Transforming Your Organization Through a Skills Mindset

Elliott Scott HR and Cappfinity hosted their second breakfast event in NYC on “Transforming Your Organization Through A Skills Mindset” on the 1st October 2024.

The event was joined by 60+ HR professionals and a fantastic panel of experts, including Azurèe S. Montoute-Lewis, Dr. Fred Oswald, and Susan Youngblood (facilitated by Ilona Jurkiewicz of Cappfinity).

It’s clear that solutions for skills transformation are top of our attendees' minds, and Cappfinity is offering demos of their Skills Discovery platform (book here), or skills consultation sessions where you can bring any burning question or skills-related challenge and have a consultative discussion (book here) with the Cappfinity team.

Here’s a short summary of the broader discussion that took place: 

Transformation and Leadership

• Why Organizations Transform: HR is leading tech-driven transformations aimed at integrating technology, refining strategic frameworks, and enhancing productivity.
• Evolving HR Role: HR is no longer just managing personnel but actively steering business transformation through strategy and technology integration.
• Challenges and Opportunities: Resistance to change and managing diverse cultural layers are common hurdles, while embracing adaptability presents key opportunities.
• Recent Projects: HR teams are focusing on projects that redefine productivity, recruitment, and development, ensuring engagement across all levels.
• Skills-Based Transformation: HR is prioritizing intellectual curiosity, learning agility, and soft skills like emotional intelligence to fuel transformation.

Skills and Transformation

• Defining Skills: HR views skills as more than technical abilities; it’s important "learning how to learn” they are prioritizing skills like leadership, emotional intelligence, intellectual curiosity and time management, which drive long-term transformation and innovation
• In order to start a transformation, via a skills mindset, you must first understand what skills you have. This can often be the hardest step.
• Skills vs. Competencies: HR is connecting skills to broader competencies, focusing on adaptability and learning agility to align with organizational goals.
• Future-Proofing: Organizations are targeting intrapersonal skills, time management, and adaptability, using diagnostic tools to measure and enhance these abilities.

Technology

• Role of Technology: AI and tech-driven solutions are central to HR’s transformation efforts, helping streamline processes and prepare the workforce for future challenges.
• Tech Platforms: HR is leveraging AI and blended learning platforms to drive continuous skill development and performance management.

External and Internal Forces: Economic Factors and Employee Expectations

• Economic Climate: The current economy with lower attrition is pushing HR to focus on building resilient, adaptable workforces while rethinking skill development in a stable labor market.
• Employee Expectations: Shifting employee expectations are reshaping transformation efforts, with HR focusing on making initiatives more employee-centric and aligned with workforce needs.

Thank you to Celine Floyd, Ilona Jurkiewicz and the Cappfinity team for making this event possible. We plan to host more events like this in the future and will continue our partnership with Cappfinity. For extra information on HR Market trends please reach out to the Elliott Scott HR team (Stuart, Rosh or Shagun) and for more information on Cappfinity’s Skill Discovery product, please reach out to the Cappfinity team (Ilona)