Pearson, the world’s learning company recently hosted a virtual roundtable, bringing together more than 25 leading Corporate and HR professionals from various industries in the Middle East region to identify and discuss the emerging HR trends and priorities, the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on corporate hires and the implications business leaders should anticipate for their organizations.

The roundtable was held in association with Corporate Shiksha, the innovative learning company enabling people to learn every day and prepare for the future of work through a unique Master Class series based on experiential learning pedagogy, on the theme - Digital Transformation - the new normal for the work and workforce.

“The UAE’s economy like all other global economies has been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak, and the faster recovery will depend on how quickly and sustainably companies can accelerate digital transformation, adapt to the new consumer demands and retain people who have the right skills and expertise. Now that the economy is on the cusp of recovery, the role of HR is becoming even more important, whether companies want to recruit the right people, assess their current staff’s skills, or develop and upskill their best talent.” stated Majid Mneymneh, Vice President- Higher Education and Corporate.

During the pandemic, it was well noticed that the workforce of the future needs a re-set. In planning for and implementing the restart, the new work culture patterns around the globe reveal that entities’ focus is now placed on productivity and output and hiring workers with the right skills, and/or improving the skills of their existing workforce, so that they can contribute effectively and drive value.

“We at Corporate Shiksha are both excited & grateful, with all the encouragement and support we are getting as we move forward in building the learning community in the Middle East. Our purpose is to create a vibrant community of leaders focused on learning actionable insights, sharing innovative people practices, tech solutions around work, workplace, talent, and culture – and help in learning from an outside-in perspective. Our belief is the strength of the community is in its people, so if you are a business or HR Leader based in the Middle East, request to join the #CSInsightsForum at https://bit.ly/UAE-Invite” stated Ankur Sethi, Founder & CEO, Corporate Shiksha.

The roundtable shed light on how Digital Transformation in the present scenario is shaping the future of work, leading to a new normal and its multi-dimensional impact on workforce & talent. As revealed by a poll that took place during the session, employee well-being and enhancing employee engagement & experience were the most critical priorities for HR professionals at the moment, while others included identifying and retaining the right, digital-savvy talent, building critical skills for the workforce by looking at micro learning, peer learning as concepts to prepare people for the #NewNormal, change management and empowering them to work in new ways by giving day-to-day tools a digital upgrade. All this is required to build organizational resilience and can help brands thrive in the post-pandemic world.

“In 2019, the economy grew by 1.4 per cent, and in 2020 experts are estimating UAE’s GDP to contract by 5.2 per cent. The economic fallout of the pandemic has led to organizations facilitating digital transformation. Being seen a strategic arm for business, HR professionals are now faced with new priorities focused on employee’s well-being with the increased work from home; skills assessment and training with shifting business priorities and flexible roles and responsibilities; and recruiting virtually to acquire new needed skills. L&D budgets across most industries and sectors will likely be cut in the near-term as companies work to cut costs amidst declining profits. That said, employee retention will remain important. “ added Mneymneh.

Pearson’s Corporate solutions covers the 4 fundamental aspects that companies and organizations need to reach their full potential i.e, recruitment, development, certification and employee experience. The company partners with top institutions to provide corporates with globally recognized, industry-relevant programs, with the competitive advantage of allowing both the employers and the employees develop critical skills and respond to the new market demands. 

Going forward, the company aims to host more such roundtables to build a vibrant learning community in the region and provide a much more deeper understanding on specific themes

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بيرسون الشرق الأوسط تعقد حلقة نقاش لمتخصصي الموارد البشرية حول مائدة مستديرة افتراضية لمناقشة الاتجاهات المستقبلية في الواقع الجديد

استضافت بيرسون، الشركة التعليمية العالمية الرائدة مؤخرًا مائدة مستديرة افتراضية جمعت أكثر من 25 من قيادات الشركات والمتخصصين في قطاع الموارد البشرية من مختلف الصناعات في منطقة الشرق الأوسط وذلك لتحديد ومناقشة الأولويات والاتجاهات الناشئة في قطاع الموارد البشرية، وخاصة تأثير انتشار جائحة كوفيد-19 طويل الأجل على منهجية التوظيف والآثار التي على قادة وأصحاب الشركات توقعها فيما يخص شركاتهم.

 

هذا وقد تم عقد المائدة المستديرة بالتعاون معCorporate Shiksha ، شركة التعلم المبتكرة التي تمكّن الأفراد من التعلم بصورة يومية والاستعداد لمستقبل العمل من خلال سلسلة جلسات ماستر كلاس (Master Class) متميزة تستند على التعلم التجريبي حول موضوع - التحول الرقمي - الواقع الجديد لـلشركات والقوى العاملة.

وبهذه المناسبة، علّق السيد مجيد منيمنة، نائب الرئيس، القسم التجاري للتعليم العالي والشركات في بيرسون الشرق الأوسط، قائلاً: "لقد أثر تفشي فيروس كورونا المستجد على اقتصاد دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة مثل جميع الاقتصادات العالمية الأخرى، وستعتمد سرعة التعافي الاقتصادي على مدى مرونة الشركات واستدامتها، خاصة في تسريع التحول الرقمي والتكيف مع متطلبات المستهلكين الجديدة، وبتركيز خاص على الاحتفاظ بالموظفين الذين يتمتعون بالمهارات المناسبة والخبرات الكافية. والآن، وقد أوشك الاقتصاد على التعافي، برز دور الموارد البشرية وأصبح أكثر أهمية، سواء كانت الشركات ترغب في توظيف الأشخاص المناسبين، تقييم مهارات موظفيها الحاليين، أو تطوير مهاراتهم وصقل قدراتهم."

أصبح من الجليّ في خلال فترة انتشار الوباء أن هناك حاجة ملحة إلى وضع خطط ومنهجية مستقبلية لإعادة توجيه وضبط القوى العاملة. عند التخطيط لتنفيذ ذلك، كشفت ثقافة العمل الجديدة حول العالم أن تركيز الشركات أصبح ينصبُّ الآن على ركائز معينة تدور حول الإنتاجية والمخرجات وتوظيف العمال ذوي المهارات المناسبة، أو تحسين مهارات القوى العاملة الحالية بصورة تمكّنها من المساهمة بفعالية لتحقيق القيمة للشركات التي تعمل بها.

ومن جهته، صرح السيد أنكور سيثي، المؤسس والرئيس التنفيذي في Corporate Shiksha قائلاً: "نحن في غاية الحماس والامتنان للتشجيع والدعم الذي يشجعنا دومًا على المضي قدمًا في بناء مجتمع التعلم في الشرق الأوسط. هدفنا هو إنشاء مجتمع حيوي يركز على تعليم وتعلّم الرؤى القابلة للتنفيذ، المشاركات والممارسات المبتكرة، تفعيل الحلول التقنية في بيئة العمل، وتنمية المواهب والثقافات، وكذلك إمعان النظر في التعلّم والمساعدة عليه بموضوعية. نحن نؤمن بشدة أن قوة المجتمع تكمن في أفراده، لذلك إذا كنت من رواد الأعمال أو الموارد البشرية في الشرق الأوسط، نشجعك على الانضمام إلى ندوة سي أس آي (#CSInsightsForum) وذلك باستخدام الرابط: https://bit.ly/UAE-Invite للتسجيل."

ومن جهة أخرى، سلطت المائدة المستديرة الضوء على دور التحول الرقمي في استشراف وتشكيل مستقبل العمل، مما يؤدي إلى واقع جديد، وتأثير هذا الواقع متعدد الأبعاد على القوى العاملة والمواهب. كما اتضح من استطلاع تم إجراؤه خلال الجلسة أن رفاهية الموظفين وتعزيز مشاركتهم وخبراتهم من أهم الأولويات للمتخصصين بقطاع الموارد البشرية في الوقت الحالي، بينما تضمنت الأولويات الأخرى تحديد المواهب الرقمية المناسبة والاحتفاظ بها، تطوير مهارات القوى العاملة من خلال النظر إلى التعلم الجزئي والتعلم من الأقران كمفاهيم لإعداد الأفراد لـ #الواقع_الجديد، وكذلك مساعدتهم في التعامل مع التغيير وتمكينهم من العمل بطرق جديدة وذلك بترقية الأدوات اليومية لتصبح رقمية. هذه كلها أمور مطلوبة وضرورية لتحقيق المرونة التنظيمية ومساعدة العلامات التجارية على الازدهار بعد انتهاء الجائحة.

وأضاف السيد منيمنة، "في عام 2019، شهد الاقتصاد نموًا بنسة 1.4٪، ويقدر الخبراء أن ينكمش الناتج المحلي الإجمالي لدولة الإمارات في عام 2020 بنسبة 5.2٪. لقد أدّت التداعيات الاقتصادية للوباء إلى تسريع التحول الرقمي في المؤسسات والشركات. ونظرًا لمركزهم القوي كالذراع الاستراتيجي للشركات، يواجه متخصصو الموارد البشرية الآن أولويات جديدة تركز على رفاهية الموظفين، خاصة مع زيادة معدلات العمل من المنزل، ناهيك عن تقييم المهارات والتدريب مع أخذ أولويات العمل المتغيرة والأدوار والمسؤوليات المرنة بعين الاعتبار، مرورًا بالتوظيف أونلاين لزيادة المهارات الجديدة المطلوبة في الشركات. ومن المرجح أن يتم تخفيض ميزانيات التعلم والتطوير في معظم الصناعات والقطاعات في المستقبل القريب بينما تعمل الشركات على خفض التكاليف وسط انخفاض الأرباح. ومع ذلك، سيظل من المهم جدًا على الشركات الاحتفاظ بموظفيها."

تغطي الحلول التي تطورها وتقدمها بيرسون للشركات أربعة محاور أساسية تحتاجها الشركات والمؤسسات لتحقيق كامل إمكاناتها، مثل التوظيف والتطوير والشهادات وتجربة الموظفين. تتعاون بيرسون مع أفضل المؤسسات لتزويد الشركات ببرامج عالمية وثيقة الصلة بالمجالات المختلفة، مع ميزة تنافسية تتمثل في تمكين أصحاب العمل والموظفين من تطوير مهاراتهم الأساسية والاستجابة للمتطلبات الجديدة في السوق. 

هذا وتهدف بيرسون الشرق الأوسط إلى عقد المزيد من هذه الموائد المستديرة لبناء مجتمع تعليمي حيوي في المنطقة وتوفير فهم أعمق للموضوعات المختلفة. 

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Talent assessment strategies for corporates

By Majid Mneymneh, Vice President Higher Education and Corporate, Pearson Middle East

The recent global Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in a significant impact over the corporate world. Apart from the health of millions being at stake, the long term livelihoods and careers of people have also been disrupted and how much will the business or economy will change in the post-pandemic world or will COVID-19 have a drastic impact on talent strategies, are some of the tough questions that leaders and organizations across the globe are grappling with.

With remote or virtual working from home becoming the norm, acceleration of digital skills and technologies and emergence of new job roles and employer demands in the market, it is critical to get a sense of what the corporate landscape might look like in the future, so that we are able to plan accordingly. Now, more than ever, making the right decisions in terms of talent management are central to how companies can reimagine their personnel practices to build organizational resilience and drive value. The importance of this can also be understood through an article in Forbes which talks about the cost of Bad or mis-hiring to a company: “According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the price of a bad hire is at least 30 percent of the employee's first-year earnings; a five-figure investment in the wrong person can be a potential threat to the business.” For this reason, finding and hiring the right people, learning and growing, managing and rewarding performance, tailoring the employee experience, and optimizing workforce planning and strategy are the five key areas which should be focused upon, for CHROs to craft a strong and durable talent strategy for the post pandemic world.

In this article, listed are some of the best practices for companies to manage talent and recruitment challenges, offer opportunities to their employees for learning & development and navigate through the crisis with innovation:

Make hiring decisions with confidence – Assess by design
Whether organizations are freezing, stabilizing or increasing hiring, the opportunity exists for employers to reevaluate their recruitment process and make it more robust and efficient.

One way is to use talent assessment tools as part of the hiring steps. Talent assessments by design are meant to provide insight into the strengths and weaknesses of an individual. Some assessments can even provide a profile report that can predict performance and assess a candidate’s suitability at any level or position within the company. Platforms such as Pearson Talent Lens provide employers and organizations with tools that help them to gain a deeper understanding of a person’s values, needs, strengths and weaknesses, so that they are able to identify the right people for their business.

Implementation of these kind of scientifically valid, reliable and robust psychometric assessments during the early hiring process and their continued usage can lead to an active employee development, which is absolutely critical for companies to be successful and become future-ready with the right and best talent on board. It also shows investment in brand’s long-term success and addresses the significant employability relevance gap by identifying fundamental abilities and skills that an individual requires to be successful at the workplace at any level in his/her career.

Upskilling employees is necessary and short programs will continue to be popular 
While new skills can be acquired, upskilling existing employees is still important. Not only, as mentioned above, to show the support of company to their own staff and to be sought after but also as this make a lot of sense financially. A recent research showed that it can cost as much as six times more to hire from the outside than to build from within. While this calculation varies significantly based on the occupation and job function, it presents a strong case for employers to consider reskilling.

Pearson’s Global Learner Survey 2020 indicates a strong need in attaining digital skills among respondents to thrive through and beyond the pandemic. More than half of the respondents said they need new digital skills because their job status has changed, with 89% saying they need digital skills, such as virtual collaboration and data analysis to move forward in this economy. Indeed, 77% of people say working remotely has taught them they need different skills than what was needed while working in an office. 

As COVID-19 accelerates the speed and scale of digital transformation, the lack of digital skills could jeopardize companies who have not aligned their talent plans. Technology skills for instance, are no longer highly centered in IT, they need to be aligned across all organizational functions and businesses along with soft skills to achieve success. There is a need for employers to upskill/reskill and it is widely recognized that this type of support can come from an external party like an education consulting body that, using their deep expertise in research, assessment powered by technology as well as understanding of how people learn, could share valuable insights on more effective tactics for corporates on talent assessment and management to sail effectively through these turbulent times. 

By looking at different pathways for individuals and employees to upskill and reskill, employers can avoid financial risk, increase productivity, improve employee morale, boost customer satisfaction and more importantly prevent loss of business.

Invest in online and blended professionals’ courses – the new emerging pedagogy 
Research shows that the biggest hurdle to upskilling is that it is becoming increasingly difficult for working professionals to take time off from their day to day job tasks and pursue full-time professional courses or formal education. With the emergence of online and blended learning, employers and employees can now bridge the skills gap with digital and virtual professional learning programs. In fact, according to UNESCO, one and half billion students across the world have engaged in remote learning at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, showcasing an accelerated trend to online learning.

Traditional face to face- 3 to 5 days training has proven not be very efficient in term of learning impact. We are all familiar with the “The Forgetting Curve.”, which found that if new information isn’t applied, learner will forget about 75% of it after just six days. That’s where blended learning can be more impactful where the learner get access to the online content for a prolonged time to go through it and have the time to reflect and immerse in it, some face to face workshops for the instruction and intervention to happen and learner to grasp concepts, and finally to practice those learnings.

While online learning can provide a good cost-efficient alternative to traditional training and can reach a larger numbers of employees at a much lower cost, not all training can be done online and be efficacious. The right mix between online and blended can be found while weighting multiple factors that help decide type of content, target audience, development and delivery consideration.

Final Thoughts
The present moment is a significant opportunity to reimagine how, and what, education and skills are required to prepare people for a rapidly changing world of work. What we essentially need is a cultural leap from a reactive approach to an anticipatory one and we need to constantly aim to bridge the gap by understanding the needs of employers and helping individuals address those needs through the development of technical skills and competencies. Pearson’s Corporate solutions covers the 4 fundamental aspects that companies and organizations need to reach their full potential i.e, recruitment, development, certification and employee experience. It is a new way of developing, evaluating, and certifying the skills of working professionals, with the competitive advantage of allowing both the employers and the employees develop skills and techniques through trainings and professional development solutions that will help you improve your performance through continuous learning and respond to the new market demands.

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