O
On Topic | Catalyst
This is perhaps why workforce
transformation – cultivating talent
from within to build new capabilities
– is slowly but steadily becoming the
preferred route for many employers.
In a 2018 industry report by
US magazine, Training, 48% of
respondents (HR and learning
and development professionals)
reported that their training budget
had increased, while 37% said it had
remained the same – almost identical
figures to 2017.
HR surveys suggest that a high
proportion of businesses are now
investing in leadership development
and e-learning programmes, and
many also provide individual
coaching for staff members.
These programmes come at a cost,
but as Henry Ford put it, “the only
thing worse than training your staff
and having them leave, is not training
them and having them stay”.
Chris Jones, chief executive of
the City & Guilds Group, points out
that “at a time of rapid technological
change, the skills used by today’s
workforce are becoming obsolete
quicker than ever before.
“As working lives get longer, and
the age of the workforce increases,
now is the time to prioritise upskilling
and reskilling at all ages and stages
within their workforces,” he says.
Changing mindsets
through training
Supporting staff to transform can be
a challenge in itself, particularly with
longstanding employees who are set
in their ways. One school of thought,
introduced by Stanford University
psychologist Carol Dweck, divides
people into two attitudinal mindsets:
growth and fixed.
“The idea of the growth and fixed
mindsets is powerful,” argues Dr
Kristina Potočnik, senior lecturer at
the University of Edinburgh Business
School. “There’s a lot of evidence
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“The idea of growth
and fixed mindsets is
very powerful”
to support it. Unlike personality,
mindset is something you can change
through training and motivation.
Motivation is often the factor
that determines how well people
can learn.”
Research by global management
consulting firm McKinsey also
found that while 84% of CEOs were
committed to transformational
change, that figure dropped to 45%
of frontline employees.
So how do you change mindsets
and thus your organisation? Atos has
found honesty to be the best policy.
“We’ve been very honest with
employees about how the world of
work is changing,” says Allen. “Lots
of skills are outdated within two-to-
three years. It’s a big change for some
people and naturally evokes fear
and concern.
“But we’ve had some people who’ve
made really interesting moves, such
as personal assistants who have
become cybersecurity consultants.
We’ve tried to share those
testimonials, their success stories,
to help build openness, trust and a
can-do culture.”