We know the world of work is changing and that the speed of change is accelerating fast. This has created one of the most exciting and disruptive periods in the history of work. But what does that mean for the next generation of talent and how can organisations future-proof their business in such an uncertain world?
We sat down with Dan Richards, Recruiting Leader for EY UK and Ireland and Trustee for the EY Foundation, to talk about how individuals and organisations can thrive in such uncertain times.
The EY Foundation supports young people from low income households into education, work or enterprise. It runs three programmes, one of which is Smart Futures. This is a ten-month programme giving 16-17-year-olds paid work experience, mentoring and intensive training in employment skills. In 2017 the Foundation supported more than a thousand young people, and has plans to grow this significantly over the coming years.
I think the workplace of the future is going to be very different from today. We’re probably going through a revolution that is bigger and more far-reaching than the industrial revolution. And I think we will continue to need people to fuel that growth. Technology and automation are going to grow and increase efficiency. It’s about smart people and smart machines working together. We’re going to be augmented by machines not replaced by them. I also think that AI and automation will take away some of the drudgery of repetitive work, freeing up people to get involved in more high-value work and hopefully more fulfilling responsibilities.
We’ve really got to dial up the emotional intelligence. I think this is key in terms of future-proofing all types of organisations. It starts with self-awareness, with really strong listening skills and with techniques like mindfulness. In a crowded world, you have to develop your empathy to work with very different groups and different individuals from the top to the middle to the bottom of organisations. You will need to be able to work with individuals who come from every single kind of demographic.
They have got to really network. They have to keep a very external view on what competitors are doing and what smaller businesses are doing. They also have to understand what is happening with technology and be able to harness important tech as quickly as possible. To achieve this, they must be incredibly agile. From a talent point of view, companies are going to be full of contractors and gig workers, so they are going to need to crowdsource for products and services but also enable their own people to self- develop and keep up to date. All of these things mean organisations have to both externally and internally focussed all of the time. They will also be interacting with a much broader range of clients and demographics and should take steps to reflect and include this diverse talent within their organisations.
EY Foundation is a UK Charity that helps young people, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, find alternative routes into employment and education, or even set up their own business. Their purpose is to inspire and engage young people across the UK who are at a disadvantage in the jobs market and help them to fulfil their potential for work.
Recruiting Leader/ Trustee EY UK & Ireland / EY Foundation