This Week's Top 3 Must Reads on The Future of Work

These are my top three article picks for the week of February 7th on the future of work, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and humanizing work. This week's selection includes the latest insights from the Global Skills Index on digital skills gaps, how the pandemic has propelled HR leaders into the boardroom, and neuroscience's role in engaging and retaining high-performing employees. I hope the articles inspire and ignite your imagination about the future of work and provide insights and strategies that you can leverage to help your organization thrive and make work more human.

Global research: 3 out of 4 professionals do not feel ready to work in a digital-first world

This article made the top of this week’s list because it speaks to the challenges organizations around the globe face as it relates to the transition to a digital-first world. A recent Global Skills Index research report based on 23,000 workers in 19 countries revealed that 73% of respondents believed they lacked the digital skills required for businesses now. Seventy-six percent felt that they were not prepared with the skills needed for the future. The digital skills gap is real and has real-world implications. More troubling is the fact that, according to the research, the digital skills gap continues to widen. Now, pause and think about that in the context of the pandemic accelerating the unfolding of the future of work and the impact on business continuity and growth. The research revealed that the digital skills gap applied to basic entry-level skills like functional digital literacy and advanced digital skills like data analysis, programming, and data science. The research provides a wealth of insights at the intersection of the digital skills gap, leadership, multi-generational and entry-level employees. Moreover, it provides a road map for human resource leaders to track against upskilling and long-term learning and development strategies. I will close with a quote from the article. “Business is the greatest platform for change, if and only if all stakeholders -- employees, customers, partners, and communities -- are continuously gaining and sharing new knowledge with a purpose of personal and economic prosperity.”

How the Pandemic Has Propelled HR Chiefs Into the Boardroom

“An unprecedented sea change is happening in the HR profession.” Yes, there is a significant demand for HR leaders to Human resource leaders are driving strategy at the board-level than ever before. The article provides examples of how HR leaders around the globe are rising to the moment. Referencing the shift and demand for HR engagement at this level, the article talks about a “new breed of multi-tasking senior HR executives who are suddenly on speed-dial to the CEO.” In fact, 80% of CHROs are now actively partnering with their CEOs on culture and other compelling issues of the day. The founder of the HR recruiting firm, Amplify, said it best, “So much is in motion in the workplace. Covid. Burnout. Mental health concerns. Social justice issues. The shift to remote working. The Great Resignation, all of this is centered in HR.” As the chief diversity, inclusion, and people officer of Chipotle stated, “there is no playbook” for navigating the environment of today and “if your culture is not healthy, then your company is not healthy…ideas need to come from everywhere.” My key takeaways from this article are 1) HR teams need the expertise and acumen to build out new models for the organizations of the future 2) HR teams must skill up, particularly in futures thinking, and 3) your time has come, there is a vacant seat at the table – pull up, sit down and drive the process.

?Why your high-performing employees may be slowly disengaging from work

Each week we learn more about the factors driving the Great Resignation and those driving the phenomenon. However, recent research suggests that high-performing employees are beginning to drive what I call the Great Reinvention and Great Reimagination. According to the article, "most people aren't giving up, despite the significant workplace headwinds of the pandemic. Workers are looking for better work, higher compensation, greater purpose, more flexibility, and opportunities to grow. They are emboldened to make their own change." Yes, beware, high-performing employees certainly are empowered and emboldened to make their own change if the organizations that employ them cannot or simply choose otherwise. The author asserts that neuroscience plays a significant role in engagement for high performers. The work of Dr. Michael M. Nikoletseas is referenced in the article. I found this quote fascinating in the context of engagement for high-performing employees. "Humans exhibit decremented responses to events that have become too familiar. We produce nothing but a reflexive response—no new learning—which is neural rigidity." So neutral rigidity can cause behavioral plateaus and may contribute to top-performing employees being often the most significant flight risk. Therefore, to stay engaged, it can be argued that high-performing employees need to continuously learn, be challenged, and reinvent themselves on "new curves of learning." Leaders, what are you doing to prevent stagnation among high performers? What new problems to solve or learning opportunities are you delivering to high performers? How are you supporting high performers in their quest to reinvent? This article made this week's list because the issue sits at the heart of engagement and meaningful work and leveraging on humanizing worker experience.

?Be resilient, be relevant, be bold and let's thrive in the unfolding of the future of work together! Want more insights? Click on my logo below and sign up for my newsletter. Want to learn more about training to prepare your leaders with the resilience and future-focus needed to thrive as the rapid unfolding of the future of work continue? Click on my logo below and schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation. Have you purchased your copy of my book titled Force Majeure: A Futurist's Guide to Boldly Thriving on Your Terms in the Future of Work? If not, grab it today, it too is a must read!

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