IIM ROHTAK HUMANE-R PRESENTS IMPRESSIONS April 2022 HUMANE.R@IIMROHTAK.AC.IN
Why upskilling HR is critical to lead Workforce Transformation
Though the world had witnessed the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) as an essential way of upskilling, but, it was in the year 2020 that the world underwent the biggest trend shaping. Businesses acknowledged an essential transformation, AI and web technology had to function not only within the organisation's systemic needs, but also hand-in-hand with their employees. The confluence of technology and human effort was indispensable. The choice was clear, either adoption or death of the enterprise. The overhaul created bigger challenges because of insufficient training and development of employees, for the most uncertain. This was called the upskilling imperative.
Now, as Industries’ are pushing to return to thework from home models, the demand for transitioning the upskilling process is pertinent. The primary driver for the pursuit of this revolutionary process is to improve organizational image, reduce training costs, reduce administrative burden and create instant global reach while employing better tools for corporate training. Another prominent term that the advent of the uncertain reinforced was called knowledge transfer or KT. A fundamentally empowering, knowledge-sharing way which proved to be more beneficial than ever in shaping employees from within and beyond. Knowledge transfers enabled workforce across industries in battling the severe challenges posed due to the aftermath of Covid-19.
The unaffordability factor for several firms resolutely enabled them to deploy these less cost intensive ways of managing and propelling the workforce to achieve goals. Not only the considerably novice and small companies, but several big firms had also faced the wrath of steep revenue cuts post Covid and hence investments in R&D were slim. The trend to couple internal processes with third-party Internet-based training tools, proved to be economically feasible for them to buy time till a majority of their workforce could upskill and adapt to 'forced ways of learning'.
Lessons from Leaders US based tech major Apple has recently announced a $50 million fund specifically catering to the Supplier Employee Development. This fund will enable better learning opportunities for employees of Apple's manufacturing partners. A tactical way of reducing manufacturing inaccuracies and minimising costs that emerge in the process A very interesting aspect of this fund is that it will be utilized to broaden the ambit of virtual education and facilitate more reach of skill-building courses that Apple already offers to its manufacturing partners. 5 million people have already benefited from the Supplier employee educational programming and have proven to improve workers' efficiency and reduce training costs of future workforce.
Following the bandwagon, PwC declared funds worth $3 billion for job training for all employees, to enable 'future-driven performance', with unique aspects of 'Digital Fitness app 'and the 'Digital Lab' The Digital Fitness app, a one-of-its-kind application would lead to self-determination of individual digital knowledge and allow creation of customized learning plans. The application would be a one-stop destination for employees to receive learning resources, enabling employees to 'think differently and unlock their innovative creativity at scale'. The next future-driven asset called the Digital Lab would be instrumental in allowing employees to collaborate and share innovative solutions. It is said to be a highly, “democratized platform deploying social and gamification features to incentivize building and sharing of assets with wide applicability". Such a step will not only bolster collaborative learning but also sharing of skill-sets and building team unity, understanding and compatibility. Such collaborative approaches can be used by firms across varying sizes and industries to aim at holistic skill and team building. Falling in line, companies across the globe are actively engaging with IT giants and in some cases, with startups to enhance and transform the way they train their employees. They constantly seek to develop by applying the human touch to business and technology.
HOW SKILLS GAPS HURT BUSINESSES
Source: 22nd Annual Global CEO Survey, PwC
As per the Annual Global CEO survey by PwC, a staggering 52 percent of CEO's stated that people's costs have risen more than expected while other 47 percent global CEO's admit that quality standards and customer experiences have suffered due to the lack of required skill-sets needed to function in a rapidly transforming age. Companies need to reconsider their current practices and fall in line with transformed corporate workspaces. Those who succeed in crossing half the curve are able to triumph over an array of technical challenges. With their eyes fixated on emerging digital technologies, remote employee engagement is also a core need to meet the gaps emerging due to redefining client workspaces.
Human Engineering Manpower needs to be smoothly equipped to meet the needs of the transformed today and the uncertain tomorrow. Building efficient human interfaces are an efficient precursor to human interaction. According to new research released by Manpower Group Solutions, employees want a technology-friendly job experience from day one. As per the report, technology can provide a better experience for today’s employees, provided it is tailored to them and combined with an in-person approach. Some organisations took the game to the next level as they navigated through their ways to find predictive algorithms to better understand their employees’ behaviour. These companies reaped the fruits of just-in-time success and because they were able to aptly recognise the need for a tech-driven to their significant business advantage. Throughout the pandemic and after, HR played a crucial role in defining and designing cohort groups in the organisations. As productivity estimation and collaboration enablement became too difficult, cohort groups offered some respite. These groups were a mix of talent of employees from different departments which seeked to provide opportunities for people to mingle before, during and after they begin working in the new department so they could share their experiences and challenges. They aimed at
building a personalised yet tech-centred user interface to ease this new normal for their old as well as prospective employees.
Complexities and pitfalls Although there were many advantages to digital transformation through automation and upskilling, they did come with a fair share of disadvantages or ethical challenges. The emphasis on organizational performance and individual productivity made effective recruitment and retention a major concern for HR managers. It is well known that in the world full of opportunities, there is no dearth of ways for employees to switch to a company which helps them in fulfilling their personal goals. Post pandemic, Infosys witnessed an attrition rate of around 22% despite the company's focus on upskilling. Thus, retention of talent is increasingly becoming a major challenge for HR managers, as the industry trends pace faster than individual company capacities Another concern arises due to the 'private’ vs ‘public’ spaces online that have become dubious for users. It has become quite hard to identify the possible ramifications of participation in both the immediate and long term.
Way ahead Thus, a number of attempts are being made to simplify the training and retention of employees,
including
decentralizing
&
streamlining
the
HR
processes,
and
incorporating state-of-the-art technologies into the existing training practices. Increasing automation will enable a direct link between what the present holds and the future demands. In order to tactically and closely identify essential and potential skills gaps, AT&T has curated an internal website where company employees insert their certifications, and
supervisors scan for people with the skills they seek and need to group for skill training. It allows them to efficiently allocate their resources to skilled employees and draw comparisons to identify groups with skills -in-demand and those to whom help has to be extended.
Time stands testimony that the most efficient and effective reskilling programs begin with a comprehensive assessment of the current skills and mindful projections of future transformations. Post which, a set of tools are designed to tailor them according to the most incumbent and pressing needs of the industry and then these systems are seamlessly integrated to a menu of skills training programs. However, the job is easier said than done. Each organisation functions in a set of varied internal and external possibilities which need different levels of people's understanding. A feedback loop does the job of closely understanding the possible advantages and disadvantages of systems deployed; and to categorically understand if the resources curated are falling in line with desired results. As complex and human-oriented is the process of HR selection and planning, so is the process of HR development and smooth training and empowerment.
The need of the hour is an enhanced focus to develop a culture of continual learning, testing and action-driven approach to take feedback and consistently merge it with corrective measures. Use of internal leader-led courses, best-in-class external resources and functional as well as departmental partnerships will produce more fruits than sowed. Scientific and calculated upskilling priority is pertinent for long-term cost reduction and brand building. This move will help companies develop cross functional expertise and better competencies that will determine not just survival for the employees but also for their roles.In the current technological and economic climate, it is a business imperative to train current employees to close skills gaps in order to meet the future needs of the organization.
Mindful career and job enrichment alternatives will beat the technical and ethical challenges to make the processes transparent and HR friendly. The idea is to enable inclusivitywith automation, without any inhibitions. In the end,
“ Everybody has to be able to participate in a future that they want to live for. That’s what technology can do” -Dean Kamen
Pallak Kainthla Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies