After a period of sharp contrasts where some individuals and organisations have been in a 'deep freeze' state and others have gone through a rapid transformation, the next stages of a 'new normal' will start to appear. This has, is and will continue to impact on individuals, teams and organsiations. Change will continue to impact on all these levels from the way that we work and interact and the skills that we will require to do so.
McKinsey highlight 6 areas of focus for companies as they begin to consider their future (the first 3 being the 'what' the second 3 being the 'how'),
1. Rapidly identify the skills that business model depends on
2. Build employee skills critical to your new business model.
3. Launch tailored learning journeys to close critical skills gaps
4. Start now, test and iterate.
5. Act like a small company to have a big impact.
6. Protect learning budgets (or regret it later).
The key themes that stand out in terms of employee's skills are the need to continue to develop hard competencies around digital know-how, along with the softer skills of social and emotional skills within the confines of distance working, how to remain agile and how to build in resilience for a continued period of uncertainty and change.
Most of these areas have been on the agenda for organisation's for some time, the current situation will accelerate the need to act to build workable solutions in a practical and pragmatic way and to do so quickly .
To meet this challenge, companies should craft a talent strategy that develops employees’ critical digital and cognitive capabilities, their social and emotional skills, and their adaptability and resilience. Now is the time for companies to double down on their learning budgets and commit to reskilling. Developing this muscle will also strengthen companies for future disruptions.
