guide

4. Meagan Crawford – Economist, Future Cities Catapult

5. Savvas Sivitidis – Adviser, Cross River Partnership

6. Jessica Bland – Technology Futures: Research Analyst, NESTA

7. Gregory Epps – CEO, Robots.IO

Moderated by Jim Coleman, Head of Economics, Buro Happold

The Future of Work is an event organized by Buro Happold in cooperation with the London branch of the Institute of Economic Development (IED) and Future Cities Catapult. The event will take place at the Urban Innovation Centre (UIC).