We help people understand the future of work
Work is changing rapidly. Technological advances, demographic shifts, geopolitical uncertainty and changing values are reshaping our economies and societies – and with them, the way we work.
They affect the skills we need, how workplaces are organised, how we lead and collaborate, and how power and influence are distributed.
Technology is creating new opportunities, but also new challenges. Some jobs will disappear, others will change, and entirely new ones will emerge. AI raises fundamental questions:
- Will it allow us to work less, or simply change the way we work? And in that case, how?
- What skills will we need? And how will we develop these skills?
- How can technological progress improve working life rather than simply make it more efficient?
At Futurion, we explore these shifts and what they mean for people, organisations and society.
What will working life look like in the years ahead? What new opportunities and challenges will emerge? And how can we shape a future of work that combines innovation and competitiveness with human agency, well-being and participation?
It is easy to get caught up in what is happening right now. But the major changes transforming work require us to look further ahead and have the courage to discuss where we are going. Futurion’s role is to provide the knowledge and perspectives that make that conversation both sharper and more constructive.
Ann-Therése Enarsson
CEO, Futurion
Our mission
Futurion is a Swedish think tank focused on the future of work. We help people, organisations and decision-makers understand the forces driving change through analysis, horizon scanning and future scenarios.
Our work is research-based and interdisciplinary. We believe that the future of work must be both competitive and human-centred, and that technological development and innovation can go hand in hand with human agency, security, well-being and participation.
Together with researchers, unions, employers’ organisations, businesses and other stakeholders, we explore emerging developments and new perspectives, and create space for a more informed conversation about the future of work.
Futurion was founded in 2016 by the Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees (TCO) and its affiliated trade unions. We are jointly funded by our owners and take a long-term perspective on the transformation of work.
Our work covers areas including AI, skills and workforce development, democracy, organising, and the evolution of the Swedish labour market model.
Contact
Ann-Therése Enarsson
CEO, Futurion
+46 70 921 75 50
ann-therese.enarsson@futurion.se
Founders
Futurion was founded by TCO, The Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees, and its affiliated trade unions. These affiliated trade unions are listed below:
- Unionen – Sweden’s largest trade union on the private labour market
- Sveriges Lärare – The Swedish Teachers’ Union
- Vision – The Swedish Union of Local Government Officers
- Vårdförbundet – The Swedish Association of Health Professionals
- Fackförbundet ST – The Union of Civil Servants
- Finansförbundet – The Union of Financial Sector Employees
- Polisförbundet – The Union of Swedish Policemen
- Journalistförbundet – The Swedish Union of Journalists
- Forena – The Union of Insurance Employees
- Scen & Film – The Swedish Union of Theatrical Employees
- Försvarsförbundet – The Union of Civilian Employees in the Defence Forces
- TULL-KUST – The Swedish Union of Customs’ and Coastguards Officers
- Symf – The Swedish Federation of Professional Musicians
Publications
Here is a short summary and overview of the various Futurion publications that are published in English. Some of the headings link to a short English version of the report.
For more information on our reports, please contact our Head of Research, Carl Melin, at carl.melin [at] futurion.se
Error Code Woman – When the digital world is shaped without women (2023)
Women were among the pioneers of the digital age – the first computer algorithm in history was written by Ada Lovelace. Today, however, digital development is largely driven by men. How did this happen, and what can we do about it?
The book Error Code Woman brings together seven voices exploring the consequences of a society increasingly coded by and for men. Drawing on perspectives from technology, research, innovation and business, the book examines gender inequality in the digital world and argues for a more inclusive digital future.
Contributors include Katarina Blomkvist, Ebtisam Mohammedsalih, Anne-Marie Eklund Löwinder, Anna-Karin Edstedt Bonamy, Sandra Mattsson, Dora Palfi and Futurion CEO Ann-Therése Enarsson.
Beyond the political framing battles – Sweden in an international comparison (2022)
How good is Sweden really? Regardless of whether or not we are proud of our country, there are reasons to give some thought to what makes our country special, what is good, what is less good and what should be changed.
Futurion commissioned Professor Jesper Strömbäck to investigate and analyse how Sweden performs in various international comparisons. There is a large number of indexes that compare different countries. The international organisations that produce these ensure that all countries are compared in the same way. This makes it possible to see which countries are performing better than others, without taking a view on the politics of the different countries.
All in all, the report shows that Sweden is performing very well. Sweden is one of the freest, most democratic countries in the world. In comparison to other countries, we also have a good business climate and a labour market model that in many ways works well and facilitates growth and innovation. At the same time, the analysis shows that there are areas with potential for improvement.
We hope that the report will contribute to a more knowledge-based discussion about Sweden’s development and future challenges.
The report is written by Jesper Strömbäck, Professor of Journalism and Political Communication at the Department of Journalism, Media and Communication (JMG) at the University of Gothenburg. He has been a visiting professor at the University of Zurich and the University of Florida. In the years 2011–2013 he was secretary general and chief of staff at the government’s Future Commission.
If the Trade Unions Didn’t Exist (2020)
The Swedish labour market is characterised by its strong social partners. Within the Swedish model – or Nordic model, as it is also known – trade unions and employer organisations jointly agree on how the labour market should be constituted. In other countries, this is often regulated through legislation, or not at all. But in Sweden, as well as in other countries, union density is in decline (see Figure 1). In one of Futurion’s previous reports, Vad är grejen med facket? (What’s The Deal With Trade Unions?), we emphasised that strong unions not only contribute to better conditions for employees, but also to strengthening democratic factors and economic prosperity.
This report takes a closer look at the latter factor – the correlation between union density and some key indicators in the economy. To gain a better understanding of the impact of trade unions, Futurion commissioned WSP, a professional services and analytics firm, to conduct a counterfactual study of what Sweden would look like if there never had been a trade union movement here. A stylised calculation examines how this would have affected wages, income distribution, productivity and the employment rate in Sweden.
The full report is only available in Swedish, but excerpts are divided into five sections: (1) Wage Share, (2) Wage and Income Distribution, (3) Productivity, (4) Employment and, finally, (5) The Counterfactual Analysis. The results from this study were also published in the journal Social Europe.
The Trade Union Movement in Society (2019)
No man is an island. The trade union pledge is about not selling one’s labour at a lower price than what has been agreed upon with one’s peers in the labour market. If this pledge is not kept, employers will be able to push wages down and worsen working conditions for everyone. It is, in a way, a price cartel on labour. In theory, it thus imposes a restriction in a free labour market, also leading to a higher unemployment rate since the price of labour will be higher than in a free labour market.
This report by Futurion Head of Research Carl Melin summarises research and other insights concerning trade unions and their importance. Conclusively, research shows that strong trade unions are on the whole conducive to the reinforcement of democracy and greater prosperity. This has meant that several institutions that were previously critical of the trade union movement have revised their stance.
The true causes of populism – automation and other changes in the workplace (2018)
Futurion’s report confirms that there is a clear correlation between concern among people about what is happening in the labour market – for example the risk of unemployment – and being drawn towards various populist movements. In view of this, the ongoing process of automation may be one important explanation for the increased level of support for organisations such as anti-immigration parties in Sweden and in other countries.
The fact that automation and other changes at the workplace have consequences that we do not always find desirable does not mean that we can stop a trend that is largely positive. But we must manage it and create faith in the future and trust in our systems, so that people embrace rather than fear these developments. This represents a challenge for both politicians and social partners.
The report was written by Carl Melin, Research Director at Futurion.
Between idealisation and demonisation – Sweden in an international comparison (2017)
How good is Sweden really? Regardless of whether or not we are proud of our country, there are reasons to give some thought to what makes our country special, what is good, what is less good and what should be changed.
In order that the debate on Sweden can be based on facts rather than opinions, Futurion commissioned Professor Jesper Strömbäck to investigate and analyse how Sweden really performs in various comparisons. There are a large number of indexes that compare different countries. The international organisations that produce these take care to ensure that all countries are compared in the same way. This makes it possible to see which countries are performing better than others, without taking a view on the politics of the different countries.
All in all, the report Mellan skönmålning och svartmålning – Sverige i en internationell jämförelse [Between idealisation and demonisation – Sweden in an international comparison] shows that Sweden is performing very well. Sweden is one of the freest, most democratic countries in the world. In comparison with other countries, we also have a good business climate and a labour market model that in many ways works well and facilitates growth and innovation. The analysis shows at the same time that there are areas with potential for improvement.
We at Futurion hope that the report will contribute to making the discussion of Sweden’s development and future challenges more knowledge-based.
The report was written by Jesper Strömbäck, Professor of Journalism and Political Communication at the Department of Journalism, Media and Communication (JMG) at the University of Gothenburg. He has been a visiting professor at the University of Zurich and the University of Florida. In the years 2011–2013 he was general secretary and chief of staff at the government’s Future Commission. Jesper Strömbäck is also a member of Futurion’s Board.
Concern and fear – a report on Swedish labour market opinion (2017)
Major changes take place all the time in the workplace. Technical development, education, globalisation and demographic changes are just some of the factors of major significance. But the impact is also going in the other direction. Our work and the way it is organised is of tremendous significance for our lives, and therefore also for our values, attitudes and behaviour. It is therefore not possible to study the workplace in isolation.
In Oro och rädsla – en rapport om svensk arbetsmarknadsopinion [Concern and fear – a report on Swedish labour market opinion, 2017:4] we report the results of the survey on Swedish labour market opinion. It shows, among other things, that there has been a strong shift in the belief that technical developments are creating jobs. The perception shifted dramatically during the 2000s. Swedes do not believe to the same extent as before that new technology is resulting in more jobs. There is a broad belief among politicians and social partners that new technology is good for Sweden and for jobs – a view that does not appear to be shared by the rest of the population.
Another area covered in this report is stress, which has developed to become a major public health problem. It is also something about which many Swedes are concerned. Concern about stress at the workplace is at the same level as concern about the housing shortage and organised crime. Being concerned about stress at the workplace is stressful in itself, and risks turning into a vicious circle in which the stress level rises constantly.
It’s all down to me – young people and the workplace (2017)
Allt hänger på mig – unga och arbetslivet [It’s all down to me – young people and the workplace] is the telling title of a report from Futurion based on focus groups with young people making their way into work. A picture emerges of a generation assuming responsibility, with a view that the work environment, employment conditions and a sustainable career are all down to them.
The focus groups were conducted with people aged 16–33, in which some of the participants were at upper secondary school, some were students and some had recently started work. The following perceptions clearly emerge in the focus group discussions:
- A fixed job provides security, as it provides an opportunity for a mortgage and a key to adult life.
- The balance between work and leisure is important, but is entirely up to young people to sort out for themselves.
- There is a major reality gap between school and work.
Can the manager be an app? (2017)
Go from pyramid to platform. Share the talents. Robotise management and let the human manager be a leader. That is the summary of the insights from Futurion’s paper Kan chefen bli en app? [Can the manager be an app?].
In the report, six experts on leadership have their say on digitalisation and leadership in the future. The picture that emerges is that there will be no less need for both creativity and decision-making ability, but that it should be possible to digitalise and rationalise the time-consuming administrative elements of management.
Now more than ever, this is essentially about having the ability to change. The report produces three general insights:
- Go from pyramid to platform – utilise digital technology to create less hierarchical organisations.
- Robotise management and let managers be leaders – digitalisation makes us into better leaders. And managers.
- Share the talents – with digitalised platforms, more people can do what they are really good at, in more places, at the same time.
The report was written by Sandra Adams-Backlund.
Skills of the future – in a digitalised workplace (2017)
The report Framtidens färdigheter – i ett digitaliserat arbetsliv [2017:2, Skills of the future – in a digitalised workplace] shows that the automation of monotonous jobs is nothing new. Historically, it has been the rule rather than the exception, and is therefore not something that appears threatening to us any more. It is instead artificial intelligence, machine learning and a totally new generation of robots that are now challenging us. If the machines can teach themselves, and think and feel – what will be left over for us humans?
This report is a summary of research findings into automation and unique human skills. But anyone looking for simple training manuals risks being disappointed. In an increasingly digitalised and automated labour market, it is more important that we are flexible and constantly learn new things, than that we try to find courses that lead to jobs that do not yet exist. We need to keep learning throughout our whole lives – at school, at work and in our leisure time. The report offers a couple of pointers to what we should focus on.
Self-employment – the no-man’s land of the Swedish Partner Model (2017)
The report Egenanställningar – den svenska partsmodellens ingenmansland [2017:1, Self-employment – the no-man’s land of the Swedish Partner Model] investigates the terms and highlights many challenges facing social partners. The risks include increased vulnerability – partly when it comes to how many income-generating assignments will be on offer in future, and partly in terms of how and whether the individual would qualify for unemployment benefit or health insurance. Regulations and security need to keep up with developments.
The report shows that self-employment is most common in media, theatre, TV, film, other culture, handicrafts, care, health, beauty, construction and cleaning. The reasons for becoming self-employed vary. One reason might be to test a business concept, or to combine employment with an interest or a sideline. It may also be that the regulations relating to starting up your own commercial business are perceived to be far too complex.
The report was written by the writer and investigator Mats Wingborg.
Generation clash at work? – values in the workplace of the future (2016)
The report Generationskrock på jobbet? – om värderingar i framtidens arbetsliv [2016:3, Generation clash at work? – values in the workplace of the future] presents surveys from some of the biggest actors, both Swedish and international, relating to young people’s values. The purpose is to paint a broad picture of the values that will affect the workplace of the future, and thereby offer a glimpse of possible future scenarios at workplaces.
The report deals with areas such as new ways of learning, driving forces at the workplace, attitudes towards the role of the manager, the need for a balance in life, and how companies’ values are becoming increasingly important in the young generation’s choice of career.
Predicting the future of work – then, now and next (2016)
The report Att förutsäga arbetets framtid – då, nu och sedan [2016:2, Predicting the future of work – then, now and next] provides an overview of both Swedish and international forward studies.
There is no linear development or cohesive report about work in the future, which is because of the difficulty in predicting the unexpected (and because many studies highlight what is desirable ahead of what is possible). It is even more difficult to capture slow shifts in lifestyles, preferences, structures and institutions.
The pictures painted of the workplace of the future are therefore characterised by a high degree of uncertainty. But we do know that automation, globalisation and the demographic trend are to a large degree having an effect on the workplace. This will in turn have consequences for social partners. Issues such as a reasonable workload, technological development, skills development to meet the future and leadership-related issues will be dominating the social agenda for many years to come.
The report was written by senior lecturer Kenneth Abrahamsson.
Robotisation, urbanisation, the gig economy – forces affecting the workplace of the future (2016)
The report Robotisering, urbanisering, gig economy – krafter som påverkar framtidens arbetsliv [2016:1, Robotisation, urbanisation, the gig economy – forces affecting the workplace of the future] presents the impact that digitalisation is having on the labour market: increasing robotisation and automation that both create jobs and render them obsolete, as well as globalisation’s force for change, which combined with new business models and increased requirements for flexibility has resulted in a shift from employee to freelancer and an emerging gig economy.
The intention of this report is not to provide answers, but to present a starting point for additional discussions and studies. We need to know what is creating and driving change, and what we need in order to influence developments.
