Preparing for evolving job functions in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Preparing for evolving job functions in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Preparing for evolving job functions in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

According to the World Economic Forum, White Paper of December 2019, HR4.0: Shaping People Strategies in the Forth Industrial Revolution, a four-step approach to achieving the optimal combinations of humans and machines, and ensuring the continued relevance of the workforce includes:

Deconstruct Jobs

Re-evaluate

Optimise work & Reconstruct Jobs

Re-skill Talent

Here are a few of the ways that structured job functions will change in the future and how we can prepare for it:

  • The ‘gig’ economy
    Positions in business will become fluid with organograms being overlooked in favour of project-based teams.  This is especially appealing for the Generation Z who want greater exposure and diversity in their daily operations.  Determine how the organisation can best work with contractors and freelancers as part of this new ‘gig’ economy.  

  • Decentralised workforces
    Thanks to mobile technology and readily available access to the internet, anybody can now work anywhere.  Consider the need and relevance of the formal office structure and the options of flexible workplaces and working hours.

  • Motivation to work
    People will need more than a monthly paycheck as motivation to work.  The future workforce wants to know that they are part of a bigger mission and purpose that they believe in. Ensure that there are relevant reward and incentive initiatives.

  • Life-Long learning
    Not only will the future workforce want to continue to grow and learn throughout their career, the rapid evolution in industry will require them to continuously be upskilled to adapt to change. Having talent development strategies that focus on the skills required of the 4th Industrial Revolution will be critical.

Even though we can’t predict all the changes of the future, we can agree that there are decisions we can make to prepare for it.  Employers will need to think differently about who they recruit and their potential to adapt to the changes of the future organisation.

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