in embracing fluidity , internal mobility , hybrid working patterns and personalisation , writes Peter Brown , Co-Leader , Global People and Organisation at PwC .
When change is the only constant , dexterity – the flexibility to respond rapidly to changing market situations – is a core competence for every organisation . For leaders who may have questioned this truth , COVID-19 has surely hammered home the message .
Over recent months , we ’ ve witnessed how adaptability has been vital to businesses ’ innovation – and in many sectors , their very survival . But what gives organisations the dexterity to thrive ?
Workforce fluidity underpins organisational dexterity , and involves taking a broad and holistic view of current and future skills needs ; our Talent Trends 2020 survey , conducted before the outbreak of COVID-19 , showed that 74 % of global CEOs were concerned about the availability of key skills .
Tapping into expertise , at the time that we need , requires an ecosystem comprising a fluid mix of roles and talent , supported by an organisational culture that champions and demonstrates agility . While senior leaders must trailblaze this , it will come as second nature to members of Generation Z , who are inquisitive and agile in their personal lives , and will expect this at work too .
A fluid workforce may constitute a blend of permanent and temporary staff , part-timers and full-timers , gig workers , freelancers , consultants – plus robots and AI . For example , at PwC , our Flexibility Talent Network is made up of experienced individuals who support our client engagement teams during specific periods of the year . These workers all wish to stay current and connected to the profession , even for a few months of the year , while we benefit from their valuable expertise .
Enhanced upskilling
Hiring for skills , rather than for experience or specific job roles , must be accompanied by enhanced upskilling and internal mobility ; an acknowledgement that we already have talented people , who arguably understand the organisation better than external candidates , and may have the desire and capacity for a different cycle of experience .
Currently , only 18 % of CEOs cite “ significant progress ” in establishing an upskilling programme , according to the talent trends survey . However , those with the most advanced programmes saw three times the improvement in innovation and accelerated digital transformation of those just starting their skills journey .
Greater fluidity supports linear career paths in addition to the traditional ‘ up-and-out ’ model . It ’ s notable that COVID has helped to flatten hierarchies , taking away the ‘ oak-panelled boardroom ’ effect as senior staff take part in video calls from home , democratising the workforce – and talent .
Data suggests that productivity has been propped up by a cohort of ‘ superachievers ’ who have worked longer and harder than before the pandemic
Understanding productivity
During the pandemic , boards have had to embrace digitisation and virtual ways of working – and most have not seen productivity fall off a cliff . In April 2020 , nearly half ( 45 %) of global CFOs surveyed predicted productivity loss due to a lack of remote-work capabilities ; in June , just 26 % anticipated productivity loss in the coming month .
CEOs agree : more than two-thirds ( 78 %) of respondents to our CEO Panel Survey , conducted in August , reported that the shift towards remote collaboration is enduring , and 61 % believe that the move towards low-density workplaces will persist .
Supporting this , high numbers of workers are saying they would prefer to spend only two to three days a week in an office in future .
However , these are early days in this mass remote-working experiment . Data from PwC ’ s Perform Plus Platform suggests that productivity has been propped up by a cohort of ‘ superachievers ’ ( around one-third of the total sample ), who have worked longer and harder than before the pandemic , perhaps facing fewer distractions or feeding off the adrenaline of the crisis . This has disguised a fall in productivity , on average , among the rest , but may become unsustainable , challenging leaders to find ways to tackle performance .
Plus homeworking is not beneficial for everyone – nor for towns or city centres . Many organisations are locked into long-lease property contracts . Humans , by nature , are social animals and even video conferencing cannot replace the benefits of in-person interaction .
Hybrid working patterns
A hybrid working pattern with a mix of office and remote working could help address these issues , including a growth in regional hub-and-spoke offices , plus adoption of new technology . Last month , our own global leadership team ( from across continents ) donned virtual reality goggles and met in a virtual world . Unlike collaborating over video , it felt as if we were in the same room . One participant noted that having brightly coloured avatars also disguised ethnicity and removed any potential for racial bias .
Taking the emphasis off an employee ’ s location broadens the talent pool , providing wider access to scarce skills and supporting diverse recruitment . However , where we hire for difference , we must not then push for conformity . Successful organisations embrace the differences of their recruits and celebrate their agility , their different ways of doing and thinking , and their ability to challenge and to bring new ideas .
In people-focused organisations , staff are treated as individuals , and an emphasis is placed on personalisation and employee experience . During COVID , organisations have taken wellbeing more seriously ; 61 % of CEOs have conducted wellness programmes since March . Fundamentally changing the way people work requires their buy-in and trust , plus personalised strategies to mitigate stress and burnout .
How will we know when our workforce provides the dexterity to thrive ? When we understand our skills needs and have timely access to the talent we require – yet an outsider cannot tell whether a worker is permanent , freelance , part-time or other ; simply that they are part of the organisation , connected emotionally , and aligned with its values and beliefs .
Peter Brown MBE is Co-Leader , Global People and Organisation , PwC . Follow him on LinkedIn and Twitter @ Pete _ Brown100