Author: Peggy Smedley
Traditional work cultures and paradigms are shifting very rapidly. Both employers and workers recognize a transformation is underway. Roughly 65% of workers state the emergence of technology is having a profound impact on the workplace, as the paucity of workers continues to hamper industries across the globe, according to our soon-to-be-released worker survey. Today, let’s consider an example in the construction industry. Olsson Roofing Co., has specialized in the maintenance, installation, and repair of commercial and industrial roofing systems and architectural sheet metal for more than 100 years. The company works on a variety of projects such as green roofing,…
Here at Connected World, we have been covering the automotive space for more than a decade. Certainly, we have been covering telematics in the enterprise space for just under three decades. But in the last 10-15 years we have seen the rise of the connected car aimed at consumers—and we are currently at a precipice where much is set to change in the industry, as all this car connectivity combined with autonomous driving tips toward early adopters. Let’s explore some of the biggest trends. McKinsey & Co., has staked the claim that by 2030 roughly 95% of new vehicles sold…
Talent and technology will coexist, as a new era of work begins to emerge. Those working in the workplace today know that the way we work is changing as quickly as technology is. We must adapt to both at a fast rate. Today, let’s explore some of the biggest tech and work trends for 2024 and beyond. A new report—the IT Talent Trends 2024 Report from Info-Tech Research Group—points to four big trends to watch in 2024 and beyond. Certainly, an obvious one is the rise of a hybrid work culture. Even with this transition, productivity has remained relatively constant.…
As the talk of AI (artificial intelligence) rages on among consumers and within a host of vertical industries, many sectors know delivering on the promise of AI will take some work. In order to make the future of AI sustainable, we must consider the foundational technology and the connectivity to spur this along. Certainly, 5G comes into this conversation in a big way. GSMA Intelligence suggests 5G connections are expected to represent 51% of mobile connections by 2029, rising to 56% by the end of the decade. 5G has been the fastest mobile generation rollout to date, surpassing one billion…
The way the construction industry works is evolving due to several factors. For almost a decade, we have been sounding the horn here at Constructech that the worker shortage is a challenge that every construction company needs to consider. In that time, the lack of skilled talent has only intensified. We have seen a pandemic that has reshaped the way we work, creating a hybrid environment for several industries. Many of today’s workers often want fully remote work—or a hybrid option, to have a greater level of freedom and autonomy at work. Our research shows some construction field workers say…
Welcome to March, National Women’s History Month. As the way we work continues to evolve, there is no greater time than now to consider how women’s roles have evolved—and will continue to evolve in the workplace. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, there are roughly 2.2 million open jobs and not enough skilled people to fill them. While there are opportunities for all workers to step up, women can certainly also help fill in this gap. A closer look at the history of how we got to where we are today, and the worker of tomorrow might be in…
Is the smart home finally here? One big topic of conversation at last week’s NAHB (National Assn. of Home Builders) IBS (Intl. Builders Show) was the rise of smarter, more energy-efficient homes built with smarter, more energy-efficient building techniques. Let’s look at the state of the smart home. To start, let’s review some numbers. At the very end of last year, CEDIA released its 2023 Professional Smart Home Market Analysis in partnership with Ancrage Consulting. Data was collected through short surveys fielded to integrators from July-Aug 2023 as well as through actual sales pipeline reports. The data found the U.S.…
The opportunities are always endless with technology. And I can only guess how tired you are reading that in my blogs? But today, of course, this statement comes with a caveat: We are only able to do the things we can dream if we have the core foundational elements such as the connectivity needed to spur new innovation like the rising implementation of AI (artificial intelligence) applications. This is where 5G enters the conversation. What Is 5G? At its core, 5G is the fifth generation of wireless cellular technology. With it, brings greater feeds and speeds, which will enable adoption…
As the NAHB (National Assn. of Home Builders) Intl. Builders Show kicks off today, many construction professionals walking the show floor know something important: the construction industry is a good industry to do business in. For years, I have been arguing construction is a good career to consider for a host of reasons. Certainly, builders are contributing to reimagining our cities, homes, and infrastructure, which is a noble and much-needed pursuit. But let’s be honest, the reality is a career in construction often pays handsomely—something many construction professionals already know very well and that is something they are trying to…
Much has changed in the last four years and that will have a far-reaching impact on manufacturing in 2024 and beyond. For today’s blog, perhaps it’s time to take a closer look at how far we have come, the state of manufacturing in 2024, and where we are headed in the future. In last week’s blog, I kicked off this concept by diving into the evolution of the supply chain, highlighting how it cracked under the immense pressure and disruptions of COVID-19 in 2020—but those of us in the space knew it was fractured long before. What followed in 2021…