When we talk about futureproofing a company, what we really mean is that we want to futureproof its workforce. Sure, it might also mean investing in hardware and infrastructure that will allow the company to expand, but that expansion won’t happen in a void. It will always have a different context than the one the company operates in at present, and to parse that context and understand how it needs to be addressed and leveraged, the company will need to be able to find the right people at the right time.
People who already know what the company is working with, where its strengths and weaknesses are – at every scale – and what it’s capable of doing to make the most out of a given situation.
And just like hardware and infrastructure, workforces need regular upkeep and maintenance.
Traditionally, this comes in the form of corporate mentoring, reskilling and upskilling programs, career pathing and job rotation, all of which allow employees to stay up to date on the latest, most relevant skills, and keep the big picture in mind.
But all of these efforts rely on silos and pre-determined job architecture – the very things which unforeseen change undermines!
So while they may help the company when things are going as planned, when a quick pivot is needed, an agile workforce is required – not new recruits – to meet the new challenges head on in the best way possible.