How automation and digital disruption are shaping the workforce of the future
| Pages | 242-245 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/SHR-08-2019-0067 |
| Date | 11 November 2019 |
| Published date | 11 November 2019 |
| Author | Debora Card,Craig Nelson |
| Subject Matter | Hr & organizational behaviour,Employee behaviour |
How automation and digital disruption are
shaping the workforce of the future
Debora Card and Craig Nelson
Abstract
Purpose –With the US unemployment rate at 50-year lows and the increased use of automation
expected to forceorganizations to replace or retrain over 25 per cent oftheir workforce, enterprises need
new ways to re-skillemployees to prepare for futureneeds.
Design/methodology/approach –The authors spoke with HR leaders of different enterprises to see
how they willadapt to the future of work with the combination of automationin the workplace. After gaining
insights from multiplesources, they were able to come to some conclusions on how the futureof work is
shapingup to be.
Findings –After gaininginsights, they were able to find that companies thatseek to combine the best of
human ingenuity, empathyand change resilience with the prudent use of automation and re-skillingwill
be leadingthe workforce of the future.
Originality/value –This paper from ISG was createdto give insights into Strategic HR Review from real
customers and research conducted. This paper gives valuable insightson how enterprises are actually
re-skillingemployees to adapt to the rise of automationand IT skills gap.
Keywords Training, Change, Human Resource Management, Technology, Transformation
Paper type Research paper
How automation and digital disruption are shaping the workforce of the future
In this digital age of cognitive automation, global economies and growing talent shortages,
the workforce of the future is being shaped by re-skilling workers to do more unique human
work. The combination of advanced technology and training is bringing together workers
and jobs in ways that were not previously possible and stretching the paradigms of how
and why we work.
With the US unemployment rate at 50-year lows and10,000 baby boomers turning 65 every
day, the skills businesses needs are changing rapidly. According to a McKinsey Global
Institute Study, 62 per cent of executives believe advancing automation and digitization will
require them to retrain or replace more than a quarter of their workforce between now and
2023, but the details of how to do that remain unclear. Many organizations are unsure what
specific skills will be needed in the coming years and who possesses these skills in our
current workforce, and are equally confused about the most effective ways to re-skill
workers and the best ways to find and retainskills that are missing in the market.
For enterprises looking to re-skill a workforce to prepare for future needs, here is how three
organizations met the challenge.
Large, US-based insurance company
Facing a demand for application delivery life cycles measured in seconds –with shrinking
resources and increased complexity –a major American managed health-care and
Debora Card and
Craig Nelson are based at
the Information Services
Group (ISG), Stamford,
Connecticut, USA.
PAGE 242 jSTRATEGIC HR REVIEW jVOL. 18 NO. 6 2019, pp. 242-245, ©EmeraldPublishing Limited, ISSN 1475-4398 DOI 10.1108/SHR-08-2019-0067
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