The 2021 Mercer Global Talent Trends survey has shown that the majority of organizations are focusing on upskilling and reskilling to boost workplace transformation.
Over the past year, the workforce has completely evolved and become more reliant on technology and the idea of flexibility in where, when and how we work.
“It became clear during the pandemic that skills fuel business transformation and organizational resilience,” said Kate Bravery, Global Advisory Insights and Solutions Leader at Mercer. “Companies that took inventory of their workforce or talent ecosystem have been able to find talent quickly, move talent to where it’s needed most, and make critical talent decisions to keep the business running during uncertain times.”
The research revealed that 58% of UK organizations have started identifying new skills that will be necessary for the post-pandemic workplace, while 21% of HR leaders are incorporating various skills-driven strategies.
Additionally, the survey showed the most important skills that organizations will need to obtain to be successful, including collaborative skills, empathetic management, an adaptive mindset and more.
“How we work is changing at pace and how organizations were set up a year ago is likely to be out of date now,” said Lisa Lyons, UK Workforce Transformation Leader, Mercer. “A more agile way of working is needed to meet this changing business environment. Savvy leaders who want to stay ahead of competition will value skills as their new currency.