If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we cannot always be one hundred percent prepared for the future. Who could’ve predicted 3 years ago that one virus would have such an immense impact on our global economy? With an ongoing labour shortage for some regions of Canada and recession for others, we are certainly in uncharted territory.
But even if we cannot be definitive about what’s to come in the future, there are things you can do to prepare yourself the best you can. When it comes to your business, you can put in place the right systems, the right people, and always be ready to pivot.
This is what we mean by being ‘future-ready’: “scaling up capabilities relevant to future competition”. Businesses that are not future-ready will stagnate, fall behind the competition, and (especially during challenging times) fail.
Right Systems
When companies are planning, they think of actions and outcomes for a profitable end result. Current business plans are often one-minded and structured traditionally. But to be future-ready, we need to shift our mindsets and create plans based on scenarios.
In other words, if the world falls again, what will you do instead?
This would be a new methodology: creating scenario-based strategic growth and business plans.
Business systems consist of technology & humans. Where is that line in your organization? Because if you’re too dependent on technology, you won’t be able to figure out the human element. But if you only have humans and things change, you won’t be able to keep up with the technology.
Having a future-ready workforce means maximizing both technology and the human element in order to cultivate a desirable workplace environment.
Right People
As we move into the future, cultures will continue to change. Globalization means that the world has no borders; international recruitment is key for the future of the war for talent.
In order to find & secure top talent, it is crucial that we adjust our mindsets. As leaders, we need to define the work culture we want to see in our organizations; we must provide the positive work culture necessary to build a top employer brand and constantly nurture this in our teams.
Your work culture is the sum of the values you lead with and the ethics you want to see in practice within your organization.
Once your work culture is established, you need to find the right fit for your organization. This means ensuring that the talent you bring in have the same values & ethics. But even if they do, be aware that they might have different motivations, personal lives, and perhaps not think the same—this is the difference between a culture fit versus culture add.
Aways Pivot
With the current Canadian labour shortage, it is more important than ever that your organization is future-proof.
When the pandemic hit, all businesses were required to make changes—including recruitment. And while there were many challenges along the way, we were also presented with the opportunity to realign and implement new strategies more efficiently.
Whether your organization is in Calgary, Saskatoon, or anywhere else in Canada (or even the world), diversifying your workforce and utilizing both technology systems & human elements will help strengthen your recruitment and retain top talent.
Give us a call to learn how Essence Recruitment is working with clients to future-proof their organizations and workforce.
