Snack to the future: Deliveroo predicts future food trends in Asia

Deliveroo has launched the Snack To The Future Report, which identifies how the region will be eating by 2040. 

Source: Deliveroo. The report finds that by 2040, people’s diet could become fully bespoke thanks to AI. Food delivery services could synchronise meal options with someone’s personal AI and provide recommendations based on their physiological and psychological state at any given time, for instance.

Led by Deliveroo alongside Singaporean food experts Yip Hon Mun and Luke Tay, together with several other global industry leaders, the report has uncovered key food trends that will be impacted by technological advancements and shifting consumer preferences by 2040. Some of the trends include:

○ Breath-prints will make our future food decisions for us. Expect personal tech devices to be enabled with breathtech, enabling consumers to breathe on a device and get a deep level of insight into what foods they should be eating to have optimal impact on their individual health and wellbeing.

○ Me-ganism: Going beyond keto, the next big thing in dieting and set to be the mainstream diet of the future is the me-gan diet (me-ganism). This is a hyperpersonalised diet which takes into account individuals’ nutritional needs, and is powered by AI.

○ Personal AI: Underpinning the Me-gan diet and lifestyle, AI technology will offer consumers their own personal AI (a life-long AI buddy) which will help automate and tailor what they eat based on their preferences and needs at any given time.

○ FOODGASMS: By 2040, dining will be a fully immersive experience and as such, food delivery s
ervices such as Deliveroo can use experiential formats such as augmented imagery, audio and packaging to elevate consumers’ meal enjoyment as part of their delivery orders.

○ EDIBLE BEAUTY: Get ready to see the food and beauty industry become more integrated than ever with a rise in edible beauty products like anti-ageing ice-cream and the chance to dine from hormone-balancing and dopamine driving menus.

○ 3D PRINTED MEAL PLANS: From packed lunches to printed lunches, food prep is about to become a lot easier with advances in 3D printing technology helping consumers create perfectly portioned and nutritionally balanced meals of their choice at home.

○ A METAVERSE OF FOOD DISCOVERY: The metaverse will expand into an interconnected world where people’s digital and physical engagement with food fully converge. With the rise in augmented artificial smell technology, the metaverse can be incorporated into meal delivery platforms, where consumers will virtually smell and taste the food before ordering, helping to discover new food options while reducing time deciding between a wide-selection of cuisines.

○ RESTORATIVE RESTAURANTS: New restaurant concepts will immerse diners and remove outside world distractions, with personal tech devices banned from entry, to a rise in popularity of silent cafés and restaurants which ONLY offer tables for one to encourage mindful eating.

○ NEWFOUND FOOD STAPLES: Daily staples will look a bit different from the usual rice and noodles, as petai, jackfruit, cowpea, arrowroot, azuki bean, buckwheat, amaranth and other variants of Asian yams, beans and forms of superfoods are set to be our newfound daily staples.

○ ALT-OHOL: Pairing of alcohol alternatives with the desires of healthy living. Gone are the days of awful hangovers as by 2040, we expect alt-ohol beverages like wine-inspired cordials formulated to mirror the dryness and depth of wine but fortified with vitamins and nutrients to keep consumers healthy - literally raising a glass to a longer life.

“The most notable trend across all is the need to empower consumers with control over their food choices, allowing them to enjoy meals on their terms, precisely when and how they prefer. In addition to considering affordability, taste, and nutrition, customers will have the option to select sustainably sourced food or customise their meat to align with their ethical and environmental standards,” said Yip, a Senior Adviser on Food Technology in Singapore. Beyond the shifting consumer preferences, the report highlighted that climate change and overpopulation will continue to contribute to future food shortages, people’s diets and the way they live. Many of the plant varieties that are grown today might not be available because they are unable to meet the climate challenges of tomorrow.

“For tropical countries like Singapore, we will face harsher and more volatile weather, shaping Singaporeans’ life- and work-styles. Hence, their nutritional needs and food-styles will transform in tandem,” said Luke Tay, a Food Systems, Sustainability and Geopolitical Analyst from Singapore.

“People will also become more nocturnal, working and eating amid the cooler night hours, leading to food and delivery services being a segment that never sleeps, catering to consumers round-the-clock. Concurrently, with climate change impacting staple crops, it gives way to other mainstream ingredients that will need less water to grow and sustain in Singapore,” shared Tay.

“Operating in a food haven like Singapore allows for a massive catalogue of meals. With these new technologies, those willing will be able to make more informed food decisions based on data collected of their daily food intake. There’s even the option for food companies to recommend various meal options that increases convenience and ensures nutritional needs and goals are met consistently in line with Singapore’s Healthier SG Strategy,” said Jason Parke, General Manager at Deliveroo Singapore.

“I started Deliveroo in 2013 with a mission to connect people to the best quality food from local restaurants and deliver it directly to people’s doors. It has been an incredible ride over the past ten years and I am really proud of what we have built. As we look towards the next decade and beyond, Deliveroo will continue to create exciting new innovations in food delivery, build new and better consumer experiences and take Deliveroo beyond functionality and convenience to really capture the passion and emotion of food,” added Will Shu, Founder and CEO of Deliveroo.

Deel: 12 work trends in 2023

Source: Deel playbook. 12 work
trends for 2023.

Deel, which provides payroll and compliance solutions for international teams, has researched emerging work trends, and come up with a full dozen for 2023:

Overemployed

First off, Deel said that remote workers are gaming the system by using flexible hours and asynchronous tools to juggle more than one job at the same time.

The Chief Remote Officer (CRO)

"The title of CRO is popping up on job boards everywhere," Deel has found. The company said most job descriptions entail all the elements around remote team setups, including hosting in-person events, detailing how to work in different timezones, compensation strategies, and internal communications tools.

Workcations

Working while travelling is now a reality and becoming the norm, said Deel.

Flex holidays

More workers are getting the power to decide which holidays to take instead of a one-size-fits-all calendar, Deel said.

Gen Flex

The latest generation (Gen alpha) has never even stepped foot in an office for work, Deel states, making virtual their reality. 

Flexetariat

Today’s workforce is putting flexibility and freedom at the top of their working requirements (and life). "Now more than ever teams are trading perks for the non-negotiable of being a Flexetariat," the company said.

Talent snatching

Despite ongoing layoffs, there is a bidding war for talent happening in parallel. "Some workers are finding themselves working at one company for only a few months before getting a more appealing offer elsewhere, oftentimes out of nowhere," Deel stated.

Sukima (隙間)

Young people are embracing sukima (gap) in Japan, according to Deel, turning free time into extra cash. New apps such as Jobcase, Timee and LINE Sukimani help match them with jobs like waiting tables or making deliveries, so there’s no time wasted; just money earned.

Casual e-signatures

With apps like BeReal on the rise, Gen Zers are skipping the pleasantries for more “authentic” sign offs and out-of-office (OOO) replies, said Deel. Look out for e-mail signatures like “Lukewarm regards”, “Another day, another slay”, and “In case of emergency, dial 911; not an emergency, try Google”, Deel predicted.

Pick-up parties

As fewer people are working from offices and together less in real life (IRL), people are finding new ways to connect. There are now in-person brand events called "pick-up parties", Deel said, where purchased products are collected in person at an event where the buyer can meet other likeminded people.

Career bouncing

Deel differentiated "salary bouncing" - jumping from job to job in under a year to increase salary with each jump - and "career bouncing", where a person moves from one career to a completely different industry, such as being a teacher and then a marketer, to determine which career is preferable.

Save-from-home

In a survey with Momentive, Deel found that people are saving more than ever thanks to things like reduced travel, food expenses, and increased salaries. More than 59% have increased their salaries and 64% said their savings have grown while working from home, the company shared.

Explore

Read the playbook

Slack: Job stability, security as important as salary for talent retention

Source: Slack infographic. More than half of all Singapore knowledge workers feel burned out, with nearly half thinking of changing jobs in 2023.

Talent retention is going to be rocky going forward. The impact of the pandemic, the uncertain economic environment, and the burnout experienced by over half of Singaporean knowledge workers in the last year, have irrevocably changed what employees want from their leaders, according to new Slack research*.

The study, Leadership and the war for talent, based on a survey of over 1,000 Singaporean knowledge workers, found that Singaporeans now value stability and job security (53%) more than salary (40%) when it comes to choosing the company they work for; while having a good manager (31%) was almost as much of a consideration as salary.

Survey respondents also identified teamwork and collaboration, transparent and trustworthy leadership, flexible work, and employee wellbeing as the four biggest factors in driving organisational success - all of these factors are valued more highly than financial achievement. When it comes to flexible working, over two-thirds of Singaporeans want to be trusted to do their job regardless of location or the hours worked.

With nearly one in two Singaporean knowledge workers considering moving jobs in the next year, and 16% admitting to ‘quiet quitting’ - fulfilling the requirements of their job but not going above and beyond - it’s critical for leaders to act, Slack said. The company advises that leaders ensure their own leadership style will impact employee engagement and motivation negatively. This means:

- Focusing more on soft or ‘power’ skills - human-centred, interpersonal skills related to areas such as collaboration, social and emotional intelligence; 

- Analysing the time employees are spending on unproductive tasks; 

- Exploring ways to elevate productivity with collaborative technology; and 

- Figuring out how to meet the varying expectations of employees from different generations, who prefer to work in different ways.

Shweta Verma, Country Manager, Singapore, Slack said, “The reality is that many Singaporean professionals are burnt out. Leaders have an obligation to address this – not least for the wellbeing of their employees, but also to drive the productivity of their organisations. As we continue to go through one of the biggest workplace experiments of the century - moving from physical offices to digital headquarters - it’s critical that employers demonstrate sound, positive leadership. By harnessing collaborative technology at scale, and engaging employees in ways that best suit them, leaders can help drive productivity and a happier, more engaged workforce.” 

Poor leadership leads to burnout, quiet quitting

Slack’s research draws a clear link between poor leadership and a dip in employee morale and productivity. Only half of Singaporean professionals say they feel inspired by their leaders, and the same number find their leaders “stuck in their ways of working.”

‘Quiet quitting’ is strongly linked to poor leadership as well – over half (51%) of those who ‘quiet quit’ reported having poor leaders.

According to the study, employees with poor or average leaders feel they have much less of a voice, and less control and autonomy over their work. Additionally, they reported more of a disconnect between leaders and employees, and reported culture feeling more forced. 

Collaborative technology as potential ‘power tools’ for boosting leadership

The Slack study showed a strong correlation between those respondents that hold their leaders in high regard and those whose leaders embrace the use of collaborative technology. Interestingly, these respondents were also identified as feeling highly connected to their organisations. Contrastingly, those who deemed their leaders as technology laggards in this area say they are more likely to quit their job.

Nearly two-thirds of Singaporean knowledge workers saw collaboration tools as enabling them to be productive, among other benefits. These include being able to free up time by automating work, getting information to the right people quickly, speeding up the implementation of projects, improving communication with leadership, prioritising tasks, and achieving faster feedback loops. 

The real reason Singaporean knowledge workers don’t have enough hours in the day

The potential value of collaboration tools on organisational success becomes more pronounced, Slack said, when looking at the amount of non-productive time that Singaporean knowledge workers say they are spending on routine and often mundane tasks.

For example, nearly a third of respondents feel that it takes them too long to find information internally, and that internal processes take up too much of their day. A similar number find that communicating across the company, within big teams and across time zones is slow due to delayed responses. Where this is the case, around a quarter of this group say they are spending over an hour a day on these activities, which can be accelerated through collaboration technology. 

Mind the generation gap

The survey shows significant generational differences in employees in Singapore in terms of what they expect from their leaders, making it clear that people management is not a one-size-fits-all.

Gen Z are the most concerned with wellbeing, having a highly social culture and desiring empathetic leaders. While they are more likely to be inspired by leadership, they are the most likely to switch jobs.

Millennials also want a focus on wellbeing, transparent and trustworthy leadership, and a great employee experience. They are the most likely to feel a disconnect between leaders and employees, and have the highest levels of job dissatisfaction. This group leans in most to the use of collaboration tools.

Gen X places the greatest importance on flexibility, transparent and trustworthy leadership, and are the least concerned with wellbeing. They want their employers to have a consistent purpose, supported by robust processes. They are the least interested in technology and innovation.

Baby Boomers are middle of the road on most things, but are particularly favourable towards having robust processes, clear KPIs and accountability frameworks, and to have a clear level of autonomy in work.

Cooling down the burnout

The research also showed some clear differentiation between what Singaporean knowledge workers across different industries are feeling and looking for:

IT and technology: Respondents from the tech sector gave the highest scores to their managers for being competent and communicating well. Although not inspirational, IT leaders are seen to lead by example. Perhaps, as a result, IT workers are less likely to feel burned out, Slack suggested.

Financial services: Notably much less focused on teamwork, collaboration and wellbeing as being the keys to success, respondents from the banking sector were the most likely to want more meaning in their job. They also reported some of the highest rates of burnout, dissatisfaction and quiet quitting.

Retail: Singapore’s retail knowledge workers seem to be more positive than their peers in other industries right now. Half (51%) say they feel strongly about doing the right thing by their employer and are happy to go “above and beyond”. At 42%, retail also has the lowest proportion of workers who say they’ve felt burned out during the past 12 months.

Government: There seems to be a significant opportunity in Singapore’s government sector to tap into the benefits of collaborative technology, Slack notes. More than half (56%) of government employees say that email is still their primary method of communication with customers and partners - a proportion significantly higher than other industries in the survey. Government workers are also more likely to be working from a mix of home and office environments, with around two-thirds (67%) saying they are working this way.

A new perspective on the office

While employees are increasingly working from home, the office environment is still valued, the Slack study found. When asked what they felt the office was best suited for, Singaporean knowledge workers cited team building, social connection, collaboration and brainstorming, and one-on-one/development meetings. Activities like progress updates, company town halls, learning programmes and knowledge sharing sessions were perceived as less critical if they are held in an office. This suggests that a lot of time can be potentially saved by conducting these activities virtually, using collaborative technology.

Explore 

Read the Leadership and the war for talent report.

*Slack’s new research, conducted by Honeycomb Strategy, was based on responses from 1,000+ Singaporean knowledge workers within organisations of 100+ employees.

This is the second iteration of this Slack research in Singapore, with The Reinvention of Work study carried out in October 2021. The Slack State of Work report, a global survey including 1,000 Singaporean knowledge workers, is similar research that was carried out by GlobalWebIndex in March 2020, prior to the pandemic.

Singaporeans to get more SkillsFuture support

Source: SkillsFuture Singapore. Minister Puthucheary watches on as Ng (left) and Kevin Wo, Country GM, Microsoft Singapore (right) sign the MoU.

SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) has introduced new measures to better prepare Singaporeans and enterprises for the digital economy. SSG and Microsoft have entered into a new partnership, and the national SkillsFuture for Digital Workplace programme has been enhanced.

Both developments were announced by Singapore Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Communications and Information, Dr Janil Puthucheary at the inaugural SkillsFuture Festival X Smart Nation (SFFXSmart Nation).

In a speech at the event Minister Puthucheary said the idea of a digitally ready society needs to be refreshed for 2019 and going forward, with a digitally confident society being the outcome.

"The difference for Smart Nation and our digital transformation is that the pace and extent of
change is much faster. Jobs will go, but jobs will be recreated. Business opportunities will go,
but new ones will be created. There are many things that we need to do in order to get ourselves ready for these challenges," he said.

"One of the key things is going to be the skills that we can develop in ourselves, in government,
in society and in business. Skills, for the challenges and opportunities that are being created
today, and an approach to skills development so that we are ready for the future, both for the next wave of disruption and digital transformation."


Co-organised by SSG, and the Smart Nation and Digital Government Office, the event is part of the six-week SkillsFuture Festival, and was held from 3 to 4 August.

SSG and Microsoft launched the Tech Intensity Training Roadmap, a three-year plan to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) accelerate their adoption of technology, and to help individuals build their digital capabilities. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by both parties for the collaboration, which aims to benefit 5,000 individuals and 100 SMEs.

As part of the collaboration Microsoft will work with the institutes of higher learning (IHLs) to develop industry-relevant curriculum for relevant SkillsFuture programmes, such as the SkillsFuture Work-Study programmes. This will help build a talent pipeline for jobs of the future, and cater to
the needs of the wider industry.

Microsoft will also work with SSG to enhance workplace learning practices among Microsoft’s network of SME partners. Microsoft and SSG will codevelop a training blueprint which will help SMEs build a strong workplace learning culture to accelerate technology and skills adoption for workplace transformation, and enhance employee engagement and retention.

Third, Microsoft will provide a curated list of free online Microsoft courses on SSG’s MySkillsFuture portal on topics such as data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). Participants will receive Microsoft certification when they successfully complete selected programmes. SSG will also incorporate the materials provided by Microsoft on cyberSecurity, the Internet of Things (IoT) and AI into the curriculum for the SkillsFuture for Digital Workplace programme.

Lastly, Microsoft’s PowerApps Platform will be incorporated into SkillsFuture initiatives, including the SkillsFuture for Digital Workplace. This enables Singaporeans to learn how to build and customise business applications according to their business needs.

Minister Puthucheary also stated in his speech that an ecosystem of players is required to ready Singaporeans for the opportunities of tomorrow.

"The engagement with a company like Microsoft is about that company, but it is also about that company's partners. A large company has vendors and suppliers that has business ideas, business partners, and it will do more going forward. Microsoft is committed to a very important partnership in association with SSG," he said.

It will be a win-win, he added. "We also hope that through this process, we will have the opportunity to work with Microsoft as an intermediary, looking at workplace learning practices within its organisation, as well as with its partner SMEs, tapping on its network of companies, and allowing government and SSG to reach out to many more companies in their digitalisation efforts."

In support of the sixth pillar of Total Defence – Digital Defence, SSG has enhanced the SkillsFuture for Digital Workplace programme to add a Digital Defence component. Supported by the National Library Board, Nexus and the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore, the enhanced curriculum will enable participants to be better informed about cybersecurity, and to pick up skills to identify and guard themselves against fake news.

Ng Cher Pong, Chief Executive of SSG said, “It is critical for our workforce and companies to be adequately equipped with the skills to seize the new opportunities brought about by digital transformation. The collaboration with key industry stakeholders, such as Microsoft, is significant in building digital competencies. SSG will continue to expand our network of intermediaries in Singapore’s skills ecosystem.”

Cognizant: training curriculums lag behind changing realities

Companies and higher education institutions (HEIs)* are training people for jobs that currently exist, but they need to train them as well for jobs that do not exist as yet.

This was the conclusion from Cognizant's Future of Learning report, based on a global survey of 601 top business executives at leading companies and 262 HEIs. The research aims to uncover insights into the changes these entities are making in their training and educational programmes, and the challenges they face in preparing tomorrow’s workforce.

Findings include:

Preparing the workforce for future jobs is a matter of survival for both businesses and HEIs

The majority of businesses (80%) and HEIs (72%) globally agree it is extremely important to prepare workers and students to work alongside emerging digital technologies. Businesses and HEIs in Singapore estimate that 60% and 55% of their total staff and students, respectively, will be prepared to handle new types of work driven by emerging digital technologies in the next five years. However, a 82% of Singaporean HEIs and 63% of businesses are presently unable to deliver.

Businesses are beginning to bear the burden of learning

Skills have become like mobile apps that need frequent upgrades. While 45% of businesses in Singapore currently update their learning content on an annual or biannual basis, 67% of HEIs only update their curriculum every two to six years. Globally, businesses are intent on speeding the pace of curriculum updates, with 75% planning to move to a one- to five-month or even continuous refresh schedule in the next five years. In contrast, only 30% of HEIs plan to increase update frequency, from today’s two- to six-year cycle to an annual one by 2023.

The work ahead means working together

Preparing the current and future workforce for the work ahead cannot take place in a vacuum. Three-quarters of both businesses and HEIs globally view collaboration as critical to successfully managing the transformative and disruptive impact of the new machine age. Singapore businesses appear less keen to collaborate with HEIs as opposed to educators – only 55% of businesses see collaboration as critical compared to 75% of HEIs.

Emerging technologies such as augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) will supercharge learning by focusing on “how to learn” over “what to learn”

New modes of education delivery will emerge, with Netflix-style, on-demand digital assets allowing for anytime, anywhere self-learning. AI-driven learning platforms will personalise learning, and augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR) systems will become mainstream, with a 220% increase in the take-up of the technology by HEIs and businesses globally in in the next five years.

Source: Cognizant study. The top priorities for businesses (left) and HEIs (right) on preparing the workforce for the next five years.

Based on the insights, Cognizant has developed an industry solution for businesses and higher education institutions, which they define as a Future of Learning equation. It requires the following elements of change:

- More accurate skills identification to align with actual workplace needs.

- Overhauling the approach of curriculum and training to be more immersive and personalised.

- An environment supportive of self-learning, with access to multiple content sources like open educational resources.

Ultimately, the speed at which these elements are executed will determine their efficacy in preparing an aptly-skilled workforce, Cognizant said, suggesting that businesses and HEIs will need to engage in more flexible partnerships, quicker responses, different modes of delivery and new combined-skill programmes to reliably prepare people for what comes next.

Details:

Read the Future of Learning report (PDF)

*The term 'institutes of higher learning' (IHL) is often used as well.

Cognizant shares 3Cs to staying employed over the next decade

Cognizant’s Jobs of the Future Report has identified a three-point common theme for work that is centred on the human touch — Coaching, Caring, and Connecting — which it predicts will stay relevant, no matter what new technologies emerge on the horizon. 

Coaching

Coaches can reshape work by making it more engaging, humane and purposeful. Those who have a flair for mentoring and helping people to improve at things (managing their finances, managing their weight) should hone those skills.

Caring

Forward-thinking organisations will focus on making the best of people, and not just the best of technology. Workers with social intelligence and the ability to make sense of complex processes will be in high demand to improve people’s health and wellness.

Connecting

Workers with a collaborative mindset will be key to helping connect the dots in a technology-led workplace. New roles identified in the report require workers to be good at building bridges between man and machine, traditional and shadow IT, the physical and the virtual world, and commerce and ethics.

Source: Jobs of the Future Report. Graph listing the jobs of the future and mapping them to tech-centricity and likelihood of appearance over time.

Cognizant has identified 21 new job roles, with a selection below:

Role	Description	Skills needed
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Business Development Manager	Define, develop and deploy effective and targeted programmes to accelerate broad-based sales and business development activities.	Business development experience on top of experience with AI/machine-learning software platforms.
AI-Assisted Healthcare Technician	Builds close, trusting relationships with patients and makes optimal use of digital diagnosis tools and remote doctors as available.	At least three years’ experience in nursing or a related field, and be comfortable and competent dealing with software and digital testing equipment.
Cyber City Analyst	Ensure interoperable data flow to keep cities safe, secure and operational.	Data engineering qualifications in agile, DevOps and continuous integration, as well as circuitry skills, understanding of design thinking, and startup methodologies.
Quantum Machine Learning Analyst	Create new technology functionalities at the intersection of quantum information processing and machine learning.	Well-versed with quantum information processing devices, quantum data and machine learning techniques to develop well-capitalised, revenue-generating industry-specific solutions for the future.
Augmented Reality (AR) Journey Builder	Pioneers in the “experience economy”. Design, write, create, calibrate, gamify, build and personalise the next generation of classic stories and in-the-moment vignettes for viewers’ trips in AR.	Experience in gaming; proficiency with the language of AR hackathons, game jams, skins, surfaces, planes, escape rooms, software development kits,  simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM) and headmounted displays. Familiarity with development and design of 3D assets.
Master of Edge Computing	Define the IoT roadmap, evaluating the feasibility for establishing edge processing units.	Experience in working on IoT hardware and software, on top of a Ph.D in computer science, electronics, telecommunications, electrical engineering, or a related field.
Man-Machine Teaming Manager	Shapes the future of work and workplace within the company. The manager will design flexible experiences that meet workers’ expectations, while providing a simple and intuitive interaction with machines.	Passionate about advancing human-to-bot cooperation strategies in a dynamic business environment. Qualifications needed are graduate degrees in experimental psychology, human neuroscience techniques, robotics, plus excellent leadership, communication and collaboration skills.
Chief Trust Officer	Build trust by enforcing and encouraging transparent and responsible financial trading of cryptocurrencies with all organisational stakeholders.	Experience in cryptocurrency trading and speculation, Blockchain, traditional currency trading and public relations or marketing.
Personal Data Broker	Administers personal data assets of citizens and consumers. Ensures consumers receive revenue from their data.	Professional qualifications needed to trade on data exchanges. A high degree of curiosity for discovering alternative forms of data commercialisation through third-party APIs to other insight services, and a drive to determine data value and submit and price offers into data exchanges for trade.
Bring Your Own IT Facilitator	Enables the workforce to work better and smarter at a known level of acceptable risk by creating a system for uninterrupted visibility into on-and-off-premise environments.	A master’s degree in either IT, computer science, natural science, engineering or business admin, as well as exposure to IT demand management, business management, among others.

Details:

Read the 21 Jobs of the Future Report (PDF).

View the video introducing the 21 Jobs of the Future.

Five hotel design trends travellers can look out for

Source: Hotel Suppliers Show website. The hotels of tomorrow will look very different from the ones we are used to today.

The upcoming Hotel Suppliers Show, the biggest hospitality trade fair in the Philippines, presents the top five hospitality design trends that will shape the hotel industry in coming years in the runup to the event:

Rethinking the guest room

The growth of peer-to-peer rental accommodations such as Airbnb has led traditional hospitality brands to rethink their interior design strategy, particularly for guest rooms and suites. The move towards a less rigid apartment-style bedroom will grow as lines between hotel and homes blur even further. Today, instead of standard guest room configurations, hotels are now offering multipurpose bedrooms, incorporating conversation areas and sofas for relaxing. Desks are being replaced by casual coffee tables or more compact foldaway versions that reflect a downsizing in technology.

Spurred by extended-stay hotels, the concept of adding kitchenettes and other amenities to accommodate longer-term guests has also gained traction in the international hotel industry. Expect fewer examples of across-the-board interiors and furnishings repeated in every single room. Instead, hotels will increasingly try to create more individual, hospitable environments for their guests

The lobby evolves

As hotels embrace a residential approach to design, traditional lobby concepts have been redefined. Removing traditional front desks, lobbies are being transformed into living room-like public spaces that are warm and inviting. Remote and iPad check-ins have become mainstream, eliminating the need for large reception areas and giving hotel designers greater flexibility when designing lobby areas.

There is also more effort to accommodate Millennial guests who typically spend less time in their rooms and out in the public spaces. Hotel lobbies have been crafted into social hotspots, incorporating features such as cocktail bars, self-service coffee and wine counters, libraries, individual workstations as well as co-working spaces. As the modern hotel lobby becomes a cultural destination, expect to see even more emphasis being placed on these communal areas to serve a variety of needs and social functions.

Sustainability and energy conservation

With the hospitality industry focusing on reducing its carbon footprint, we can expect more sustainable practices being implemented in hotels. This includes the use of solar panels, recycled wood and locally handcrafted and repurposed furniture that support s sustainability and connects guests to the local culture. Natural lighting and other ecofriendly features will be incorporated seamlessly into hotel design and hospitality practices.

Recycled and natural materials, while not a new concept, continue to gain ground due to their low impact on the environment. Recycled rubber, cement tiles , recycled fibres and cork are examples of sustainable flooring being used by hotel designers. These materials also provide enhanced soundproofing and energy efficiency for interiors. Support of locally handcrafted and repurposed hotel furniture will also gain in popularity. This trend will have a huge impact beyond 2017 as the industry embraces its role in reducing carbon emissions and shifts towards creating meaningful experiences for travellers.

Smart hotels 

More on-demand technologies will find their way into hotels. Hospitality operators are now increasing investments into areas like beacon technology, messaging and smart in-room entertainment. In public areas, smart walls can entertain guests with art and games, provide updates on news and weather, facilitate virtual business meetings, and offer guests tourist information on the destination.

Other technology, including 3D printing, will also give way to varied design possibilities, from upholstery and furniture to amenities and electronics. Hotels are also integrating personalised tablets into their rooms, allowing guests to control in-room operations, from lighting and temperature to blinds and entertainment, all from a single device. Work stations and charging stations can be found at various locations to ensure hotel guests have unlimited connectivity.

Upgraded wellness

Over the past decade, wellness travel has been on the rise, requiring hotels to reconsider their design approach. Many hotels have upgraded their gyms, spa facilities and wellness offerings to accommodate their health-conscious guests. Air purification, energising lighting and vitamin C-infused water in showers are a few examples of how hotel groups are embracing the wellness trend.

Some hotel rooms are now designed to contain exercise equipment or include workout spaces. As guest rooms require less space with smaller desks and wall-mounted TVs, more attention will be paid to bathroom design. Luxury hotels are beginning to offer spa-style bath rooms in every suite to replace standard bathrooms. The spa bathroom includes such amenities as whirlpool and air bath tubs, massaging body jets in the shower, a steam room or spa bed. Well-established hotels are also offering new, more targeted spa experiences focusing on mindfulness rather than massages. Expect to see dedicated yoga and meditation spaces integrated into the hotel design.

Interested?

Now in its eighth year, the Hotel Suppliers Show 2017 will take place at the SMX Convention Centre in Manila from 21 to 23 September. Organised by Global-Link Exhibitions Specialist, in partnership with the Chamber of Furniture Industries of the Philippines (CFIP), the annual exhibition provides network opportunities for leading manufacturers, suppliers, and service providers to meet buyers and distributors in the Philippines’ growing market of hotels, restaurants, and resorts.

Digital commerce demystified

Source: Accenture. Four business models shaping digital commerce - sharing, personalisation, replenishment and services.

Retailers and consumer goods companies could unlock US$2.95 trillion in value for the industry and consumers over the next decade by accelerating digital transformation, according to a new report* by Accenture Strategy. Investments in new, digitally-driven business models will give consumers greater choice around how they purchase goods and services, and enable companies to deliver profitable, differentiated experiences.

Accenture Strategy’s Painting the Digital Future of Retail and Consumer Goods Companies report, based on analysis for the World Economic Forum, quantified the impact of digital transformation on consumer industries over the next decade. The study identified current consumer appetite for new purchasing experiences, the business models that have the highest potential to unlock new value, and how organisations and policymakers can prepare themselves.


“The next decade will be a golden age for consumers, with technological innovation creating a variety of shopping experiences that will give consumers the simplicity, convenience, or excitement they crave,” said Alison Kennedy, MD, Accenture Strategy. “Out of the US$2.95 trillion in value the report identified, consumers have the most to gain – just over US$2 trillion – through cost and time savings. The success of retailers and consumer goods companies to unlock value will be dependent on their ability to gain a deep understanding of consumers, embrace disruptive technologies and adopt innovative business models.”

Singapore consumers look to be more advanced along reaping digital benefits compared to the rest of the world. Today, 41% of Singapore consumers, compared to the global average of 36%, would allow companies to collect their personal data via intelligent devices in return for a better experience or financial reward. Brand loyalty is at stake. Another 47%, again above the global average of 37%, would subscribe to a service that constantly looks for the best pricing deals on their behalf, and actively recommends which company to switch to, and when.

Forty percent of Singapore consumers, versus the global average of 28%, would use sensor-based digital services that pre-emptively address their needs without human intervention. Another 36%, 10% more than the global average, would subscribe to brands that analyse their shopping history to select products especially for them, and then orders them automatically.

“The retail and consumer goods industries will change more in the next 10 years than they have over the past 40,” said Kennedy. “As expectations around cost, choice, convenience and experience continue to increase, consumers will challenge the industry to evolve and innovate which will drive huge growth in digital commerce.”

To reach the next frontier of digital commerce, retailers and consumer goods companies need to explore the following transformative business models which are already being welcomed by Singapore consumers:

1.     Sharing economy (the next-generation rental market) – Convenience and experience over ownership, at a fraction of the price. Sixty-six percent of Singapore consumers (globally, 52%) said they would use a rental subscription for clothing, renting an item for an occasion and returning it after, instead of purchasing it outright.

2.     Personalisation economy (‘surprise me’ subscriptions) – Expertly curated products tailored to the individual and automatically delivered. Sixty-four percent of consumers (globally, 48%) said they would use this subscription for clothing, where an expert personally selects items they might like based on previous purchases.

3.     Replenishment economy (auto-replenishment) – Smart sensors detect when a product is running low and automatically re-orders then delivers it. Seventy-eight percent of consumers (globally, 63%) would use auto-replenishment for household goods like detergent. Further, 73% would consider it for fresh food items, which is more than the global average of 58%.

4.     Services economy (‘do it for me’) – Services are outsourced so someone else who does the heavy lifting. Sixty-eight percent of consumers (globally, 50%) would use this service for their laundry – pickups, wash-and-fold services, and delivered back to their door.

There is however potential disruption for people and society which companies, policymakers, and regulators need to actively address to:

·         Minimise the impact on local communities – With an increasing number of retail stores downsizing or closing due to the rise of digital commerce, local communities need to respond by businesses and government establishing economic development strategies and partnering with communities to repurpose physical space as hubs for experiences, leisure and lifestyle activities.

·         Reskill the workforce – Emerging technologies will drive a range of efficiencies which will significantly change the nature of the industry’s workforce. Business leaders and policymakers must focus on accelerating reskilling people, creating partnerships with educational institutions, and influencing public policy to meet the needs of the future workforce.

·         Ensure sustainability – Meeting consumer demand for rapid delivery needs to be achieved in parallel to minimising environmental impact. Shifting to electric vehicles and exploring load-sharing can help while also enhancing delivery efficiency. Furthermore, innovation in packaging design and supporting recycling infrastructure is also critical, helping to build a more circular economy.

“To thrive in the next decade, organisations must aggressively pursue innovation and be willing to disrupt themselves. The winners will be those organisations that prioritise adopting a partnership mindset to offer customers new value, innovatively meet consumer demand for new services, and implement advanced data sciences to derive deeper customer insight to enable better decision-making,” said Kennedy.

Interested?

Find out more about the Accenture Painting the Digital Future of Retail and Consumer Goods Companies report 

Hashtags: #Retailers, #CPG

*Accenture Strategy created a value-at-stake methodology to quantify the impact of digital transformation on the retail and consumer goods industries, and consumers, in digitally developed economies over the next decade. Consumer insights were taken from Accenture Strategy’s latest Global Consumer Pulse Research which surveyed 25,426 consumers across 33 countries during July and August 2016, including 360 Singapore consumers.

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Singapore Committee on Future Economy outlines recommendations for a future-ready Singapore

Source: CFE infographic. What individuals and enterprises can do to prepare for the future.

 Build an open and connected economy with deep capabilities
 Opportunities with sustainable wage growth for all Singaporeans

According to the Committee on Future Economy (CFE), Singapore is well-positioned to tap into growth sectors fuelled by the rise of the middle-class and urbanisation in Asia, particularly in finance, hub services, logistics, as well as urban solutions. New technologies can also contribute to productivity gains in industry sectors such as advanced manufacturing, the committee has said.

Over the past year, the committee, five subcommittees and working groups held in-depth discussions, deep dives, meetings and focus groups involving more than 2,000 people. It consulted over 9,000 stakeholders, including trade associations and chambers (TACs), public agencies, unions, companies, executives, workers, academics, educators, and students before coming up with its report, which has been submitted to the Prime Minister of Singapore.

The recommendations take into account the significant structural shifts in the external environment that have occurred over in the last few years. Global growth has been subdued and is expected to be lower than in the previous decade. Global productivity growth has been sluggish, though technology can still  generate new waves of innovation and breakthroughs.

Growth in the US has recovered since the global financial crisis, but not to pre-crisis levels. Europe continues to face structural problems, including high youth unemployment. Asia remains a bright spot, with some economies growing rapidly.

The CFE’s work builds on the 2010 Report of the Economic Strategies Committee (ESC), but has had to adjust for the new world reality. The CFE re-examined Singapore’s operating assumptions and model and identified seven mutually-reinforcing strategies that will maximise the chances of Singapore’s success:

(i) Deepen and diversify international connections
(ii) Acquire and utilise deep skills
(iii) Strengthen enterprise capabilities to innovate and scale up
(iv) Build strong digital capabilities
(v) Develop a vibrant and connected city of opportunity
(vi) Develop and implement industry transformation maps (ITMs)
(vii) Partner each other to enable innovation and growth

The Co-Chair of the CFE and Singapore Minister for Finance Heng Swee Keat said: “The CFE recommends that, in the face of unprecedented global challenges and greater uncertainty, our response must be to keep Singapore relevant to the world."

Co-Chair of CFE and Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) S Iswaran added: “The CFE recommendations aim to help our people and our enterprises develop deep capabilities that will enable Singapore to reshape our economy and seize new opportunities at home and globally. Ultimately, our efforts must translate into better opportunities for all Singaporeans, with sustainable wage growth and meaningful careers, and a conducive environment for firms to start, grow and soar.”

Yeoh Oon Jin, Executive Chairman, PwC Singapore commented positively on the strategy. "The report focuses on how Singapore can leverage rapid technological advancement to evolve its established strengths like infrastructure and urban planning, global financial hubbing capability and logistical efficiency to advance growth and development for the future of Singapore. It also has a strong focus on developing talent and networks which are necessary to make it happen. Overall it is a very comprehensive plan to move our nation forward. What is required now is for local companies and individuals to rise to the challenge - to create value through innovation, continuous learning and adaptation," he said.

"The CFE report is an exciting vision, full of good ideas and theory. Execution is now key, and we need a mindset change across Singapore - to fight for free trade, to embrace technology, to be differentiated via new skills, to go beyond Singapore, to partner as government and the private sector, to use our city as an asset. For the plan to succeed, we need all of Singapore to embrace this new way of thinking, living and working," added Richard Skinner, Strategy Leader, PwC Singapore.

The committee was established in January 2016 to address the new challenges that Singapore faces.
The 30-member committee comprises members from different industries that operate in both global and domestic markets, as well as enterprises both large and small. The government will provide its response in the 2017 Budget Speech and Committee of Supply (COS) Debates. In 2016, the COS Debates were in early April while the Budget Speech was delivered in late March.

Interested?

View the CFE report

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Asia Pacific sees improvements with future-ready IT

· Future-ready enterprises can be divided into four categories: Current Focused, Future Aware, Future Focused and Future Creators

· Future Creators outperform Current Focused peers in key performance indicators

· The most future-ready enterprises in APJ report improvements in eight different business indicators

Source: Dell infographic. The four things that future-ready organisations are more likely to do.

Dell has announced the Asia Pacific findings of a global study* by analyst firm IDC - commissioned by Dell - which underscores the association between IT innovation and business results for organisation's in this region. The research discovered measurable business improvements as a result of future-ready IT adoption, tracked over a three-year period from 2012 to 2015.

The most future-ready organisations in Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) cite the following benefits:

· Over 50% increase in customer satisfaction/retention and growth in revenue from new products

· More than 40% increase in revenue or sales/bookings, on-time customer delivery, regulatory compliance, reduction in time to market for new products and services as well as new customer acquisition

· Improved employee productivity by 39%

Based on the data, IDC has classed 16% of all companies as Current Focused; 32% as Future Aware; one-third are Future Focused, while the remaining 18% are called Future Creators. Future Creators are the most future-ready enterprises who lead with agile platforms and big data, while Current Focused organisations are defined as those that are still focused on traditional IT or still at the beginning of their technology journey.

“The Future Ready Enterprise Index has shown that the most future-ready organisations are able to successfully promote agility, scalability, and innovation in their business through the adoption of converged infrastructures, cloud, big data and analytics (BDA) solutions. Mapping out four different stages in the future-ready journey, the white paper clearly highlights that being a ‘Future Creator’ in Asia Pacific is a clear competitive advantage, while staying ‘Current Focused’ tends to be a competitive disadvantage. Businesses that pay attention to where they are on their journey and adapt suitable practices within their unique business context will make the most of their technology investment,” said Peter Marrs, Vice President & General Manager, Enterprise Solutions, Dell APJ.

Strategies that produce deeper business insights

According to the survey, organisations need real-time visibility to make effective decisions for successful business outcomes. Traditionally, solutions that can cross and bridge multiple data types and sources so that they have the right data at their fingertips, at the right time to make the right decisions, do not exist off-the-shelf, and require specialised expertise to conceptualise and develop.

The Future Ready Enterprise Index has found that Current Focused organisations have little or no BDA strategy, and any BDA outputs typically have little or no influence on decision makers. In contrast, Future Creators have implemented enterprise-wide BDA strategy, with findings treated seriously by decision makers. In Asia Pacific, 98% of decision-makers from Future Creators have access to BDA at the right time compared to 58% of executives at a Current Focused organisation. This has led to faster organisational reaction times to change, driving improved business outcomes.

Enabling better use of infrastructure and data resources

The research found that business units at Current Focused organisations do not execute IT-led cloud strategies, but instead use public software-as-a-service (SaaS), platform-as-a-service (PaaS), and infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) offerings on an ad hoc basis. In contrast, Future Creators maintain cross-cloud catalogues, plus audit/security and data control.

In APJ, over 50% of Future Creators noted that cloud adoption has enabled BDA within their business, and most have seen more effective use of infrastructure and data resources. These have allowed the respondents to track usage and performance, leading to greater productivity and optimised outputs.

An example of a Future Creator that has successfully deployed cloud technologies to better utilise its IT and data resources is Samitivej Hospital in Bangkok. The private healthcare provider operates a network of facilities in Thailand, employing 3,000 healthcare professionals. The hospital has upgraded IT infrastructure, such as data centre storage, cloud computing and data recovery functions. This enabled the institution to be future-ready, delivering better, faster, and more cost-effective patient services.

Optimising IT and business assets

Future Creator respondents from Asia Pacific highlighted greater resource utilisation, greater IT staff productivity, improved business agility and flexibility to adapt to change in the market as the top four benefits of using hyperconverged infrastructures.

eResearch South Australia, a joint venture between the University of Adelaide, Flinders University and the University of South Australia, has for example created an open-source cloud and high-performance computing infrastructure to improve its research methodologies. Becoming a Future Creator has enabled cost savings and empowered its researchers to collaborate across distance and disciplines to share insights and gain access to data to be more innovative.

Adopting advanced technologies which enable future readiness can benefit businesses, but organisations which are structured to be the most future ready - Future Creators - benefit the most.

Interested?

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Determine your Future Readiness Ranking

*The IDC Future-Ready Enterprise Index studied the current state of digital transformation, surveying 2,529 IT executives across 20 industries in the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand, India, Brazil and Mexico. Companies were evenly divided between those with 100 to 999 employees; 1,000 to 4,999 employees; and 5,000 or more employees. Results were weighted by country/company size using GDP and employment distribution.

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