As observed by Paul Heath, Head of Client Solutions, OnTrack International, amidst the rapid digital transformation, business leaders face the pressing need to evolve beyond solely equipping employees with current skills, toward cultivating a future-fit workforce capable of thriving amidst technological advancements and rapid change.
Senior leaders at global businesses are grappling with a dichotomy. They want growth but do not know how to upskill employees to get there with the rapid pace of digital transformation and pressure to adopt technology.
So, rather than focus on creating the employees they need now, they need to get them future fit.
The changing future-fit workforce
The pressure for businesses and their employees to adopt technology and transform digitally is ever-increasing. For many firms and their people, the pandemic introduced technology in a way they had not used it before.
In the last year alone, we have seen the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence across many business functions, whether for generating content, providing recommendations, or making predictions.
The role of people in a tech-dominated world
Amidst the explosion of technology, the importance of people remains undiminished. Employees may not be replaced by AI but they will be replaced by those people who can use AI. There will be a significant difference between the enthusiastic amateurs and the genuine experts.
So, with the greater adoption of technology comes the dilemma of how companies can help their people keep up. How do they perform at their best during times of rapid change? How do they adapt to ensure they have the best chance of success?
And given the increasing pace of change, companies and senior leaders can feel like they are second-guessing what skills their people need.
Businesses are realising that nurturing their future-fit workforce is crucial. So, how should leaders create employees that are future fit?
Leadership in testing times
First, it starts with the leader.
Business leaders face several significant challenges, but they are proving their mettle. The focus has shifted from a command-and-control style to a more outward mindset, where leaders understand the ripple effects of their decisions.
Yet, as always, there is an expectation to deliver more with less. And leaders and their employees now expect to be able to access knowledge or learning instantly.
However, while the information may be readily available, can leaders translate such information into a learning pathway that equips employees with the skills they need?
Among these concerns, leaders tell us that building, maintaining, and enhancing their network and connections, both within and without their business, is crucial.
Leaders do not want to feel like they are on their own. They want to create a safe environment where they can try new initiatives.
They also want to learn from other global leaders to better understand the external environment to meet internal expectations.
As a result, connected and collaborative leaders will understand the skills their employees need to learn, adapt and succeed.
The value of transferable skills in a future-fit workforce
Second, while specific roles might become obsolete, a certain mindset and skillset become more relevant.
At OnTrack International, we talk about employees developing a mindset of curious tenacity – or the desire for learning combined with the ability to do something with it.
When so much information competes for attention, businesses need their employees to be able to direct that learning and implement what they know to enhance performance.
With this mindset in place, employees can learn the skills they need to become a future-fit workforce. Crucial skills include emotional intelligence, critical thinking, data analysis, adaptability and networking.
These competencies do not merely add to an employee’s CV; they pave the way for individuals to be agile thinkers in an unpredictable world. They are as critical and relevant now as they have ever been.
Learn and adapt
Third, businesses, leaders and employees must adopt the latest learning methods.
When employees can access almost anything they want from their phones, age-old methods of knowledge acquisition are under scrutiny. The conventional workshop has metamorphosed into a webcam session, but does this transition suffice?
With many approaches available, businesses must discern what best resonates with their employees.
The overarching goal is not just about making information available but aiding individuals in becoming the best versions of themselves.
From live learning and learning content to our learning platform, that is why we provide a broad range of capabilities across many learning and development issues.
It is why we are better equipped to create and deliver optimum learning experiences that produce powerful business results.
Developing a future-fit workforce
The future remains uncertain.
There are many things that business leaders cannot and do not know. Whether it is adapting to new technological advances such as artificial intelligence or understanding the evolving external environment, many complex and uncertain issues are in play.
To navigate these issues, leaders must focus on developing a future-fit workforce who have a mindset of curious tenacity with the right combination of critical thinking, emotional intelligence, networking, data analysis and adaptability.
In doing so, businesses and their leaders can better respond to future challenges and uncertainties.
OnTrack International frequently helps global organisations overcome such challenges and train capable leaders to deliver business results now, and to develop employees for the future. For more information, please Contact us on how to develop your people and teams.
