Laboratory work today - new trends are emerging
Change is on the horizon in the modern world of laboratory work. Even before the Corona virus literally shook the economy to its foundations, changes were evident. Completely new trends are crystallizing, not only with regard to the establishment of new occupational fields in the laboratory sector, but also and above all in terms of digitalization and sustainability. These developments relate to different areas and will lead to further innovations in the long term.
Changes in laboratory work
Jobs with home office networking have been increasingly in the spotlight for some time. As a result, a number of new jobs have now become established on the market. The aim is to enable small, medium-sized and large companies to offer their employees a higher degree of agility and flexibility overall. So-called cloud architects and e-commerce managers are accordingly more in demand than ever.
But well-trained virologists, laboratory technicians and assistants are also desperately sought after in a wide range of laboratory areas and industries. In times of crisis, the flexibility factor is one of the most important qualities anyway. And this from the point of view of both employees and employers. The change shows that interested applicants no longer necessarily have to have a degree to have a chance of landing one of the new, crisis-proof jobs. In fact, Covid-19 has seen a real turnaround within the past few months. Particularly with regard to laboratory work, a lot has changed.
Changed structures and workflows in laboratories
Lab work is now more in demand than ever before. In connection with the Corona crisis, everyday life in laboratories is becoming much more complex overall, so that optimization of workflows has become essential. Everything should become more efficient, more economical and, of course, more resource-efficient. This is the only way to achieve excellent results in the future.
A look at the programs of selected future-oriented trade shows makes it clear how important the areas of sustainability and digitization are today. But to do justice to this, among other things, highly functional software solutions are needed to help laboratory personnel maintain an overview, create clear structures and evaluate specific processes in a targeted manner. Sustainability is also an essential issue with regard to the use of resources. However, this aspect does not get along very well with legal requirements. But see for yourself:
Looking beyond the horizon reveals innovative ideas that have it all
Plastics - before and after
In most cases, many accessories and materials may only be used once in everyday laboratory work. In line with said legislation, it is hardly possible to prevent the use of plastics. But there are solutions. And that is in the form of biological plastic, made from corn. In principle, the focus here is not only on ecologically excellently thought-out manufacturing solutions, but also on the type of recycling.
In this regard, the subsequent use in the form of vehicle batteries or chic garden furniture often comes into focus. "Think and act green" is the motto with regard to current laboratory work trends.
Modern forms of digital communication
Intelligent networking and well-designed information and communication technologies - these are aspects that are becoming increasingly important in laboratory work in 2021. The aim is to link processes and procedures between employees and systems, and between products and sensors, in such a way that they function and operate largely in a self-organized manner. Of course, the focus here is also on the "conserving resources" factor.
The use of innovative laboratory information and management modules is intended to support individual workflows and processes on the one hand and to simplify data tracking on the other. At first glance, the digital systems appear to be quite complex, but they can be individually designed and are thus literally worth their weight in gold in terms of results data acquisition, reporting, etc.
Making work areas more efficient and success-oriented
A clear trend is de facto also the design of new framework conditions with regard to everyday work in the laboratory. In this regard, digitization and improving communication among each other once again play a central role. This means that the laboratory itself should no longer be understood "only" as a simple work area, but rather as a communicative life science area in which the well-being and inventiveness of the staff should come further into focus.
The possibility of a more intensive exchange among each other can promote the motivation and also the creativity of the employees. This aspect is also essential in terms of improving efficiency and profitability. In addition, sustainable development successes can arise from this positive development in the short, medium and long term.
We are excited to see how the laboratories of tomorrow will look and function. Are you too?
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