by Paula Quinsee
It may seem so. Many organisations are placing skills rather than jobs at the center of the way work gets done, resulting in the application of skills-based models to meet the demand for evolving business priorities.
By breaking down tasks into smaller projects, or focusing on problem-solving, individuals can move beyond their traditional job title and be recognised for their skills and adaptability (agility).
This is a great way to grow people outwards when there is limited scope to grow upwards (i.e. flat structures).
It also helps to keep employees stimulated, challenged and continuously evolving, resulting in more engaged and productive employees, reducing the risk of burnout (more on this later).
So how has this thinking come about?
Research by Deloitte has shown that formal job specs can’t keep up with the changing demands of work and skills, nor do they really define what we do on a day-to-day basis, especially post-pandemic, and the fluid way we are working today. The research shows that:
63% of current work being performed falls outside of people’s core job descriptions.
81% say work is increasingly performed across functional boundaries.
36% say work is being performed by workers outside of the organisation, who don’t have defined jobs, at all.
There is also a general perception that Burnout is caused by over working (i.e. long hours), toxic environments, demanding bosses and more...
According to the latest stats, Burnout is actually connected with our emotional needs and is influenced by the following factors:
Perceived lack of control or autonomy
Insufficient reward or recognition
Perceived lack of social support / community
Perceived lack of meaning / purpose
(Source: 2023 State of the Heart report)
When we experience the above factors, it can leave us feeling disconnected from our work, our purpose, and sometimes even life in general (i.e., we are disengaged or go through life numb).
By creating a psychologically safe (i.e. healthy corporate culture), we reduce the risk of burnout (see what Simon Sinek has to say on this) and create an environment where people can be innovative, productive and bring their best version of themselves to work and at home.
So what does this all mean for us?
By 2027 there will be a 50% change in skillsets for jobs.... that’s just around the corner...
What are you doing to equip yourself, to re-skill, up-skill, and equip your teams and organisations to thrive in the new Generative AI era?
At Engaged Humans, we specialise in facilitating connection and bringing the human back into the workplace through various employee engagement initiatives and touchpoints. We would love to help you build an environment where everyone thrives and save you the headache of losing your best people, not to mention the impact to your teams and business!
Paula Quinsee is the Founder of Engaged Humans, facilitating connection between individuals and organisations. She is a certified Imago Relationship Therapy Educator and Facilitator, NLP Practitioner, PDA Analyst, Coach and Trainer. Paula is also the author of 2 self-help guides: Embracing Conflict and Embracing No as well as an international speaker, advocate for mental health and activist for gender-based violence. For more info: www.engagedhumans.com or https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulaquinsee/
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