How Critical is Learning for Future of Work in the New Normal?
We all are geared up these days on how learning has been evolving especially during this new normal. Work, Workplace, and Workforce are changing. The business model needs to be changed. Jobs will have to change. The skillset for every job will need to change. We need to emphasize on 3 dimensions: Why What and How things are changing?
Dr. Prasanth Nair, Advisory Board Member at ZingHR rightly mentioned that “Effects on organization culture, collaboration & cohesion. Are the training programs using the technology effectively?”
We should look at 4 important skill-sets in the New Normal:
● Cognitive Intelligence
● Collaboration & Coaching
● Creativity
● Consciousness
Monika Mehra, Training Head at LifeStyle Stores (North) highlighted that L&D is not just a strategic arm, but a business partner who needs to provide effective solutions to business problems. Two points we need to consider are:
● Why and Whom are we training?
● What is the need and how much is the investment?
Organizations need to have a central content repository. Bandwidth needs to be checked upon for getting this done.
Internal small learning communities need to be created.
In the current situation of New Normal, there is a need to resort to creative ways when making content to ensure that the learners are engaged. Another important point is, the pace of learning needs to be changed every day. It’s like habit-changing; we cannot achieve it in a day.
Naga Siddharth, Head People and Culture at Supr Daily introduced a fresh perspective “As L&D professionals, we need to start working on Human Resource Designs, start looking out for things where there is the will of leadership to do it. Right now, the human element is more important than the tech element. Gamification at a deeper level is about playfulness, fine with making mistakes and learning. All L&D needs to have a touch of gamification, it will definitely help people in learning better. It will increase a person’s risk appetite and make the experience more effective. There is a child inside every one of us.”
Blended solutions can be used to measure knowledge & skill-set and the actual on-floor performance. AI plays a crucial role in this.
Anurag Sharma, Head L&D at Dixcy Textiles Pvt. Ltd. thinks that “AI will also play an important role in training identification for business, rather than leaders voicing it, if data speaks for itself it will be a classic problem solver. We need to convert subjective problems into objective ones and find solutions.”
AI gives us the tools to predict and classify outcomes. This predictive nature can be used in capturing the need and designing a program uniquely for every individual. It will majorly help in capturing, designing, delivering and measuring the outcomes. Going ahead, organizations will have less but multi-skilled manpower. Going by this situation, one will have to be better equipped with multiple skills, else his growth will stagnate. Organizations are always willing to invest in people’s potential.
Post-COVID, for most organizations, the clear cut job dimensions will be blurred. The radius will need to become bigger. We need to get into the flux and thrive into it. There will be retrenchment, less number of jobs. Some sectors like travel will be critically affected, others like pharma might thrive. Businesses and people need to get more flexible.
Every individual and organization needs to be on the learning curve. We need to Relearn, Unlearn, and Learn continuously. L&D will play a huge role in this.
