Neural implants, which link the human brain directly to external devices, are among the top emerging technology global workers expect to see in the workplace by 2050, according to new research by IWG.
The study, “IWG’s Work Reimagined: The Office of 2050”, summarises findings from global HR leaders and employees. It highlights how rapidly advancing technologies are set to transform the workplace over the next 25 years.
Both HR leaders and employees believe workplace technology will be unrecognisable by 2050 (68% and 72% respectively), as innovations such as neurotechnology – already developed by companies including Synchron and Elon Musk’s Neuralink – move closer to real-world application.
Intelligent systems are also expected to automate complex workflows, personalise environments and dramatically accelerate decision-making.
AI and immersive tech will reshape the way we work
Artificial intelligence (AI) will continue to transform the workplace.
Both HR leaders and employees believe AI and automation will reshape most office-based roles (71% and 73%). Around two-thirds think AI will determine the optimal location and timing for collaboration (64% of employees, rising to 69% of leaders).
AI-enhanced training is accelerating learning – whether in the classroom, at university or on the job – allowing young people to move up the learning curve far faster than previous generations.
AI is part of an exponential curve, creating efficiencies that free people to do what humans do best: thinking creatively, solve problems, and generate new ideas.
As a result, the pace of business is set to accelerate, with employees and HR leaders predicting that the speed of work will increase significantly in the coming decades (74% and 70% respectively).
Long commutes and the traditional 9-to-5 predicted to disappear
The research also highlights that working patterns will continue to undergo major change over the next 25 years. Nearly seven in 10 HR leaders and employees believe long daily commutes and the traditional 9-to-5 workday will no longer exist by 2050 (69% and 68%).
Instead, work will increasingly take place across a network of locations rather than a single central office. Almost seven in 10 HR leaders (70%) say work will happen across multiple locations, rising to three-quarters (75%) of employees.
Sixty-four percent of employees expect hybrid working to become the standard model – rising to 78% of HR leaders.
Both employees and HR leaders agree that strict return-to-office mandates will disappear by 2050 as organisations prioritise flexibility and employee autonomy (66% and 63%).
Smarter environments and human–technology integration
In addition to neurotechnology, immersive collaboration tools are expected to play a central role shaping future workplaces.
Virtual and augmented reality meeting rooms, which merge physical and remote workers, rank as the second most anticipated innovation. Nearly seven in 10 HR leaders and employees predict these technologies will replace many traditional office interactions, from desk-side conversations to in-person meetings, by 2050 (70% and 69%).
Workplaces will also become more responsive, intuitive and integrated with human needs according to employees.
Office environments are expected to automatically adapt lighting and conditions to each individual’s body clock (28%); systems that detect fatigue and prompt rest or recovery (30%); and fully interactive, cloud-connected workspaces where walls function as digital, touch-sensitive surfaces (24%).
The office of the future: flexible, human-centred and connected to nature
While technology will transform how work happens, future workspaces are expected to become more human-centred and wellbeing-focused.
Popular concepts for future workplaces include: family-friendly spaces including on-site childcare areas (23% of leaders and 30% of employees), as well as multi-purpose environments that adapt throughout the day for work, learning, socialising and rest (23% vs 30% respectively).
Many also envision offices designed around nature, incorporating living walls, indoor gardens and natural light zones to create healthier and more inspiring working environments for HR leaders and employees (22% versus 28%).
Work–life balance and flexibility will define the future workforce
Looking ahead, flexibility is expected to be a defining factor in attracting and retaining talent. Three-quarters of HR leaders and employees believe it will be critical for organisations in 2050, as employees place increasing value on work–life balance and wellbeing (both 75%).
If leading a business themselves, many said their priorities would include empowering employees to choose how and where they work, strengthening wellbeing support and creating environments that foster engagement, loyalty and productivity.
Mark Dixon, CEO and founder of International Workplace Group, says: “Technology has always shaped how we work. The difference today is the speed at which that change is unfolding. Advances in AI are accelerating the world of work at a speed most organisations and individuals are currently struggling to grasp.
“AI is part of an exponential innovation curve – the most significant shift I’ve seen since I started out in business six decades ago. Innovations like AI and neurotechnology are driving a future where work happens faster, more intuitively, and precisely when and where it’s needed.
“Exponential change doesn’t just tweak jobs; it changes the velocity of business itself, and the world of work will look very different by 2050,” he adds.