Projects Create Outputs, Systems Create Outcomes
Soobia Kazmi, MBA, PMP, MCIPD, GPHR, is an HR Expert at the Dubai Government Human Resources Department (DGHR) and Project Manager for Talent 2033, a flagship initiative to future-proof Dubai’s workforce in support of the emirate’s long-term economic ambitions.
A few years ago, while working for a central workforce government entity in Dubai’s public sector, I was asked a deceptively simple question: How do we future-proof a workforce? More importantly, what would it take to build workforce readiness not just for today, but for the decade ahead?
Had it been part of a panel discussion or one of the question-and-answer sessions following a presentation at a reputable conference, I would have answered it rather easily. Future-proofing a workforce is centered around skills adaptability, especially as technology is both the biggest disruptor and enabler. Investing in education, developing skills, attracting high-quality talent, and retaining critical talent all seem like relevant and sensible choices.
However, the real challenge was that this question was asked by a strategic leader responsible for introducing tangible policy interventions and accountable for KPIs related to future skills, the Human Capital Index, and overall employee experience. Our stakeholders expected data-driven evidence for new policies and programs, and their buy-in was a crucial success factor.
This became even more complex as around 50 entities following our governance framework represented different economic sectors, varying workforce sizes and skill profiles, and different levels of maturity and strategic priorities. Some of these relied heavily …
Please log in or sign up below to read the rest of the article.
|
"We cling to our own point of view, as though everything depended on it. Yet our opinions have no permanence; like autumn and winter, they gradually pass away." - ChuangTzu |
