Human Resources Trends 2021 by José Ramón

Digital transformation and an epilogue of “Values”

One of the things that 2020 has taught us is that every prediction was rejected after the appearance of Covid19. Things will never be like before, and therefore, to establish conjectures is quite complicated, but on the other hand, there are some of them that we can be right about:

1. Any past time was better. Historically, great revolutions always began after drastic convulsions. This year that begins we will have to change many mechanisms and habits whether individual, social, professional or business-related. The pandemic is forcing us to change quickly. That is, the word digital transformation is already a reality and whoever does not embrace it will be lost. If we think that just by placing a QR code on a bar table everything is already done, we will be making a huge mistake. We are talking about a global digital revolution that affects the whole, not one economic sector, not one country, not one type of society, but the whole.
2. Field of dreams. The digital transformation is now a reality, not a dream. Adopting a digital mentality or being out of the market, that is the new paradigm. This does not mean having more or less followers in a certain social network but knowing and using technological tools that offer us the possibility to improve the quality of service, processes, logistics, human resources and therefore allow us to grow. This together with a “old-school” consulting work in which we adapt our product to the market demand will be vital. In other words, the digital transformation from my point of view must be liquid or the perfect symbiosis between our professional attitude or imprint and the technological solution best adapted to the client’s needs.
3. Household stuff. Companies have always been asked to be flexible in order to be able to combine their personal and professional lives. Suddenly we have seen ourselves working from home and this is going to have many consequences, among them:
   • The company has become aware that it is possible to be just as efficient and effective at home as at work. It is likely that when everything returns to normal, many companies will offer their employees hybrid days between home and the office. Many companies will include this possibility in their job offers to make their personnel searches more feasible.
   • Labor agreements, objectives, parity, business communication will have to take advantage of this new environment by offering new work models.
   • The compensation policies will be adapted according to goals, incentives, or social benefits such as having health care, family assistance, or others that promote conciliation or sustainability.
4. Up in the air. If one thing the pandemic is making clear is that good human resources planning is vital. Templates are being adjusted as much as possible based on tasks and skills. The development of multi-disciplinary teams that work interconnectedly at various production sites or in the home itself is vital. Therefore, the effectiveness and efficiency in sizing our teams are key. The right person, at the right time with the required skills, means a reduction in costs for the company and an improvement in the quality of life of the employee. All this, obviously, will result in an improvement in the quality of service to our final client. Workforce management tools and solutions must already be integrated into any digital transformation process, no matter what type of company it is.
5. Diamonds for eternity. We have always talked about the promotion of the business culture as an attraction and retention of talent. A happy employee is the best brand ambassador. The business culture must be liquid, that is to say, now it is necessary to bet on sustainability, conciliation, flexibility, and other advantages that make each resource unique in a privileged environment.
6. Match Point. The impossibility of events or meetings has stopped the so-called “networking” in its tracks, so it will be necessary to improve the skills to find new opportunities. Offering the market our capacity of attraction through intrusive ways such as omnicanality, for example, can be a good stimulus to grow and therefore generate positive visibility.
7. The glass jungle. If before partnership agreements were occasional, now they are necessary because four eyes see more than two. A self-employed person who has contacts can be the best supplier of a large company or vice versa, the company can technologically support the entrepreneur and give him/her coverage for services rendered. In other words, any kind of synergy is possible.
8. The advice I sell because for me I do not have. There is a current minimum vital as it is:
   • Understand or be able to express yourself in languages, basically English.
   • To have medium/high knowledge of computer tools.
   • Knowing how to take risks to make decisions, lead projects or simply try to walk together with each professional
9. The world is never enough. We must be aware that we can have a chance anywhere in the world. Visibility, answering a question, product exposure, negotiation, follow-up, delivery logistics, and integration are vital elements for our business to grow. The word global is already implicit in the DNA of both the individual and the company. We must be prepared to travel at any opportunity.

Epilogue

There is something clear, words like trust, good practices and professionalism served with a dose of humility, but not without prestige successes must grow. In times where the loss of values is conspicuous by its absence, working with humanist companies, where values are fundamental stones, will be the best breeding ground for a perfect digital transformation and of course, the best medicine for our companies to grow strong and survive after the catastrophe.