As the nature of work shifts and transforms, there’s a huge amount to digest. Clients regularly ask us to present curated future of work trends and expert analysis of the implications emanating from them. Here are four emerging shifts and perspectives on the myriad ways the future of work is evolving that caught Pat's eye this month…
1] On the heels of the workation, here comes the skillcation
There’s a fundamental shift in how professionals approach their time off, as witnessed by the rise in popularity of workations – and now skillcations.
According to International Workplace Group's 2025 survey, 60% of hybrid workers are now more likely to extend holidays to work remotely, whilst 86% consider flexible workspace availability crucial when choosing destinations.
If you’re on the lookout for inspiration on where to take one, by the way, Tokyo has just topped this year’s rankings as the best workation city, scoring 91 out of 120.
Skillcations take this a step further – holidays where employees use time off to learn new skills, blending personal growth with travel. 39% of US travellers already pursue activity-packed learning experiences like photography expeditions or language immersion. These trips help combat burnout by offering the ability to learn or master new skills that re-energise and build confidence.
Research suggests workplace flexibility can boost productivity by up to 11%, so for organisations, these shifts signal an opportunity to rethink professional development. However, experts also warn that skillcations risk becoming work in disguise without proper boundaries. When done well, these trips combat exhaustion though, leaving workers refreshed and motivated upon returning to work.
Smart companies should integrate skill-based retreats into leadership programmes, promote flexible working policies that support remote productivity and invest in proper training infrastructure. And rather than relying on employees to use their personal time for upskilling, forward-thinking organisations could harness the burgeoning uptick in workations and skillcations to foster creativity, innovation and employee wellbeing whilst maintaining competitive advantage.
2] Workslop: GenAI’s hidden workplace toll
You may have clocked the recent troubling stat that over 50% of the Internet is now constituted of AI-generated slop. But do you know what ‘workslop’ is? It’s the term for AI-generated work content that appears polished but lacks substance, forcing recipients to correct or redo tasks. Recent research found that 40% of employees have received workslop in the past month, with affected workers estimating 15.4% of their work content qualifies.
The knock-on effect on workplaces is substantial. Each workslop incident costs an average of 1 hour 56 minutes to resolve, translating to £186 monthly per employee. For a 10,000-person organisation, this represents over £9 million annually in lost productivity.
Trust also takes a significant hit here: half of those surveyed say they view workslop senders as less creative and capable, while 42% see them as less trustworthy. Almost one third are less likely to work with them again, where possible.
Future-proof organisations will need to establish clear guardrails around AI use. Leaders must model purposeful AI adoption that enhances, rather than undermines, collaboration.
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3] Toxic work models rear their ugly heads again
They never really went away, of course, but harmful workplace practices are experiencing something of a resurgence, with the emergence of the '996' work culture exemplifying this worrying trend. Requiring employees to work 9am to 9pm, six days weekly, this system produces 72-hour workweeks, far exceeding standard 40-hour norms. Silicon Valley has particularly embraced this model.
Microsoft research, meanwhile, has identified what it calls the ‘infinite workday’, where employees face constant interruptions, receiving 117 emails and 153 Teams messages daily. Workers are interrupted every two minutes during core hours, whilst 50% of meetings occur during natural productivity peaks (9-11am and 1-5pm). Evening work has surged, with meetings after 8pm up 16% year-on-year, and employees sending over 50 messages outside business hours. Nearly 20% check emails before noon at weekends, whilst one-third of employees report the pace makes it impossible to keep up.
These practices bring with them the fear that exhaustion will diminish colleague work quality and productivity, potentially driving talented employees to leave industries entirely. In a few instances, organisations are implementing these extended hours without additional compensation or proper warning, leading to legal action and fair work claims have already been issued for abruptly imposing 72-hour weeks without contract updates or overtime pay.
Leadership needs to recognise that sustainable productivity requires protecting employee wellbeing. This means establishing clear boundaries around working hours, implementing ‘right to disconnect’ policies – and actively measuring workload metrics beyond simple output.
Microsoft believes forward-thinking companies should adopt a ‘Frontier Firm’ mindset, using AI to reduce administrative burdens rather than extend working hours. Organisations that fail to address these practices risk talent churn, legal challenges and ultimately diminished performance, whilst those prioritising ethical and smart working conditions will attract and retain the most capable workforce in an increasingly competitive labour market.
4] The rise of the AI consultancy
The past year has witnessed a surge in AI-powered consulting start-ups promising to democratise access to professional services. These ventures are automating market research, data analysis and operations, with companies like Parable, Profound and Dialogue AI securing significant funding (£16.6 million, £20 million and £6 million respectively).
Platforms such as PromptQL offer AI analysts at £900 per hour, providing what founder Tanmai Gopal describes as results that are "not as good as a McKinsey consultant, but instant".
However, these start-ups are unlikely to replace human consultants. Crucially, the latter bring irreplaceable expertise and attributes: extensive professional networks, nuanced understanding of organisational culture, strategic thinking and the ability to navigate complex stakeholder relationships. And let’s not forget what we at Working the Future term ‘vital skills’, of course – 16 key skills that a machine could never replicate.
Careful evaluation of those tasks that will always genuinely require human input and judgement – whether that’s in-house or bought in – is likely to separate those organisations that thrive in the future of work from those that struggle to adapt.
Further reading:
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2025/11/08/skillcations-are-the-work-trend-of-the-future-career-experts-say/
- https://www.cntraveller.com/article/tokyo-is-officially-the-worlds-best-city-for-a-workation-in-2025
- https://hbr.org/2025/09/ai-generated-workslop-is-destroying-productivity
- https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/breaking-down-infinite-workday
- https://www.thehrdigest.com/the-rise-of-the-996-work-culture-has-employees-concerned-in-silicon-valley/
- https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-consulting-startups-2025-10
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