Cultivating tech talent is more important than ever
◆ Scottish organisations should build strong change competencies that put people at the centre, says Helen Lindsay
Technology has vastly accelerated over the past few years, opening huge potential across Scottish organisations. As a result, technology jumped from the sixth to the number one cause of change in the last 12 months, contributing to a 33 per cent rise in the rate of business change in 2023.
While ambitions and expectations are high, there is an underlying sense of apprehension from both employees and leaders alike. Some leaders are concerned they urgently need the right talent to transform for a rapidly-changing landscape, and more than half of UK leaders (54 per cent) say they are not fully prepared to respond to the changes they will face in the 2024 business environment and beyond.
But while technology advancement is the main driver of disruption, it also provides part of the solution. Technologies, such as generative AI, will play a huge role in helping UK businesses not only respond to but benefit from the changing environment. Our latest research on how the workplace will be reinvented in the age of generative AI highlights that 82 per cent of UK businesses see generative AI as more of an opportunity than a threat – more beneficial to revenue growth than costs reduction.
We cannot ignore the fact that some businesses don’t feel ready to face such disruption. However, if past years are anything to go by, organisations are more resilient in the face of change than they might think. Technological change presents the opportunity for Scottish organisations to create new talent strategies and build strong change competencies that put people at the centre. The shift towards generative AI could also encourage organisations to embrace new ways of learning, embedded in the natural flow of work, to create immersive and contextual experiences.
Employee trust can be built by involving them in reshaping their work becoming navigators on the change journey. A collaborative mindset, with an onus on cultivating and nurturing their employees’ talents, could help Scottish employers grow and thrive in this new AI era.
By recognising their needs and celebrating their talents, organisations can harbour employees’ trust in both their company and colleagues. Organisations are responsible for cultivating an environment where employees feel empowered, equipped with marketable skills, engaged in purposeful tasks, and supported in their overall well-being.
Our experience indicates that addressing four core human needs – relevant skills, meaningful work, enhanced well-being, and a sense of trust – can unlock workers' potential. What benefits individuals also benefits organisations, potentially boosting revenue by up to 5 per cent. Facilitating empowerment is a clear strategy for bridging the trust gap in the age of generative AI. When people feel valued and empowered, they exhibit greater trust, comfort, and readiness to collaborate with generative AI.
Technology has the capability to open a host of opportunities for the Scottish economy, but leaders must chart a path to success that places an equal emphasis on embracing and nurturing talent – adapting the ways they lead and learn to scale the technology responsibly, create value, and improve work for everyone.
Helen Lindsay, Managing Director, Talent & Organisation, Accenture Scotland