The document discusses how businesses are reimagining their workforces by blending humans and machines. It notes that as digital technologies advance, humans and machines will need to work more closely together, with each playing to their strengths. Robots and smart devices can now perform physical tasks and gather data to aid human workers. Additionally, both humans and machines will require continuous training to ensure effective collaboration. Successful companies will treat both humans and technologies as critical team members.

1. Digital Business Era: Stretch Your Boundaries
Trend 5: Workforce Reimagined

2. Vision Trend Evolution
2013-2015

3. Color Palette
3Copyright © 2015 Accenture All rights reserved.
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Internet
of Me
Outcome
Economy
Platform
(R)evolution
Intelligent
Enterprise
Reimagined
Workforce
1 2 3 4 5
5 Trends

4. 5
Collaboration at the intersection
of humans and machines.
4Copyright © 2015 Accenture All rights reserved.
Workforce Reimagined:

5. As the digital revolution gains momentum, humans and machines must do more
together. Successful businesses will embrace both as critical team members.
Advances in robotics enable machines to not only communicate with humans, but
also work side-by-side with them. It’s a division of labor that plays to strengths of
both.
Smart devices and wearable technology can gather information on a person’s
surroundings, supplement physical tasks and detect hazardous situations –
potentially saving lives.
Human and machine—each on their own—won’t be enough to drive businesses in
the coming decades. Tomorrow’s leading enterprises will be those that know how to
meld the two effectively.
Workforce Reimagined:
Collaboration at the intersection of humans and machines.
#TechVision2015
www.accenture.com/technologyvisionCopyright © 2015 Accenture All rights reserved.

6. Trend Perspectives:
Business and IT Executives
1/3
Are considering using
robotics to automate
business and industrial
processes.
40%
Are considering using
sensors to gather
intelligence and equip
their workforce with
more insights.
77%
Believe that within the
next three years,
companies will need to
focus equally on
training their people
and their machines.
Source: Accenture Technology Vision 2015 Survey of 2,000 business and IT executives
www.accenture.com/technologyvision
#TechVision2015
Copyright © 2015 Accenture All rights reserved.

7. 7Copyright © 2015 Accenture All rights reserved.
Going digital is amplifying the
need for humans and machines
to do more, together.
#TechVision2015

8. Human and machine, side by side
The developments in how people interface with
machines are a driving force behind the new
wave of human-computer collaboration.
As the field of robotics continues to advance,
more machines are becoming capable of not
just communicating and augmenting human
employees, but also physically working side by
side with them.
While machines excel at precision, scale, and
consistency, humans are better suited for
creativity, contextual understanding, and
complex communications.
Now, companies can have a division of labor
that caters to the strengths of each—and
appropriately distributes tasks to maximize the
impact of both.
8
Copyright © 2015 Accenture All rights reserved.

9. 9
However, new challenges in managing this blended workforce
will surface
Humans and technology will both need continued job training.
Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are gaining traction as a legitimate way to receive
quality training.
MOOCs and on-the-job observation and role swapping will effectively deliver results for
many, but advances in machine learning will also mean simpler ways to train robots.
But in a workforce of humans and machines, it’s not just people that need training to keep
their skills up to date. Enterprises also have to invest in their machines to ensure that
employee–technology collaboration is optimized.
Copyright © 2015 Accenture All rights reserved.
#TechVision2015

10. 10
Successful businesses will embrace humans and machines as
critical members of the reimagined workforce.
Copyright © 2015 Accenture All rights reserved.
Companies will need to find ways to categorize and shift skill sets so that employees can
approach tasks that were previously reserved for specialists.
While software development used to require specific coding skills, syntax knowledge, and
architecture topologies, today’s more accessible programming languages require far fewer
specialized development skills—putting them within reach of non-IT professionals.
#TechVision2015

11. Color Palette
11Copyright © 2015 Accenture All rights reserved.
R 153
G 51
B 153
R 47
G 83
B 156
R 255
G 221
B 0
R 255
G 153
B 0
R 136
G 221
B 0
R 170
G 17
B51
Workforce Reimagined: Looking Ahead
Human and machine, each on its own, won’t be enough to drive business in the decades to come.
Tomorrow’s leading enterprises will be those that reimagine their workforce and effectively blend
humans and technology as partners. Get ready for your new digital workforce.
Copyright © 2015 Accenture All rights reserved.

12. www.accenture.com/technologyvision
#TechVision2015
Copyright © 2015 Accenture All rights reserved.