The way we work has been transformed during the pandemic with the processes that keep companies running also changing in response to demands from companies looking for flexibility so that they can respond to a rapidly changing business world. In this podcast, which has been produced in partnership with Anderson, Anderson and Brown, we look at the benefits that organisations can gain from implementing a Virtual Finance Function (VFF). A VFF can allow companies to scale up their finance function as their business grows allowing increased capacity, functionality and reduced cost. In this episode ..read more

Scotland's rural economy is being revolutionised by technology - but connectivity in remote areas has to improve to ensure it can reach its full potential. Experts described how a range of tech was being deployed by rural businesses - from virtual electric fences to keep in livestock to 'smart' sprayers that identify weeds and use only the correct herbicide to kill them. Wearable technology to provide health and welfare information on animals, and mapping using drones, is also increasing - with data provided by a range of devices offering vital insights to improve decision-making. However, poo ..read more

Scotland needs to move quickly to create a new pipeline of digitally-focused clean energy jobs to make up for significant losses in the oil and gas industry. An estimated 10-12,000 jobs were lost in oil and gas in 2020 alone - with a further potential spike this year when furlough ends. Many new data-focused roles will be created in emerging areas like hydrogen and carbon capture & storage, as well as offshore and onshore wind - but can these roles be created rapidly enough to make up for the sharp decline in oil and gas employment? Audrey MacIver, Director of Energy and Low Carbon at High ..read more

Driverless transport is on its way - but public caution means we are unlikely to be hopping into a driverless taxi or onto a driverless bus or train any time soon. Transport experts say the adoption of autonomous vehicles is still largely limited to 'closed loops' - like airport monorails - because of the complexity of the environments in which vehicles move around. Neale Kinnear, an expert in transport safety and behaviour, said the tens of thousands of people employed in driving jobs in Scotland shouldn't worry about being replaced by robots and artificial intelligence any time soon. "There ..read more

Technology will play a huge part in the future workplace - but what will be the impact of the automation of traditionally human tasks? What does the rise of ‘deep’ technology like artificial intelligence and increasing use of robotics mean for jobs in retail, or healthcare, or energy? One survey says up to 20 million global jobs in manufacturing alone could be replaced by robots by 2030. But will the march of the machines really mean that millions of people will be out of work? Another survey, by the World Economic Forum, says automation will replace about 85 million jobs globally by 2025 - bu ..read more

The mass shift to working from home - and closures of shops, hospitality venues and tourist attractions - hollowed out Scotland's city centres. For much of 2020 and early 2021, they resembled ghost towns. So what happens now? With so many people committed to working from home for at least part of the week, will coffee shops and cafes once buzzing with office workers ever open again? What will happen to all those empty units? Will the shift to local living actually help Scotland's towns rediscover their identity, with more focus on shopping, eating and spending leisure time ..read more

What you can expect from the new Scotsman podcast series FutureWork in partnerships with Skills Development Scotland ..read more

What does the future of work look like?  That’s the key question posed in a new podcast series by The Scotsman, in partnership with Skills Development Scotland dedicated digital skills and careers website Digital World. How will we work? Where will we work? Will the future be dominated by technology - and will robots take our jobs? Experts and industry leaders share their insights, with Professor Heather McGregor, Executive Dean of Edinburgh Business School at Heriot Watt University saying in the first podcast: “The future of work will be unbelievably flexible. We will work in different w ..read more

The way we work has been transformed during the pandemic with the processes that keep companies running also changing in response to demands from companies looking for flexibility so that they can respond to a rapidly changing business world. In this podcast, which has been produced in partnership with Anderson, Anderson and Brown, we look at the benefits that organisations can gain from implementing a Virtual Finance Function (VFF). A VFF can allow companies to scale up their finance function as their business grows allowing increased capacity, functionality and reduced cost. In this episode ..read more

A ..read more