Hugo Malan is President of Kelly Science, Engineering, Technology & Telecom, a business unit of Kelly.
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We all know technology moves at incredible speed. In high school, I had a simple ZX Spectrum computer, which proudly boasted 48 kilobytes of RAM and a Z80A processor with about 8,000 transistors. These days, 48 gigabytes of RAM in high-end laptops, with a comparable increase in the CPU transistor count, is not unusual.
So somehow in my lifetime, computing power has exploded not by 10% or 20% but literally by a million-fold!
Currently, we’re witnessing remarkable advances in automation and artificial intelligence. The emerging capabilities of large language AI models have been startling, and trying to accurately predict the impact of these technologies on our lives and the workplace—even just a few years into the future—is nearly impossible.
Beyond any doubt is that the impact will be transformational, especially on how companies develop and deploy talent, and that it's imperative to start preparing now. The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report predicts 85 million jobs will be replaced by AI by 2025. But the report also suggests this tech could create 97 million new jobs. This means companies have no choice but to develop a workforce that embraces, and benefits from, AI and automation.
How To Shape Your Workforce In The AI Age
The (very near) future of work is about having the right mix of talent that's equipped with the right AI and automation tools. Most companies understand this. According to our 2023 Global Re:work Report at Kelly, half of global executives say the skills needed in their organizations are set to change dramatically and addressing those gaps is a top priority.
At the same time, many executives rate their organization’s ability to develop employees as poor, and around one in four say they don't have a clear understanding of currently available skills or what they'll need in the future. Only a small group of employers are navigating this environment well, having successfully automated aspects of their business and developed a capable workforce that thrives alongside AI and automation.
So what can we learn from these leaders? Here are three critical strategies for success.
1. Create A Dynamic Development Plan
AI and automation are not on the horizon; they have already arrived. Your employees need training now to understand these tools, whether they directly utilize them or work with others who do. Experts warn a wave of legislation around AI in the workplace is coming. Raising awareness of the challenges and risks associated with these tools is as important as recognizing the benefits.
Your training and development plan should span your entire workforce. Some employees simply need awareness of the impact of AI and automation on your organization, while others require upskilling to deploy these tools effectively. Given the pace with which these technologies evolve, training will need continual updating based on bottom-up organic identification of emerging needs.
Gartner’s Shifting Skills Survey reveals the skills taught in available trainings often don't benefit the business or the employee's career because employers generally struggle to predict what specific skill sets are needed in the future. Therefore, organizations should pursue a dynamic strategy that responds to shifting needs in real time, continually engages internal stakeholders who are sensitive to emerging trends and provides access to training materials employees can select based on their rapidly evolving needs and interests.
2. Redesign Existing Roles And Responsibilities
There’s no question AI and automation will reshape your workforce. The earlier you consider this, the better prepared you'll be. Traditional job descriptions will change as these tools make some tasks redundant and introduce others that require new skills.
By monitoring emerging tech capabilities, you can proactively identify use cases where it could reshape roles to be more effective. You can then redesign existing tasks and responsibilities to ensure this technology's benefits are fully realized. If done successfully, you may potentially realize productivity gains measured in multiples rather than single-digit percentage increases.
Putting a plan in place for role redesign lays the groundwork for a smooth transition to a workforce that works in harmony with AI and automation. This allows time to engage your talent and allay any concerns about the changing nature of roles.
3. Assess Which Roles Will Disappear And What New Roles Are Required
AI and automation’s potential to transform the workplace means some roles will inevitably become obsolete. Don’t ignore obsolescence; plan for it. By proactively assessing the roles most likely to disappear, you can mitigate the impact by limiting recruitment for those roles and finding ways to upskill workers whose jobs could be at risk. You can also ensure greater flexibility by outsourcing jobs with greater volatility.
On the other hand, it's also certain you'll introduce new roles. So where will you find the talent? One approach is to identify and partner with colleges at the forefront of creating courses that prepare graduates for a more symbiotic working relationship with AI.
Another approach is hiring from groups you may have previously overlooked. Take veterans, for example. Advanced technologies are deployed rapidly and efficiently in the military, so many veterans have practical experience working alongside tools and acquiring new skills quickly.
You Can Influence Your Employees' Success
Now is the time to assess your workforce and develop a dynamic strategy for skills development, role obsolescence and new role formation. To state the obvious: If you’re not moving forward, you’re falling behind. Among the many risks this creates, the biggest is that your company could miss out on the most exciting productivity improvements we’ll see in a generation.
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