Integration Of Multi-Generational Workforce Top Challenge For Hr Professionals

The SP Jain School of Global Management conducted a large-scale survey of HR professionals, across its campus locations in Dubai, Singapore, Sydney and India, on the theme of workforce transformation, as a run up to its prestigious HR conclave.

HR professionals polled during the survey represented industries such as FMCG, pharmaceuticals, banking & financial services and hospitality sectors, among others and straddled various levels.

Speaking about the survey, Prof Christopher Abraham, the architect of the survey, and HR thought leader at the SP Jain School of Global Management said, “We need to shift our mind sets from traditional hierarchy structures. Lot of structures we have inherited are from the industrial era. Those were very relevant till the good part of twentieth century, but not anymore.

As a part of the findings, most human resources (HR) professionals felt that Workplace transformation is a new reality as business schools are moving from Traditional organizational structures to adopting flexible self-directed teams to cater to the changing business & technology.

What emerged as the top beneficial factors for Workplace Transformation were variables such as

Higher Teamwork and Collaboration
Greater Transparency and Communication
Improved Employee Motivation and Engagement
Digitisation of the workforce
Sharing of organisational resources
Optimisation of infrastructure cost.
Effective Utilisation of Space
Improved Employee Well being

However, in order to achieve the above transformation, the challenges that would have to be overcome were; in descending order

Integration of Multigenerational Workforce
Privacy Concerns
Data Access and Protection
Employee Productivity
Social and Cultural Sensitivity
Adherence to Code of Conduct &
Training Employees for New Technologies

In order to accelerate workplace transformation a few measures such as Coaching and Mentoring, Customised Training Programs, Management Development Programs, Performance Feedback, Continuous Education, Online/Blended Learning, Business Simulations, Peer-to-peer Learning and International Assignments could be implemented.

The survey outcomes however suggested a few areas for improvement would be higher autonomy and empowerment of employees, focus on governance, compliance, sustainability and balancing boundary between work and personal time.