‘We need to adapt to new work reality’
DUKE Corporate Education (Duke CE) hosted its annual Davos of Human Capital 2019 conference, as an exploration of the intersection of humanity and technology.
The event, which took place last week, also delved into the future of work and leadership against the backdrop of change and transformation.
The one-day, high-impact conference brought together more than 500 senior leaders and HR professionals from across Africa, with the goal of defining the future for business in an era of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital disruption.
“Building relationships, empathy, and bringing humanity into the workplace is the future of work,” said Sharmla Chetty, Duke CE’s president of global markets.
“Organisations can’t protect jobs made redundant by technology, but we do have a responsibility to our people. Leaders have a responsibility to nurture agility, adaptability and focus on protecting people rather than jobs, through reskilling,” she pointed out.
The conference offered new ideas, fresh insights, cutting-edge solutions and best practices for any organisation or industry affected by digital disruption. Understanding how to thrive in digital transformation, identifying new trends, and harnessing the value of technology were in sharp focus throughout the programme as panellists, local and international speakers led discussions on the latest approaches to building human-centred leadership strategies.
“Technology-driven change is compelling us to become more flexible and open to new concepts and ways of working. We need to adapt to a new work reality in which careers become less linear and far more fluid. Leadership has a crucial role to play in providing effective support and development opportunities for employees,” Chetty noted.
The Davos of Human Capital 2019 also featured a special appearance by Sophia the Robot, the world’s first humanoid robot citizen, and her creator, David Hanson.
As innovation and adaptability become ever more crucial, Chetty believes this new era of disruption requires a distinctly human approach where leaders are intellectually curious, creative and inquisitive about new opportunities.