We are at the end of Q1 in 2024. Time to summarize possible further developments of a disruptive, global world, company culture and human sustainability.
The last years, since 2020, were influenced by major developments and occurrences which have had significant global impact:
- Covid-19 Pandemic: The outbreak of the coronavirus in late 2019 became a global pandemic by March 2020 affecting millions of lives, overwhelming healthcare systems, disrupting global economies, and prompting widespread individual, social, and economic changes besides a strong, insisting, and underestimated psychological impact.
- Technological Advancements: Artificial Intelligence, remote working tools, RNA vaccines, cryptocurrency and blockchain technology were adopted quicky during the pandemic.
- Climate Change and Environmental Issues: Isimncreased awareness and action regarding climate change with all its consequences to reduce carbon emissions. The E of ESG. The era of Anthropocene, humanity to be responsible for geological changes.
- Social Movements and Political changes: A global spread of social justice movements as “Black Lives Matter” as a reaction to high-profile incidents. Political unrest and changes, including the storming of the U.S. Capitol in January 2021 seeding distrust in the democratic system. Shifts in leadership and political parties, a tendency to polarisation.
- Economic Fluctuations: Significant economic downturns due to the pandemic, followed by supported recovery phases. Supply chain disruptions and inflation spikes.
- Geopolitical Tensions and Conflicts: The increase in geopolitical tensions, such as the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine starting in 2022, which has had widespread repercussions on global energy supplies and international relations. The conflict in Middle East enhancing further geopolitical polarisation besides human suffering.
The impact of these occurrences includes remote work and digitalisation, labour market shifts, also referred to as the great resignation, where employees have been leaving their jobs in search of better pay, benefits, and work conditions, a purpose and work-life balance. This has caused a talent crunch in several sectors, pushing companies to enhance their employee value proposition. While economy is struggling in some sectors, others have been growing during the pandemic. The claim for sustainability and social responsibility has intensified, demographic changes predict challenges and GenY and GenZ seek work-life balance, purpose, a competitive salary, and a culture to belong to. Gen AI, Artificial Intelligence has changed and will continue to change the world of work significantly.
AI and HI will coexist, technology and people cooperate, humans will be enhanced by technology as described in a recent TfT.
As supported by technology, a sustainable world of work which consists of both, human and machine, will become faster, more agile and boundaryless. There will be a mutually reinforcing process between man and machine, and also between business and the human.
What is a boundaryless world of work?
A boundaryless world of work is characterized by transformative shifts in how work is structured, performed, and perceived.
- Technology and Human Work are integrated into everyday tasks as AI, automation, and robotics become more sophisticated. Machines take care of repetitive tasks, the processing of big data and recognition of patterns, whereas humans are focussing on creativity, empathy, and complex, holistic problem solving.
- Physical and Digital Blurring of workspaces. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR)technologies can create immersive work environments what allow human workers to interact with digital processes and machine learning systems as if they were physically present. Work arrangements and environments adapt to the needs of the task or the individual.
- Geographical and organizational boundaries fade, the necessity for physical presence diminishes. Teams can work together from various parts of the world as if they were in the same room. This global connectivity means for companies that they can tap into talent from everywhere, breaking down geographical and traditional organizational boundaries.
- Fluid roles and Responsibilities, more dynamic. Machines take on the more predictable tasks. Workers may shift between functions and projects rather than having a fixed job description. This requires a versatile skill set and a willingness to continuously learn and adapt. HR and Headhunting will change. In depth processing and a holistic confrontation with task and people are required. Head-hunters will use digital tools and leverage AI, but their - so far - unattainable edge consists of the capacities of human perception and evaluation.
- Continuous Learning and Adaption become crucial in a world where human roles are complemented by machine capabilities. Humans have to develop parallel to the development of technology. They must learn how to use the tool, but also by critically and ethically evaluating the effective contribution of the tool to the task, the company, the individual employee, society, and the planet. The evaluation of this capacity, critical thinking, needs to be done by humans.
- Ethical and Governance Challenges as data privacy, surveillance, and the fair distribution of economic benefits generated by automation. Addressing these challenges additionally to the ones mentioned above is essential for building a sustainable and equitable boundaryless world.
Historically, organizations intend to unlock the power of workforce by implementing structure, processes, and systems. They try to make humans better at work and thus raise productivity and profit. The employee is seen as a cost. In a digitalized, sustainable, agile, and global world as described above the classical metrics – productivity and scalable efficiency, engagement and retention are not applicable or in a newly defined way. The workplace has to be improved for employees. The approach is human centred, and we need to find metrics to measure the value creation for humans, organizations, and the society.
Our mindset has to change from a fixed to a growth mindset, operational obstacles have to be overcome. Trust is the base of successful cooperation and leadership. Culture is not implemented by a central authority but cocreated within the workforce according to the company values. Microcultures representing individualism, and different interests, form and empower humans by the sense of belonging. Xenia Barth, CEO and Manager of Merz, stated in a MP event that sustainability teams form intrinsically. People who are interested in this topic find each other.
What a boundaryless world means for Recruiting
Recruiting and headhunting are aligned with the companies´ and societies ‘requirements, but should also be ahead, predicting future situations, developments, and challenges. The world is in the middle of a transitional process, leading to agility, fluidity, a sustainable, diverse, and digital society.
Rigid hierarchies and roles with clearly to define hard skills are a relic from former times. Today, tasks have to be fulfilled and there are different, individual ways and approaches to do so. Values have to be created and implemented for both, company, and employee. Some companies still have to adapt to new parameters and requirements, or even become aware. No wonder that Deloitte states that there is a growing demand for Talent Management and Consulting.
Recruiters need to embrace and cover all parts of these changes, on all levels and parts of an economy, the approach is holistic and human centred.
They need to consider technology as a recruitment tool as well as something in coexistence with humans. They base decisions on data and research as well as on their human capacities. They need to be aware of global compliance, and recruit with cultural competence. In a human centred world, they focus on soft skills. They adapt to flexible work demands and support the abolishing of crusted, non-evolving structures and metrics. They contribute to building an employer brand and a positive candidate journey. They are flawless in strategic networking and relationship building.
Recruiters see what companies may not see, the whole picture of a changing world.
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Written by Gabriele Kamps, Content, Communication, Coaching.
Morgan Philips – making success stories happen!