During Career Services’ major annual event, Mónica Flores Barragán explained that business models are migrating from stability to agility, producing a change in employees’ capacities and in the qualities employers value most.
By JOSÉ ÁNGEL DE LA PAZ | EGADE BUSINESS SCHOOL
“The world has ‘reset’ itself. Work will never be the same,” claimed Mónica Flores Barragán, President of ManpowerGroup Latin America.
During the closing conference of Talent & Career 2020, the expert revealed six challenges of the future of work in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the so-called Human Age, an era in which the key to organizational success lies in driving people’s talent and potential.
1. Ecosystem imbalance
“The only certainty is uncertainty,” highlighted Flores Barragán, referring to an ecosystem where government is local, business is global and talent is mobile.
2. New business model acceleration
She observed that technology is transforming the need for physical infrastructure and assets, enabling organizations to create value through data capture, analysis and exchange.
“Business models are shifting from stability to agility. This has led to a change in employees’ capacities and in the qualities employers value most,” she said.
3. The digital era is no longer optional
Flores Barragán explained that organizations need to adapt to the “new normal” in which physical distancing and other strict measures will be indispensable in the workplace. This implies greater flexibility with personnel, including working remotely.
4. Learnability
“Learning will be essential,” she indicated. By 2022, she estimated, more than half of employees will require significant skills training.
Quoting a study by McKinsey, she explained that the technological skills required for Industry 4.0 are digital literacy, data analysis, research and programming.
However, she also stressed that human competencies, such as communication, collaboration and problem solving, are of utmost importance and highly valued in the digital era.
5. Smart Working
She explained that it is not just home office. It is remote work, but it is also smart. Beyond staggered hours, connectivity and the development of digital skills, Smart Working implies planning and organization, personal and professional balance, and health monitoring.
6. Shift in leadership
The leader of today, she suggested, needs to have intelligence, curiosity, humility, resilience empathy and integrity.
“Leading in the future of work is humanly possible,” Flores Barragán concluded.
TALENT & CAREER 2020
Talent & Career is a major annual event organized by Career Services of EGADE Business School that, this year, owing to the contingency, was held in an online format.
During August 5 and 6, through a digital platform, over 800 students and graduates from all the EGADE Business School sites visited the virtual stands of 38 top businesses to discover the career opportunities available in diverse industries.
The participating organizations were 3M, Accenture, Alpek, Amazon, BAT LANCAR, BBVA México, Belcorp, Boehringer Ingelheim, Cemex, Citibanamex, Grupo Coppel, DEACERO, Deloitte, EATON, EY, Femsa, Frisa, GEEP, Hilti Latin America, HP Inc, John Deere, Johnson & Johnson, Kellogg Company, The LEGO Group, Linde, Mars México, Microsoft, Neoris, Pepsico, Puma, Qualtia, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Sintec Consulting, Ternium, Válvulas Urrea, Viakable Operaciones and Xignux.
In addition, participants interacted through virtual talks, networking sessions and direct chats with human resource representatives.
Flores Barragán was responsible for closing the activities with her keynote address “The future of work”.