In a world of hyper‐connectivity in the future, we are looking at a generation that, compared to today, will be seen as super humans (Prediction No.3). It won’t surprise you that technology is a main driver of this. Today we have multiple devices, each with its own screen. In the future, screens will be separate from devices and will be virtual‐‐projectable, not size limited.
The current trend of companies and brands beginning to provide ongoing streams of editorial quality content – targeted and delivered straight to the individual, based on their individual needs and desires – will only continue.
With the personal screen of the future, various public and private content providers will be linked to a micro‐projector that can give you an image on your sunglasses, on the seat back in front of you on a train or plane, or on a size adjustable portable surface that may roll up to the size of a pencil or fold out like a handkerchief.
This technological future is simply awesome, but while I predict that in ten years time, we will not become machines, people will become increasingly more mechanised. And while these super humans are so well equipped technologically, they will as a consequence, happily make use of the full mobility this provides while they seek out their profession.
As we all become more networked, and are enabled to work from the place of our own choosing, talent can be found anywhere and everywhere. Organisations will need to organize towards that talent, as talent won’t voluntarily announce itself anymore. Companies will need to find ways to attract inspire and retain professionals that can work anywhere and anyhow they want. The new generation of workers, let’s call them digital natives, who have grown up with, or should I say within the Internet, begin to flood the workplace. They have new and different expectations, as well as new capacities to serve as change agents. We’d better embrace them and relinquish some degree of control to them, because in ways unbeknownst to us today, they will contribute value to the bottom line by the end of this decade. I was reminded recently that when Saatchi & Saatchi was at its zenith, its 1,000 staff in London had an average age of less than 25.
What is also characteristic of this new generation, with all its technology and mobility, is its search for meaning. And this brings me to my next prediction for today. (Prediction No.4)
I attended a small event in Oxford recently, organised by the newly formed Communications Circle ‐ a group of mainly in‐house corporate communications professionals with a modest number of agency people also invited to participate. Out of a range of challenging presentations by different experts, I was fascinated by one which stated: "GOD IS BACK ‐ HOW THE GLOBAL REVIVAL OF FAITH IS CHANGING THE WORLD ". It was given by Adrian Woolridge of the Economist who argues that religion is getting stronger rather than weaker. He cites China and Russia, where religious revivals are taking place. He talked about Latin America where there is a dramatic surge in evangelical groups.
Religion is growing throughout Africa and in Europe it is increasing too, largely because of immigration. Woolridge went on to argue that religion is also associated with modernity. In other countries many are emulating the Christian American model whereby both the more educated and the business elite embrace religion.
For many of us living in Europe, we have witnessed a decline in the importance of religion. The argument now is that this will change, and change radically, by the time 2020 comes along. As young people increasingly look for greater meaning in their lives, companies will need to be more sensitive to religions in terms of the over‐commercialisation of their products. That presents new territory to many consumer package goods manufacturers and retailers, who will need to adapt. Similarly, the demand for sharia‐compliant finance will continue to grow. As religions such as Islam have a greater voice in Europe, traditionally Christian countries will become more aware of their distinct culture and values and will seek to articulate these and promote a sense of Christian identity as a result.
There is also the fact that religious people tend to have more children. In Israel, for example, they are witnessing quite dramatic changes in their demographics. Hasidic Jews who only recently made up 8% of the population now account for 20% as many of them are having eight, nine and sometimes up to 10 children in a family. So I am going to take a leap of faith and say that religion is a factor that we will have to consider much more than we do today in the next decade.
The term “public relations” will continue to decline. According to the 2011 European Communications Monitor, 42% say that the term is discredited (Prediction No.5).
