The idea of a career for life has become outdated, according to research carried out by Office Angels.
Within 25 years people will try out a number of different jobs and move around in order to guarantee job security the results suggested.
Further to this, one in four of those interviewed for the study said they expected to be working for more than one company by the year 2036, as flexible working practices make this more possible.
David Clubb, managing director of Office Angels, said: “The arrival of less rigid working practices could be a massive boost to innovation and responsiveness which are crucial in an ever more high-tech, globalised world.”
The progress of careers is set to be less linear as individual workers learn key skills from a number of roles which they can then use when they take on new positions.
Office Angels has been looking back at the past 25 years which they have been in business and forwards in order to try and predict future trends in employment.
Mr Clubb said: “Whereas experience and loyalty were the core attributes in the ‘jobs for life’ era, what’s emerging from our research is that flexibility and adaptability are going to be valued increasingly highly.”
In light of this predicted change to working practices, nearly a third of respondents said they thought the value of a degree will decrease in the future.
Ongoing learning will be more highly prized Mr Clubb suggested, with people preferring to continuously update their training and qualifications than undertake to complete a degree.
Changing career paths several times throughout a person’s life will also help to keep things interesting for staff who will be presented with a number of different challenges.
Office Angels was established in 1986 and now has 80 branches and employs 450 members of staff.
