EDITOR ’ S QUESTION

MARITA MITSCHEIN ,

SENIOR VP DIGITAL SKILLS , SOUTHERN EUROPE , MEA & MD , SAP TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE

the workplace must also evolve . it is obvious that those companies that effectively train their workforce to be proficient in relevant digital and future skills can better utilise the abundance of available digital products and services to increase their business success .

By 2030 , more than 230 million jobs will require digital skills in MEA according to the International Finance Corporation ( IFC , World Bank ). Considering the current situation around the COVID-19 pandemic , these numbers will possibly increase due to a significant rise in the demand for digital tools and processes .

design thinking or business model innovation builds the foundation for an innovative culture and mindsets across your organisation .

The Fourth Industrial Revolution brings major disruptions to labour markets and new categories of jobs are emerging , partly or wholly displacing others . Who would have thought five years ago that there will be the role of a chief happiness officer or a chief purpose officer ? The skill sets required in both old and new professions are continuously changing in most industries .

This is an important change in the nature of work and needs to be taken seriously by organisations of all kinds and its leaders . Developing the right skills is critical , not only for organisations but also economies to build and secure prosperity for all of us . An investment in knowledge pays the best interest – there is no doubt . Skills and lifelong learning are the key enablers for innovation adoption and form the foundation for effectively executing digital strategies .

If one takes a look at what makes businesses successful in today ’ s era , it is their ability to continuously disrupt . If you are able to create an innovative , collaborative and engaged workforce you will hereby build a resilient culture that will help to proactively respond to potential disruptions . It will take time to build and foster this culture , but it ’ s not mission impossible and the impact is enormous .

I am a firm believer that people are at the heart of Digital Transformation and empowering your workforce on innovation methodologies such as

The COVID-19 pandemic further highlights the necessity to accelerate digital skill building in an increasingly digital world .

In this ever-changing situation , it is key to make enablement a strategic pillar for any organisation with a continuous process in place . Only then is an organisation able to predict future resource demands to up-skill ahead of the actual demand and focus on the right mix of skills .

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to an organisation ’ s enablement strategy . But there is one advice that I would like to give : while upskilling on the latest technology trends is key for selected roles in an organisation , all employees ( including IT talent ) should be enabled on future skills such as complex problemsolving , critical thinking and creativity . Empowering the entire organisation on these skills ensures that even in the most disruptive times , an organisation is able to thrive and not only survive – beyond functional or physical borders .

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