The transition to a digital world necessitates a proactive strategy that relies on anticipating change and providing organizations and employees with the skills they need to thrive. Digital transformation is more people-centered than it is a technology matter. If you want to adapt to a future that is even more digital, you must develop the abilities of your current and future workforce, and close the talent supply and demand gap. Effectivity of technology can only be maximized if combined with the right human skills. Even though technological disruption has typically resulted in automation and the removal of obsolete
jobs, it has also always led to the creation of new ones. However, technological innovation's crucial element is reliant on people. The skill sets needed for work undergo a significant change as a result of digital transformation.
We can simultaneously enhance technology and people if we can use human adaptability to reskill and upskill our workforce. Even the most outstanding and hardworking humans will become less valuable if they are not skilled enough to use and maximize technology. The most creative technology is useless if those who are supposed to use it cannot. The primary takeaway is that before country and business leaders consider investing in technology, they ought to consider doing so in human skills that can turn that technology into something profoundly meaningful. Higher-skilled individuals and those who can
adapt to shifting skill requirements have a wide choice of employment options thanks to digitalization. Routine workers with low skill levels, however, risk losing their jobs and will need to learn how to adapt to the digital age. Additionally, technology has the potential to be an effective tool for facilitating education and training for all people.
New technologies and improved processes are important, but any digital transformation needs the right set of people. The workforce can be equipped to create efficiencies you didn't even know were attainable by utilizing digital transformation in training and development together with the appropriate technologies.
Every citizen should get the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for living and working in a world that is becoming more and more technologically dependent from education and training institutions at all levels. Both for job performance and to fully engage in a digital society, it is essential to have digital skills. These include general abilities like web surfing, email, or instant messaging conversation, as well as the capacity to use online platforms related to one's field of work.
Additionally, the effects of digitalization have stimulated job growth across the entire global economy. The adoption of new technologies and the related job profiles for people affected by changing production/service supply processes are both anticipated to contribute to positive employment growth as a result of digitization.
What should be done is to increase investment in digital skills development through upskilling and reskilling. To fully grasp and illustrate the potential of human-digital enhancement, organizations need to look to test new technologies with workers. It should be a goal to discover new methods of skilling and look at innovative partnerships and cutting-edge models for professional skills. Concerned sectors must work together to understand the need for and supply of digital skills with partners in business, education, and civil society. Create people centered tech-and-digital competences into educational
programs.
Digital transformation opens a lot of opportunities to enhance skills and create new jobs. But in every opportunity, challenges will always exist. One of which is the shortage of the right skills. This is a challenge not only for the workforce but also for the employees.
Mr. Sayo is Vice President, Employers Confederation of the Philippines and Chair, 43rd National Conference of Employers