Are you open to change?

The winds of change are yet to blow in the India Inc’s territory even though one hears a lot about change management and strategies to infuse change in different systems. According to Mercer’s 2017 Global Talent Trends Study, the majority of organisations surveyed in India (83 per cent) report they are planning to redesign their structure in the next two years, yet only 11 per cent of business executives say their organisation is "change agile".  

Even as the competition for talent continues to rise and business models are disrupted by technology and socio-demographic shifts, organisations are still taking an evolutionary approach to their talent strategies in the face of revolutionary changes. 

One of the major reasons for the “lame change” policies is that HR is not involved effectively in the process.    “In a world dominated by technological and digital disruption, to be seen as a strategic partner, HR will have to play an anchoring role in enhancing the organisation’s change agility. And HR can lead the way in becoming more agile by, having a much stronger pulse on the needs of its two key stakeholders - both business leaders and employees,  and leveraging these insights for prioritizing changes that matter,” said Shanthi Naresh, India Business Leader, Talent Consulting and Information Solutions, Mercer.

"In an age where digitisation, robotics, and AI are wreaking havoc with traditional business models, it is easy for executives to focus on superior technology as the solution to ensuring the competitiveness of their organisations and to overlook the human element," said Ilya Bonic, President of Mercer's Career business. "Growth rests on engaging and empowering today's workforce in ways that we are just beginning to uncover. It takes employees armed with the right skills and opportunities to develop innovative solutions to advance the business and themselves."

“Organisations need to prioritise a culture of agility to stay ahead of rapidly changing market trends,” said Kate Bravery, Global Leader for Mercer's Career business. “Those employers that empower their workforce - by helping them plan for the unknown, mitigate risk, and thrive at work - will be more successful in building a responsive and successful organisation.” Mercer's study shares insights from over 7,500 perspectives globally, 461 of these in India, and compares the views of senior business executives, HR leaders, and employees from organisations around the world. The report assesses significant gaps in alignment, identifiesseveralcritical disconnects concerning change, and makes recommendations to capture growth.