Donna McIntyre

What to do for tomorrow, today

Create a more flexible workforce model Embrace collaborative design Enable change through ecosystems and platforms

Tap into boomers for a knowledge boost revenue streams and ideas that we can take to the rest of the world. This is a leapfrog opportunity.”

He warns that if organisations don’t pay attention to the growth of automation and other emerging digital technologies, they will miss out on the opportunity to develop a competitive edge.

“Those that have a handle on automation, and a workforce equipped with new skills, will be the leading organisations of tomorrow.”

He says responsibility sits with leadership as there will need to be organisation wide change that requires the utmost level of support and sponsorship.

For example, to combat their lack of experience in cloud computing, coding and data science, American multinational telecommunications conglomerate AT& T launched Workforce 2020 aimed at reskilling 140,000 workers for new roles ( with the expectation they’d change roles again every four years.) In four months, employees who had taken the training filled half of the technology management roles and received 47 per cent of promotions.

Before undertaking such transformation change, leaders need to ask: Is the culture of my organisation ready to accept such wide change? Is our legacy technology holding back any major development? How will we maintain momentum once we get our change programme off the ground?

Also, he says parents and education institutions need to remember that it’s not just STEM ( science, technology, engineering and mathematics) skills that students need to learn.

“The employees of the future will also need skills like creativity, strategic thinking and emotional intelligence. These are the irreplaceable human traits that future technologies will augment.

“Meanwhile, governments should foster programmes that encourage professional development and the ability for employees to gain new skills, including promoting quality apprenticeships and creating job opportunities for young people by aligning skills to business demands.”