The world of work is changing and I believe the greatest resilience an organization can have is in the way it marshals the resources of its people. Talent is the last competitive advantage and the ability to be a company where people can do their best work, grow and succeed will be a key asset in a company’s adaptability.
In the last few decades we’ve seen the death of the ‘safe company’ and ‘safe career’. Market research firm, Innosight, has seen a decline among S&P 500 companies in company lifespan leading to predictions of average company span of 12 years by 2037. Only 12% of Fortune 500 companies remain on the list now versus sixty years ago. Because of this the flexibility, resourcefulness and resilience of a company’s talent is its greatest hope and greatest asset.
So how do organizations become or remain resilient through their people?
There are three elements I found in my research for my book Future Proof: Reinventing Work in the Age of Acceleration:
A strong sense of their values and forward thinking and velocity
Investment in communication and collaboration
You can go faster by wearing a groove into the snow but when you need to change to a new track, only resilience keeps you moving.
For example, a company that has been able to weather the recent work from home better than most ….
The winners will want to get out ahead of the curve
An added benefit? Investing in a workplace where people bring their whole selves to work allows us to create meaningful work in the context of a satisfying life. Everyone wins.
If you like this article, you can download Diana’s “11 Ways to Future Proof Your Career and Life” here.