If the past five years have felt like a blur, you’re not imagining it. As futurist Dr Ben Hamer shared at Deel’s recent Down Under event, the pace of change we’re living through is unlike anything in history. He predicts that in the next decade, we’ll experience more transformation than humanity saw in the past hundred years.

No wonder 68% of Australians already say they feel overwhelmed, and that’s before we factor in the 360% projected growth in AI over the next ten years.

The message was clear: the future isn’t coming. It’s already here.

AI is no longer the sidekick, it’s a co-worker

AI literacy, Dr Hamer argued, will soon be the defining skill separating those who thrive from those who struggle. It’s not about knowing how to prompt a chatbot; it’s about knowing how to use AI ethically, responsibly, and strategically.

One headline-grabbing example came from China, where a gaming company, NetDragon Websoft, appointed an AI program as CEO and then continued to outperform its human-led competitors. The result isn’t just a curiosity; it’s a signal of what’s next.

Technology has moved beyond support roles. It’s now a colleague, a collaborator, even a decision-maker.

For business and HR leaders, that shift demands a rethink: how do you build, lead, and enable teams when technology itself is part of the workforce?

‍

Education, ethics, and the missing middle

While AI has already made global collaboration frictionless — from real-time translation earbuds to cross-border teamwork — our education systems haven’t caught up.

Few people are being taught not just how to use these tools, but how to question them. Critical thinking, digital ethics, and contextual judgment will define the leaders of tomorrow.

For organisations, that raises another challenge: how to reskill at scale, without losing sight of the human skills that can’t be automated, like empathy, curiosity, and adaptability.

‍

Leadership is the new retention strategy

The biggest workplace shift, Dr Hamer said, isn’t remote technology. It’s leadership.

When asked what matters most at work, employees still prioritise pay and benefits first, but “working for a good leader” came second, ranking above flexibility or development opportunities.

That finding shouldn’t be underestimated. Investment in leadership capability now has a greater impact on retention than any other single factor.

Smart organisations are taking this seriously, pairing leadership development with flexible Employee Value Propositions (EVPs) that evolve with life stage. Because what a 22-year-old values rarely mirrors what matters to a 55-year-old and the best leaders know how to navigate both.

For companies navigating transformation, this is where external workforce partners can add real value: helping design leadership and EVP strategies that align people, capability and purpose.

Demographic change will redefine the workforce

Australia’s fertility rate sits at 1.5 births, well below the 2.1 replacement rate, meaning immigration will be essential to sustain economic growth. Roughly 31% of Australians were born overseas, and that share is expected to rise, particularly through migration from India, the Philippines and Indonesia.

At the same time, people are working longer. Better health, flexible work and the rising cost of living are extending careers. Many Baby Boomers are redefining retirement altogether, valuing travel and purpose over traditional inheritance.

The future workforce will therefore be older, more diverse, and more global than ever. That’s an opportunity, not a constraint, but it will require different approaches to talent management, mobility, and inclusive policy design.

Change isn’t on the horizon, it’s here

As Dr Hamer put it, change is no longer something we’re waiting for. It’s already happening in how we work, lead, hire, and live.

For organisations, the challenge is no longer to predict what’s next, but to build the capability and confidence to adapt in real time.

That might mean rethinking your workforce strategy, leadership development, or talent model. Or simply starting a conversation about what readiness looks like in your business.

Because the future of work isn’t arriving tomorrow. It started yesterday.

‍

If your business is navigating this change, we’re happy to chat.

‍

‍