Upskilling is necessary for a future-proof workforce
TRENDS HR functions must break out of the mould and adopt a flexible approach
The 56th Shine.com HR Conclave was organised recently at The Taj, MG Road, Bengaluru. Themed ‘Upskilling and the New Talent Pipeline’, the high-profile event was graced by the presence of several leading industry experts and focused on rapid upskilling as a means to drive exponential growth for the country’s jobs and business ecosystems. A critical point discussed at the 56th Shine.com HR conclave was how HR professionals can ensure long-term value by creating a culture of constant learning within their organizations. The need for nurturing futuristic talent, within a workplace that offers growth opportunities led by upskilling, was reiterated unanimously throughout the event. The conclave also focused on the increasing importance of new-age learning resources, such as Shinelearning.com, towards upskilling the country’s workforce.
Lakshmi Sridhar, vice president (corporate talent acquisition), Microland Ltd. spoke in detail about the need for continuous learning within organizations and the evolving role of HR teams. She said, “Skills which are currently much sought-after might not even be relevant, even two years down the line. HR teams must have the right strategy and the right mind-set to adapt to the speed of this change. They need to become partners who can help accelerate the digital journeys of their employees.”
“Enterprises will have to nurture digital proficiencies within their workforce through upskilling and reskilling,” she added.
All the panelists agreed that the Indian HR landscape needed to transform its processes in line with the changing times. The panel moderator Jatinder Salwan, head HR, Societe Generale Global Solution Centre, discussed why the HR function and its approach needs an upgrade, saying, “The talent landscape has changed incredibly in the past couple of years. With on-demand outsourcing becoming a prominent aspect of business operations, managing the talent requirement has become extremely challenging for HR teams. How does one differentiated between talent and skills, ability and capability? These are the kind of questions that HR professionals really need to ask themselves right now.”
The need of the hour, indubitably, is to focus on futuristic skills that will be relevant in the job landscape of tomorrow. While educational institutions have a significant role to play in nurturing these skillsets into new graduates, the need for upskilling existing employees is a responsibility that must be shouldered by organizations.
Deepali Dani, head of talent acquisition, Walmart Labs India, spoke about continuous learning at the workplace as a critical aspect of remaining relevant in the ever-evolving business landscape. She said, “I believe organizations really need to look deep into their own internal processes to identify what’s changing, and at what speed. They need to re-evaluate what technology is changing in today’s world and how that change affects their operations.”
Shilpi Saxena, HR Head – Kurlon Ltd., concurred, “The mindset of Indian consumers has changed drastically. They no longer want the same things they wanted five or ten years ago. Companies, even in traditionally slow-changing industries such as manufacturing, have had to evolve quickly to keep up with the consumer demands. There is a need for professionals with not just the skills, but also the kind of growth mind-set that can rapidly adapt to this dynamic.”
She further added, “The biggest challenge for established companies is how to manage their transformation and to set the foundation for the new generation of professionals. I feel that, given how dynamic the new-age business ecosystem is, organizations should aim to stop reducing their attrition rates. It is important to bring in new blood at regular intervals, as it helps in getting new perspectives and capabilities.” Citing the hiring trends within her own organization as an example, she said, “I hire for my company, not for a particular function, which is why I try to limit most of the new hiring to the entry level. Professionals at this stage are extremely malleable and can be shaped according to the company’s culture and requirements. The thrust at my company is on development. With guidance, mentorship, and growth opportunities, many of them end up staying with us for a longer time than they would with other companies.”
When discussing performance assessments and retention of top performers, Salwan spoke about how the HR function can break out of strict molds by adopting a flexible approach. “We keep our own assessment policies quite flexible. If our employees self-assess themselves to be deserving a particular compensation and can perform to a level that matches it, we are open to revising our assessment structures. .”
“The fact of the matter is that we’re looking at profits at the end of the day. Aspirational ideas in the HR function work best when you have a long-term strategy already in place,” he concluded.