The Digital Disruption Is Here To Stay: Is Your Workforce Ready?

Technology, frequently cast as the villain coming after jobs, may be the hero

As emerging technologies shape the contours of the economy, HR must respond to evolving business needs with talent strategies to ensure the workforce of the future is equipped to thrive. With the fast pace of innovation, emotional intelligence and human judgment will play an integral role in the overall success of every organization.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and digital disruptions have transformed workplace operations and increased employee efficiency. Spurred by this transition, technology is positively benefitting the workforce - NOT replacing human interaction. Many jobs still require an immense amount of human collaboration and essential human traits, such as communication, creativity, empathy and critical thinking. Technology is not the villain coming for your job. It is a catalyst for propelling your organization forward, modifying operations in preparation for the future. It is imperative employers train and coach their employees on new developments to increase understanding, embrace the benefits of these new technologies and understand their new roles.

According to a March 2021 study by Faethm entitled, “The Future of Jobs in the Era of AI”, jobs in IT, technology, and mathematics will see a severe shortage of skilled workers in Germany, the US and Australia by 2030. Canada should be no different as our digital economy mirrors similar acceleration. Therefore, the demand for upskilling and reskilling employees is at an all-time high for data and digital literacy, as organizations rapidly redevelop, transform, and innovate to align with the changing times. Upskilling and reskilling are key drivers that empower employees to own their careers and allows for internal career mobility. This will assist organizations, boost retention rates and promote engagement amongst the workplaces.

With the pandemic-driven digital transformation ongoing, new job roles emerging in technology, cybersecurity, AI, and more, will remain in high demand globally. But employee adoption is uneven.  Younger generations of working Canadians are more familiar with digital advancements and therefore, more adaptable. Research shows this is not typically the case for older employees.

From an HR perspective, these problems need to be addressed. To counter the common “fire and hire” cycle is the renewable vs. replaceable practice, advocating for lifelong learning and investing in one’s skills instead of replacing them all together.

This will require a large culture shift to a growth or learning mindset to inspire employees to accept the changes and upgrade their skills accordingly. With the increased digitalization of jobs, today’s employees and future hires will need to have the right mindset as well as robust skills. For workers to master these new skills, organizations need to offer reskilling and upskilling programs which will allow employees to take charge of their careers. Organizations that empower employees will be better equipped to meet the demands of the future.

To propel your organization forward, HR professionals must recognize the current mindset and identify the gaps in skillsets to provide strategies, training and coaching to ensure today’s workers are prepared for the workplace of the future.

Jim Mitchell, President of LHH Canada, commenting on the March 2021 Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey stated, “Organizations and executive leaders need to rethink what the jobs of the future are going to look like, to ensure employees are properly trained to perform and adapt to an environment experiencing sudden change.” Many organizations have had to make quick, and in some cases dramatic, changes due to Covid-19, but with the changes now in place, may risk this becoming their “new normal” going forward. People have shown their capabilities when it comes to drastic change; it has been proven through their adaptation to working from home. Going forward, people should not be fixated on the idea of job loss, but more on what are the skills needed for the future to maintain relevance and “employability.”

We have already come so far and risen to the challenge of adapting to a massive change in a short period of time. While automation is inevitable, human interpretation will always be paramount. The key is to maintain a technology-talent equilibrium, and HR will play a vital role. As industries advance, the emergence of new roles will require higher-order skills and thinking. There will be no stopping the technological advances. We just need to reskill humans to keep pace.