Where Do We Go From Here?
It should also be noted that the trends we have identified more clearly describe the conditions of forced necessity rather than prescriptions for how to respond. Upgrading technology is often the least challenging part. Much more challenging is synchronizing those upgrades with the required strategy changes, process changes and upskilling. The last year has shown that the one universal choice facing every business is to expect the unexpected. That’s necessary for survival and for being ready to accelerate through the curve. Our research shows that companies that are serious about expecting the unexpected are emphasizing worker resilience, proactive DEI, continuous learning, ever more extensive career pathways and human-digital teamwork.
Identifying trends is all well and good, but what are you supposed to do with it? First and foremost, it’s important to remember that the above trends don’t operate independently. They overlap, reinforce or even act as a rate limit on one another. For example, progress on DEI is achieved when there are better career pathways, but automation may exacerbate existing inequalities in some fields. Continuous learning supports worker resilience, but some roles have clearer pathways than others to emerging opportunities. To effectively support the L&D efforts of your workforce, you need to evaluate your needs, industry trends, workforce skills and potential for adaptability. Because our survey of 400 HR leaders covered the U.S. economy broadly, it offers a generalized perspective of their challenges and plans. On the ground, those challenges and plans will differ by industry and by job role.
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