‘Digital, personalised learning needed for growth’
From building an agile workforce to benefits of reverse mentorship, Deb Bubb, human resource, vicepresident, chief leadership and learning officer, IBM and Gillermo Miranda, vice-president, global learning and employee enablement, IBM, talk about ways to improve communication and performance at the workplace. Edited excerpts. feedback and learning. Clearly, the accessibility of technology, long-term demographics, millennial generation becoming a majority of the working population, the need for multi-dimensional job roles flexibility and expectations on virtual reality, robots and artificial intelligence are tipping the companies in favour of an agile workforce strategy. We are experiencing major shifts in technology, business and society. These shifts have a direct impact on the workplace, where an organisation’s ability to learn is a big part of its competitive advantage. Here are some critical trends:
This means that people are living and working longer, so the need to reskill and upskill multiple times over any individual career is creating a demand for lifetime learning solutions at work. Reinventing ourselves for 2-3 “professions” in our work-life will become the norm, not the exception.
Today, techsavvy employees treat social networks, mobile and cloud technologies as a given. At any time and any place, workers can use their computers and smart phones to sift through online videos and courses, webinars, social media, published papers, other rich content, and track down in-person opportunities, such as mentorships and training.
The modern learner requires full autonomy for continuous development and wants a learning experience that fits their personal needs and preferred learning style. We absolutely believe in a culture of coaching and mentoring including reverse mentoring and powerful feedback conversations. It is a great way to have new and experienced employees share their knowledge, boosting both groups’ understanding and improving overall communication and collaboration in the workplace. As part of an agile environment, it is essential to embed a strong culture of coaching and mentoring including a culture of feedback. The future looks bright for India’s economy, fuelled by an entrepreneurial culture and youthful workforce, among other advantages. However, a looming talent shortage could threaten that future. New technologies, ever-changing skills requirements and outdated curricula are challenging India’s higher education system in its efforts to equip graduates with job-ready skills. To address these challenges, India’s education leaders should consider providing students with requisite skills by partnering with industry, adopting new learning technologies and delivering experience-based, applied learning.
Having said that, it is essential for each company to define a talent strategy that provides an optimum mix of attracting new talent and enhancing the skills of the existing workforce on a continuous basis.