Work Trends – 2023 and Beyond
Cambodia is not immune from global trends. In fact, as a fast-developing economy, we are often at the cutting edge of trends as the impact of technology is felt quickly in a country with 7% growth and a young population all open to innovation.
We can see a few main trends for the future of work:
- Hybrid working. The pandemic accelerated the shift to remote work, and many people experienced and enjoyed remote work. Many ‘knowledge workers’ are now looking for hybrid arrangements that allow them to work from home some days and from the office on other days. This trend will probably be with us for a while as it offers benefits for both employees and employers.
- Automation. Technology now allows for automation to do more and more tasks that were once done by humans. This will lead to job losses in some sectors, but it will also create new jobs in other sectors, such as those related to the development and maintenance of automation technology.
- The rise of the gig economy. The gig economy is characterized by short-term, contract-based work. Today we see this trend has impacted IT in Cambodia – many good IT professionals have discovered that by taking on projects, rather than taking a job, they have more flexibility and control over their work. However, it also comes with some risks, such as a lack of job security and benefits. We also see that many gig economy jobs are actually only ‘side-hustles’.
- The need for lifelong learning. Change in the workplace is a constant, and this means that workers need to constantly learn new skills to stay ahead of the curve. Employers need to invest in training and development programs to help their employees regularly upskill and reskill.
These are just some of the trends that are shaping the future of work in Cambodia. We all need to be aware of these trends so we can adapt and prepare for the changes that are coming.