Technology skills wil be Technology skills will be at a premium, people will work anywhere, and firms will recruit talent to design work which will be done by machines in future, as companies adapt to meet the demands and needs of a changing world.
These are just some of the findings of Flagship Group who are spearheading an initiative to become a future-ready employer.
Led by Victory Housing Managing Director and Flagship Group Director of People and Workplaces Lisa Collen and Director of IT Matt Brazier, the project is underpinned by extensive research including a comprehensive review of Flagship’s customer experience.
Lisa Collen explained: “We know that the world of work is changing and we are keen to stay ahead of the curve to help us to adapt and attract and retain the best talent. Already we have made great progress in becoming an employer which meets the needs of both our people and our customers, not least with the introduction of agile working to offer a truly flexible role.”
Flagship’s research found that in the world of work of the future:
- There will be a move away from people doing the work to machines doing the work, with companies hiring talented people to design the product and process;
- When it comes to recruiting talent, technology skills alongside resilience, communication skills, adapting to change, problem solving and multi-tasking abilities will become more important;
- The development of existing talent will be crucial, and technology skills, in particular will be at a premium;
- People will work anywhere and the office environment will become a place to meet and share ideas;
- People will pursue project and portfolio-based careers, with more self-employed and freelance workers, and crucially,
- People will want an employee experience shaped to suit them individually.
Lisa said: “In the future, there will be greater competition for talent as employers seek skills to design rather than do the work, the delivery of which will become more automated. As employers, we need to recognise this trend and upskill our people accordingly.
“We also need to recognise that the traditional model of working is not going to be effective. With increased flexibility and the changing needs of business, work will become what we do and not where we go.”
The project has also identified some key areas where employers need to consider taking action. This includes:
- Modernising and adapting offices to support flexibility;
- Relaxing dress code;
- Developing policies and procedures which empower the modern company;
- Providing agile working;
- Focusing on a wellness offer for staff;
- Providing flexible benefits;
- Offering learning and development which meets the company’s needs in future, not least with the provision of much in demand technical skills.
And, Flagship are placing their future employees at the heart of the project with the establishment of a working group which brings together a number of aspiring leaders to translate the research into an action plan for the Group.
Lisa explained: “We are empowering this group of staff to help to shape Flagship into the employer of tomorrow. We know that Flagship is an employer of choice for today, and we want to ensure that we continue to be so in the changing years to come.”
Flagship will share its findings on Tuesday 17th September, as Deputy CEO Helen Walsham speaks at a major conference on the future of work.