Will you make it through or end up automated?
With new technologies being forged every day and automation slowly taking over, employers are turning their mind to what the future holds.
Fear over robots stealing jobs or sectors becoming redundant has whipped up visions of an unsteady and surreal future. But is this anxiety justified?
We spoke to Angèle Mullins, director of HR at NAL Resources and speaker at HR Leaders Calgary, who explained what she believes the Fourth Industrial Revolution looks like to her.
“Work, and the types of work, will change. Many of those process driven roles will become automated and customer focused jobs, where the sole source is to fulfil an order, are becoming obsolete. Instead, the type of work that will be in demand will be creative or analytical.
Angèle went on to say that employees need to be open-minded in order to thrive.
“We’re working though this now in NAL Resources, and perhaps we’re actually a little bit ahead of our competitors in that sense. The type of industry we’re in (energy and resources) means there’s been less focus on doing things more efficiently because there’s so much money in the sector. We didn’t have to worry about a few pennies here or there, so to speak. Now, becoming efficient is super important.
“What I’ve found, since working in the sector, is how some leaders are very focused on how things have been done and perfected over time. My biggest piece of advice is just to be open minded in how you leverage technology to help streamline processes.”
Essentially, it all comes down to being flexible and openminded – something humanity is not very good at.
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As Darwin said: “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.”
Angèle believes that this is the key to remaining competitive and, more importantly, employed.
“The employees that are prepared to evolve are the ones who are being successful in newly made roles,” she added. “Those who chose to dig their heels in are the ones that won’t be required in the future of work. Bluntly put.”
To hear more on Calgary-specific HR topics, book your ticket to HR Leader Calgary here.