Today’s workplace is rapidly changing. Thousands of tech jobs were made redundant in the last six months alone due to downsizing and automation, while some positions were outsourced to keep costs low. Some industries, such as finance and healthcare, continue to experience a lack of qualified workers resulting in employee poaching and an ensuing war for talent.  

To succeed in the new environment, many companies are rethinking their approach to talent acquisition and retention to build high-performing teams. Companies with an eye on the future understand the need for dynamic talent ecosystems to nimbly respond to market forces and sustain growth.  

Here are a few things to consider when building a future-ready organization. 

Humanize Leadership and Develop a Distinct Culture 

People crave meaning to stay motivated. Everyone has an innate need to feel like they belong and contribute to something bigger than themselves. The positive feelings of purpose, empathy for others, and shared meaning are important components of job satisfaction. 

While people management has matured into a data-driven science of maximizing profits through labor productivity, influential leaders understand that championing company values and creating a strong culture is the foundation of a sustainable business. Every leader needs to be a powerful and emphatic communicator who can leverage their position to inspire and bring out the best in people. 

The first few weeks on the job are crucial because they set the tone of the employee experience. Creating a culture of positive, engaged, and motivated employees begins with onboarding. An effective onboarding process incorporating experiential learning can help instill the right mindset and foster psychological safety. It also allows companies to teach their core values and bolster their corporate culture from the start. 

Empower Individuals to Take Action 

In today’s fast-paced environment, employees must be confident to make quick and sound decisions based on new or incomplete data without the fear of making mistakes.  

Psychological safety allows team members to take more chances and seize new opportunities. Researchers found that psychologically safe teams sparked more innovation and creativity because employees knew they would not be shamed or penalized for admitting mistakes, asking questions, or suggesting ideas. They aren’t afraid of trying new ways of doing things in a culture that fosters openness and trust.  

It’s important to build an environment that actively encourages participation and respects different points of view. This entails laying the foundation for open communication, valuing feedback, and allowing people to regard mistakes as valuable learning experiences. 

Invest in Training and Cultivate a Growth Mindset  

Motivated workers value professional development. When you offer employees opportunities to learn and a well-defined path toward advancing their careers, they become more engaged and stay with the company longer. Employees quit when they feel stuck in a dead-end job.   

Managers who embrace a growth mindset emphasize collaboration, inspire creativity, and foster innovation in the business. They encourage employees to be more curious about the world, to take risks, and to be more confident in their abilities to overcome challenges. 

Executive buy-in is essential to make reskilling and upskilling programs a priority. But there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. According to LinkedIn’s 2021 Workplace Learning Report, L&D programs continue to prove their value to the organization, with 63% of learning leaders stating they are given an important seat at the C-suite table.  

But with more uncertainty and disruptions looming ahead, executives have higher expectations, and L&D leaders have to do more with less. There is a greater emphasis on practical and impactful programs where employees can immediately apply their learnings in the workplace.     

Organizations Are Always Evolving

Workers thrive in a culture that enables them to adapt to new environments and supports them through times of uncertainty.  Providing adequate training and equipping your team with the right tools helps them embrace change rather than fear it. It gives leaders the resilience and agility to navigate forward with less stress and anxiety and little disruption. Training can also unlock creativity and strategic decision-making for solving complex problems that require out-of-the-box solutions.   

Are you looking for practical training programs to future-proof your business? Eagles Flight can help. Contact our sales specialist at efasia.sales@eaglesflight.com to learn more about the Leading Change and Powering Team Performance programs to set you up for success.