The future of HR: Lessons from the Pathfinders

Digital transformation and the profound impact of COVID-19 have changed how work gets done. The World Economic Forum calls this the "double disruption" and it sent many well-laid-out plans spinning. Literally overnight, companies shut their physical offices and enabled employees to work remotely.

This year, we conducted in-depth interviews with 18 HR leaders from across the globe who we believe showcase characteristics of Pathfinders. We have sought to understand how these organizations are navigating this double disruption and how they’re shaping the workforce for the future.

Our findings dive deeper in three main topics important to today’s Pathfinders:

• Pathfinders recognize that IDE brings tremendous value to the organization and its culture.
• The talent pool is now more accessible and diverse, allowing for new levels of innovation.
• Pathfinders recognize that significant change occurs when everyone in the organization acknowledges their own biases and adapts their behavior in response.

• Pathfinders challenge existing approaches to talent management and are embracing a new 'total workforce' philosophy.
• Tailored and personalized employee experiences help to provide great customer service.
• Pathfinders are finding innovative and more efficient ways to identify and fill skill gaps.
  

• Pathfinders experiment with new ways of working and emerging technologies to help employees adapt to disruption.
• Continuous feedback informs decisions and creates stronger communication between leaders and the workforce.
• Pathfinders use data to assess workforce performance and the total employee experience.