Companies are set to re-design their structures, says a study by Mercer

Organizational structures are ready for a major rejig. With the growing competition for talent, companies are trying to evolve business models that are disruptive. The majority of organizations surveyed in India, about 83%, are planning to redesign their structure in the next two years, found a study by New York based consulting firm, Mercer, under its Global Talent Trends Study, 2017.

"In a world dominated by technological and digital disruption, to be seen as a strategic partner, HR will have to play an anchoring role in enhancing the organization's change agility. HR can lead the way in becoming more agile by, having a much stronger pulse on the needs of its two key stakeholders - both business leaders and employees,  and leveraging these insights for prioritizing changes that matter," said Shanthi Naresh, India business leader - talent consulting and information solutions, Mercer.

Mercer’s study shares insights from over 7,500 perspectives globally, 461 of these in India, and compares the views of senior business executives, HR leaders, and employees from organizations around the world. The report assesses significant gaps in alignment, identifies several critical disconnects concerning change, and makes recommendations to capture growth. 

However, the concern lies over a fact that despite organizations’ plans to transform, HR leaders do not have organization or job redesign on their list of priorities for the year 2017. “The top priorities of HR leaders – specifically building skills across the workforce, identifying high potentials, developing leaders for succession, and attracting top talent externally – reflect the priority of evolving employee capabilities, but may not align with executive’s goals for more substantial workplace change,” study highlights.