3 Tips To Shape HR Strategies In The Industry 4.0

These are the answers from Ms. Tiêu Yến Trinh – CEO of Talentnet to the question: “Facing the constant changes in the requirements of employees’ knowledge and skills, what can HR do to build a 4.0 workforce?” 

This question poses a great challenge for HR: planning skill enhancement programs without really understanding them. According to a survey by PwC – a multinational auditing company in September 2021 with more than 4,000 business leaders found that only 26% of participants were confident in identifying the skills needed for the future. 

Upskilling and reskilling have brought great concern to HR, Ms. Tiêu Yến Trinh believed. The development of technology leads to constantly changing skill sets, together with the uncertainties of the VUCA world (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) have prevented HR from re-evaluating the overall picture of the workforce. 

There is no exact solution for this matter because each industry and business will require different skill sets. However, to help businesses and guide HR with the most basic steps Ms. Trinh provides 3 suggestions as follows: 

Appraise existing skills 

In order to survive in the 4.0 world, workers not only need to adopt new skills but also have to strengthen their core skills, said Ms. Trinh. Familiar skill sets such as communication, creativity, and leadership do not remain the same in different contexts. To start appraising the workforce’s existing skill set, HR can rely on 4 core skills with the 4C model – critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communications. 

Identify new skills for the future 

According to McKinsey – global management consulting firm, the demand for technology-related, social, and emotional skills will increase in the future. With the growth of digital transformation, companies and HR need to be prepared with knowledge about new technologies such as blockchain, AI, automation, etc. Besides, social or emotional skills such as the ability to cope with challenges, adaptability or resilience skills will be new requirements for HR in the current context. 

Take advantage of modern technology 

Without the support of data, building skills that align with business strategy is like finding a needle in a haystack. With the application of technology and data science, businesses can become more flexible. The applications of AI or automation can also create training programs on the “right person and right time”, which help HR and employees save time and improve productivity. 

“Technology is becoming a global inevitable trend. Applying technology to improve employees’ capabilities is not only IT or HR department’s responsibility but also needs share with the rest of the organization. There are still manual tasks in the world of technology but how to fill those positions is the conundrum for HR. Businesses can start by improving interpersonal skills such as creativity, leadership or empathy.” Ms. Trinh concluded. 

Source: VNExpress