The talent gap is one of the most pressing factors facing organizations today, as companies from practically every sector struggles to attract the talent they need to deliver on their goals and objectives.  This is compounded by weak investment in employee development, and a demographic trend that is seeing large numbers of baby boomers sliding into retirement.

A recent whitepaper from workplace company HGA explores these matters in more depth.  It reveals that whilst the American economy has experienced the second longest period of expansion since World War II, the peaking of the working age population threatens to halt the growth level both in the United States and the rest of the developing world.

The paper reveals that recruitment has progressed from being the 2nd post important topic in the 2015 HGA survey to number 1 in their latest survey.  The growth in the economy has made competition for the best talent particularly fierce, with the smartest people having their pick of employers.

The authors identify three core drivers that are behind this trend:

1. The desire to optimize human potential – with workplaces becoming intense learning environments that help employees and other stakeholders adapt their skills to the needs of the market, and transfer knowledge throughout the organization.  This is increasingly important as the pace of change accelerates.
2. The need to shift from object to experience – no longer can workplaces be considered simply somewhere we go to work.  Employees are now demanding much more from their workplaces, both from an aesthetic and facilities perspective.  Tech giants such as Apple and Google are investing huge sums in modern workplaces very much with this desire to provide employees with an experience in mind.  Younger workers are also desiring a purposeful existence via their work, and so the workplace must empower them in delivering work of meaning.
3. The ability to increase our change capabilities – the final trend then builds upon the previous two, with the foundation provided by the learning environment paired with a greater understanding of how new innovations are tested and scaled allowing knowledge to develop from idea to market more efficiently and effectively.

Thriving in the future

It’s widely accepted that the most successful organizations in the future will be those who are best able to embrace and adapt to change.  This will require the cultivation of a workplace culture that supports continuous learning, a strong sense of community, and both individual and organizational agility.

“This shift begins with a mindset that recognizes that workplace evolution has accelerated, making well-being a shared responsibility,” the authors say.