The lockdown is undoubtedly one of the largest tests that businesses across the globe will ever face. Since March, companies of all sizes have been forced to close their doors, scale back operations, furlough staff, and even make redundancies.
While there have always been discussions around the importance of business agility, the pandemic has reinforced the crucial need to rapidly and accurately assess a situation and respond accordingly. Going forward, a company’s inability to remain nimble will almost certainly expose vulnerabilities and insufficiencies that could be detrimental to survival.
Just one question…
Business owners know they must remain agile, but how does this look? Are we talking about tangible changes to processes or a more abstract concept achieved through shifting behaviours?
Often directly linked to technology and innovation, business agility actually refers to one or both of:
- Operational agility. The ability to optimise internal processes.
- Strategic agility. The capacity to make proactive organisational changes in response to external pressures.
While technology is indeed a prominent facilitator in achieving operational agility, when it comes to strategy and risk management, people are the key driver. Businesses understand that strategic agility requires a shift in attitude, management style and approach to everyday operations. As such, the workforce and talent supply chain have become critical areas of focus for businesses emerging from lockdown, particularly with regards to:
- Identifying the skills, experience and attitudes required to remain operational and even grow in the face of disruption.
- Talent supply chain and considering if this is still fit for purpose to meet the needs of the business today and into the future?
- Acquiring the critical skills and capabilities should current employees be unwilling or unable to return to the workplace or talent has been lost. How will this be achieved? Who can we trust? How quickly can they deliver?
Over the coming weeks, we will explore how organisations can maximise business agility through effective talent management. Our experts will explain how businesses can gain a complete understanding and take control of their talent supply, including:
- Identifying talent strengths and gaps
- Forecasting future skills needs in the business
- Building a robust contingent workforce strategy
- Developing collaborative partnerships that deliver
- Establishing an employer brand and Employee Value Proposition (EVP).
Stay tuned to the Omni blog to find out more, or register your interest in receiving a free copy of our comprehensive guide Adapting to Agile: The Flexible Solutions You Need to Ease Business Recovery, which we’ll email to you upon publication.
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