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LATEST THINKING

Harnessing revolution

Responsive and responsible leaders must act to ensure their people are relevant and adaptable to keep pace with technology change.

OVERVIEW

Digital has already delivered a major blow to businesses slow to respond. There's more to come. The very concept of work is being redefined as different generations enter and exit the workforce amidst a rapidly changing technological landscape. Responsive and responsible leaders at the very highest levels of the organization must act to harness the power of the Fourth Industrial Revolution for long-term advantage and shareholder value. Mindful to put their people first, at the center of change. The new leadership imperative is clear: Create the future workforce. Now.


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KEY FINDINGS

Business leaders need to ensure that their people are relevant and adaptable. The stakes are high for businesses, workers and society as a whole.

The good news: Leaders can build on a workforce that's already highly engaged with digital. And reshape their organizations to allow workers to flourish in a future augmented by new technologies in a way that drives real business value—labor productivity, talent acquisition and retention, as well as innovation and creativity. The bad news: The clock is ticking. CEOs need to put people as the priority or risk leaving scores of workers, and their company's competitive strength, behind.

To prepare the workforce, leaders need to:

  • Accelerate reskilling people

  • Redesign work to unlock human potential

  • Strengthen the talent pipeline from its source

Based on our interviews and discussions with business leaders and experts around the world, it's clear that it's time for CEOs to take social and economic actions that allow people and technology to reach their full potential.

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“A human in the middle of the digital environment is still using age-old technologies like walkie-talkies. We need to digitize the human. Digitalization is not about removing people but about making operations safer and efficient. It will create new jobs but will change the type of jobs.”

Michael Lefenfeld
President and Chief Executive Officer, SiGNa Chemistry

COUNTRY FINDINGS

Learn more about worker opinions in your country.

Optimistic about changes technology will bring to work in next 5 years

0%

Positive attitude about impact of automation on work experience in next 5 years

0%

Expect part of job to be automated in next 5 years

0%

Would invest free time to learn new skills to stay relevant

0%

Top skills needed to stay relevant at work in next 5 years

Skills Icon

    RECOMMENDATIONS


    To create the future workforce now, leaders need to:

    Make every leader a digital leader

    MAKE EVERY LEADER A DIGITAL LEADER

    Reskilling should involve all levels of the organization. From bottom to top.


    Live the example of open source

    LIVE THE EXAMPLE OF OPEN SOURCE

    Strike the right balance between protecting your corporate DNA and offering the broader workforce access to learning resources.


    Tackle labor policies

    TACKLE LABOR POLICIES

    Leaders can influence their own organizations readily enough. But also need to exert their influence on public policy through lobbying groups and industry advocacy.


    Good things come to those who wait

    GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT

    Invest for the long term based on a new, less direct organizational payoff.


    Become good stewards of the future

    BECOME GOOD STEWARDS OF THE FUTURE

    Make developing tomorrow's talent a strategic priority for your business.

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