Dive Brief:
- Organizations that cultivate a lab mindset at work will be in a good position to cope with technological disruption, according to Thriving in an Age of Disruption from HR consulting firm Mercer. That's one of four recommendations the firm made after surveying HR professionals about their best practices. Specifically, employers should encourage experimentation, design thinking and balanced risk taking while also creating a climate of continuous learning.
- Mercer also suggested that employers: (1) craft a future-focused people strategy; (2) curate a compelling employee value proposition; and (3) ensure work is purposeful by empowering employees to make decisions.
- In polling more than 800 HR and business leaders worldwide, the firm also found that in thriving organizations, growth and development matter most to employees, followed by equal access to opportunities and equal pay. It also noted that employees who are energized and able to be themselves at work are much more invested in their jobs.
Dive Insight:
Preparing the workforce of the future starts now. Employers that don't prioritize innovation, culture and a strong employee value proposition might find themselves struggling to keep up with the competition. But moves to enhance the employee experience now can ease the transition into the future of work, technological disruptions and all.
And as these disruptions promise to take some of the more mundane tasks off everyone's plate, HR should be able to focus more on these strategic initiatives that are of increasing importance. After all, organizations don't thrive unless workers do, and unhappy workers can mean high turnover, low productivity and damage to the employers' brand.
