Kicking off with an assessment of the current landscape of automation in the workspace, the study by Bersin lays out an impactful portrait of how mechanization is gradually modifying the way we work. Citing multiple studies and reports, the article highlights that this influence isn’t a passing wave but a seismic shift bound to gain momentum in the forthcoming years, underlining the necessity for HR professionals to be ahead of this curve.
Bersin, backed by compelling evidence from a series of labor market surveys, asserts that for HR professionals to effectively navigate the wave of automation, they must concentrate their efforts on three crucial facets:
- Reskilling and upskilling workforce: HR needs to champion the upskilling of employees to ensure their competence in an increasingly automated workspace. This requires nurturing both technical proficiencies and soft skills.
- Pioneering new jobs: As automation displaces existing roles, it concurrently births new ones. HR’s role in shaping these jobs is crucial.
- Navigating the man-machine relationship: As work dynamics shift, HR professionals need to steer the co-working relationship between humans and machines. This entails fostering a workspace where employees are at ease interacting with machines and ensuring that mechanization is leveraged to employee advantage.
Concluding the piece with a set of actionable suggestions, Bersin outlines the steps HR professionals can take to equip themselves and their organizations for this new wave:
- Familiarize yourself with your organization’s current state of automation.
- Develop a robust plan to reskill and upskill employees.
- Identify new roles that automation is likely to generate.
- Open discussions with employees about the future of work.
- Advocate for automation within your organization.
Bersin’s analysis offers an exhaustive exploration of the workplace of the future and the role of HR professionals in an era of automation. It presents a critical resource for HR professionals seeking to understand and tackle the challenges and opportunities offered by an automated workplace.
On further reflection
- The analysis commendably underscores the potential benefits automation can offer employees, including freeing them up for more strategic, creative work.
- The challenges that automation may present, such as job displacement and uncertainty about the future of work, are also candidly addressed.
- Practical, actionable advice derived from Bersin’s research and industry experience provides a guiding beacon for HR professionals navigating these changes.
The insightful, well-structured analysis offers a comprehensive overview of the future of work and automation’s implications for HR professionals. It is a must-read for those wishing to stay informed about the rapidly evolving world of work and the proactive steps HR can take to prepare for it.
https://www.hrotoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/White-Paper-Report_FINAL.pdf
