The pandemic made workforce issues related to accelerated digitalization, flexible working, reskilling, and upskilling, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion, even though they didn’t invent them. There are two significant risks for companies because of the combination of these issues.
The world of work that organizations have invested in is not fit for purpose. Different ways of connecting talent to work are required for digitalization and democratization of work. There are both opportunities and risks to using work options such as automation.
The response to work and workforce issues is no longer fit for purpose. Today’s hiring policies, compensation administration, and workforce planning are responding to new challenges with old solutions.
Is it no surprise that companies of all sizes and sectors are struggling with talent management while responding to the opportunities presented by digital?
If the ways we design work and our organizations are no longer creating value, then it is time to rethink both and introduce new ways of functioning. The internal changes needed to meet the external moment are created by applying four principles in a new work operating system.
Start With the Work, Not the Job
The definition of work as a job and workers as job-holding employees is holding back organizations. A new work operating system takes current and future work and divides it into skills and capabilities required to perform the tasks. agility is an act of freeing work from the job. It is possible for organizations to more clearly identify the best option for performing a given body of work, whether that is through an employee, artificial intelligence, or gig worker.
Fuse Humans and Automation
Most people see a narrative between automation and jobs, from corporate leaders to employees. In some circumstances, this may be true, but an “either/or” mind-set artificially limits opportunities. By deconstructing jobs, leaders can more clearly see where a particular type of automation can substitute for human work, enhance workers’ skills, or transform human work. The impact of automation on jobs will deliver the biggest return on investment in the next two years, according to one-third of executives.
Envision the Full Array of Human Work Engagements
The world was plunged into alternate work arrangements after the Pandemic. This experience has made women and minorities want to demand continued flexibility going forward.
Managers are no longer organizing work in fixed jobs in the new operating system. They look at different ways that talent can engage with work. Internal and external talent marketplaces, which match workers with available opportunities, potential roles, and training based on their skills, interests, and preferences, have grown in popularity Gig workers can be quickly deployed to where their skills are most needed in marketplaces.
Borrowing talent from other departments or companies is a framework provided by them. 40% of executives say they used artificial intelligence last year to find talent. According to the report, an additional 48% plan to invest in such technologies this year.
Flow Talent to Work
The high cost of Limiting human work to performing specific roles has been found in our fast evolving world. Future-fit organizations eliminate that cost by attracting and retaining talent.
Future-fit companies will adopt three models of connecting talent to work: fixed, flex and flow. Fixed roles will continue to be used when there is a convenient amount of work or compliance requirements that necessitate a more traditional job. Flex roles involve talent in a traditional job, but with flexibility to express their skills in another function. Flow roles will be able to connect talent with projects and assignments by matching skills to specific tasks, which will be completely detached from jobs.
Organizational resilience and agility can be generated by the four principles. reaping these benefits doesn’t require an immediate reorganization. The new work operating system can offer immediate benefits if it is prototyped in one to two areas. Traditional job descriptions and training can’t keep up with work that’s changing so quickly. Maybe automation has some new opportunities. Some areas are hard to find full-time workers for and new work arrangements are being considered to fill the gaps. A new work operating system can coexist with more traditional systems while building an organization’s ability to adapt and surpass the more conventional and limiting concept of “work with jobs”
A new operating system is required for the changing nature of work. To successfully implement it, boards of directors need to be aware of the risks associated with new ways of working and stay on top of them. Success rests on the understanding that we all live in a state of constant obsolescence.
