HR experts assert that training and continuous learning is the only way forward.

With the whole world going increasingly digital, HR managers and personnel need the ability to adapt to new technology. At the recent BW People 40 under 40 Summit an engaging panel discussion was held to deliberate on the theme “Reskilling workforce by leveraging technology in the new normal.” 

The panelists for the session were Manish Sharma, Associate Director, PwC; Nellie Wartoft, CEO Tigerhall; Ashish Chattoraj, Head HR, PayU India Naspers Group; Kavita Dasan, Head of People Practice, ABP News Network, and Amar Nath Verma, Executive Director HR, NTPC. 

The session was moderated by Dr. Annurag Batra, Chairman & Editor-in-Chief, BW Businessworld, and exchange4media.

In his opening comments, Chattoraj of PayU, said, “There are decades when nothing happens and then there are weeks when decades happen. The concept of how we work and interact with employees has changed. To carry on a relationship with your employees in a physically distant environment is challenging. The only tool you have is social connectivity through technology.”

Speaking about the role of technology, Wartoft of Tigerhall said, “About 70 percent of digital or technology projects fail because people are not optimally involved. Mindset change is important while any new technology is introduced.”

Tigerhall is a mentor media platform where business leaders at the top of their game share their hard-earned insights in bite-sized, digital formats that fit seamlessly into your daily life.

Dasan, ABP News Network believes that the know it all mindset has to change. She mentioned that more usage of technology has brought forward the vulnerability of people as they have started breaking down psychologically. “How managers handle teams has to be redefined. At ABP, for the last one year we have invested the maximum in people development because we have realized the skill set change that is needed,” she added.

According to Sharma of PwC, a hybrid model that is more driven towards people needs to be adopted. Gamification of content is important when it comes to training as keeping people engaged is essential. He remarked, “We need to move from upskilling or reskilling to pivot skilling. The most adaptive people will survive.”

Verma of NTPC also reiterated the relevance of tech in HR and how it is being utilized at NTPC. He said, “At NTPC, we have been using tech for upskilling our employees who are spread across the country. Some of the jobs will become redundant in the coming times and the people performing those will not be relevant unless they are trained or upskilled.”

75 million job roles will be obsolete by the end of 2021. 133 million new jobs will be introduced. Hence training and continuous learning is the only way forward.