While we continue to steer our way through the changes in how , where and when we work , a new priority is coming to the fore . Half of all employees will need some form of reskilling by 2025 , according to the World Economic Forum ’ s 2020 Future of Jobs Report – though it ’ s very hard to anticipate precisely what these new skills will be .
What is clear is that we must swiftly and proactively equip our people and businesses for the transitions and uncertainty ahead . This will be through role-modelling core competencies ( around adaptability , communication , collaboration and creativity ), hiring for learnability ( not just what people currently know ) and adopting a learning mindset ourselves .
Ultimately , companies and individuals are going to have to work in partnership to create and build the workforce of the future . We interrogate the challenges and opportunities of this evolution in our ‘ big feature ’ on p6 .
Unlearning and including
Prioritising learning means creating a learning culture that ’ s right for our specific organisation and monitoring its impact over the medium term . As Nationwide explains in our client insight on p10 , it involves giving teams and individuals protected time in which to acquire and embed new skills .
People must also be encouraged to unlearn some of the out-ofdate knowledge they have acquired over the years , and to embrace vulnerability when it comes to admitting what they don ’ t yet know . This can only be achieved in an atmosphere of psychological safety , in which we promote the value of diversity , equity and inclusion ( DEI ).
By developing inclusive programmes that tap into the strengths of individuals who are often excluded from the workforce , we gain access to a vibrant and diverse talent pool . In this edition , we explore why neurodiversity in hiring benefits all ( p16 ) and share lessons from our recent roundtable , delivered in partnership with our public service clients , on the important subject of social mobility ( p15 ).
Moment orchestrators
To take inclusion to the next level , progressive companies are beginning to involve all their people – and wider stakeholders – in decisionmaking by adopting an ‘ open-strategy approach ’, which encourages ideas generation , collaboration and engagement . Today ’ s leaders must be “ moment orchestrators ”, explains Christian Stadler , Professor of Strategic Management at Warwick Business School ( p22 ).
Much of this will be unfamiliar , and none of it will be easy . However , embracing the skills challenge through a lens of inclusion will be both a differentiator for organisations and a draw for employees . To echo Professor Dave Ulrich , author of The Leadership Code 3.0 , on p7 : “ When we ’ re under pressure , we can either break into pebbles – or we can use that pressure to create diamonds .”
David Leigh Chief Executive Officer , AMS
Embracing the skills challenge through a lens of inclusion will be both a differentiator for organisations and a draw for employees