Companies preparing for 2020 HR shift

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"Future new employees, called Generation 2020, are now almost in high school and at the same time, the technologies that will define the 2020 workplace are in design stage already," says Natalie Maroun, chief strategist for LRMG Performance Agency. "In addition, globalisation, the introduction of new ways of working, the usage of emerging technologies, and shifting demographics throughout the workplace are all having an impact on, and helping to shape the workplace of the future."

For companies to succeed, they will need to introduce particularly innovative HR practices to ensure they are ready to meet the inevitable shifts in the way work is viewed. Consider for a moment that never in the history of the modern world will there have been five generations in the workplace at one time.

Organisational capacity

"It's critical to develop an organisational capacity to work with a geographically dispersed set of employees, customers, partners and suppliers from diverse cultures across time, space, geographies and organisational boundaries. Cultural exchange is vital to understanding the market, which is why a company that withdraws into itself atrophies," says Maroun.

She advises HR to develop advanced corporate communication platforms using a range of social media, blogs, wikis, communities of practice, and online corporate social networks to connect employees, enable mass collaboration and facilitate innovation in the global marketplace.
"If your growth plans include global expansion, look for ways to connect employees, whether through high-quality telecommunications, such as video conferencing, or by connecting with individuals via social networking. And if your research funds are limited, consider using open innovation strategies to involve people passionate about your products in generating ideas." Start with your people first and then move to your customer.

Furthermore it's important to personalise the employee experience and consider how to individualise the existing one-size-fits-all approach to employees. "Creating a personalised employee experience is a way to retain the best talent. Therefore develop a way of delivering a unique, tailored experience by offering a wide range of choices from which employees can select benefits to match their unique needs."

Leadership is key

Citizen leadership is also key. The 2020 leader will have to move beyond the hierarchical style of management that has been the main model for over a century. "The marketplace is too complex and conditions are changing too rapidly for organisations to rely on cumbersome and antiquated forms of leadership and management. Develop an approach that reinforces the principles of openness and democracy through access to information and social collaboration.

A citizen leader will recognise that enabling the entire organisation to collaborate in non-traditional ways will accelerate its market responsiveness." It's also smart to champion openness and transparency. "Encourage full disclosure of the thought process leading to decisions that matter to the organisations. The strongest messages that leaders of an organisation can send is through their own behaviour."

Finally and perhaps most importantly, organisations need to create an inclusive culture by building a welcoming corporate environment and employer brand that is sensitive to culture, ethnicity, race, age and other differences that provide equitable access to opportunities. "Innovation thrives on a diversity of ideas. If you want innovation, you need a diverse set of contributors whose ideas are heard," Maroun concludes.