By 2030, almost 16 million jobs could be lost in Brazil due to automation. The number, according to McKinsey consulting, represents 14% of the country's current workforce. Problems such as unemployment, underemployment and inequality are getting worse, but they can be relegated to history through the future of work, which has the potential to provide decent work and a good standard of living for the population.
To discuss the impacts of the technological revolution that has been promoting accelerated changes in the ways of producing and working, CEBDS brought together experts in the Breaking Walls on the Future of Work event. The following people participated in the conversation: Filippo Veglio, director of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD); Sylmara Requena, director of Human Resources at Siemens; Carol Romano, founding partner of Maker Brands; and the moderation was by Igor Ferreira, director of learning at WeWork.
The WBCSD, a global council represented in Brazil by CEBDS, presents four social megatrends that have the potential to materially affect companies' ability to operate, innovate and grow. Among the topics are a world that wants to work and that faces challenges such as the quantity and quality of jobs, the nature of work and the future of work itself. The topic has prompted companies and governments to respond to how to guarantee quality employment and economic growth.
The publication Global Talent Trends Study shows that 75% professionals prefer to work in companies with a sense of purpose and 77% seek a healthy environment that promotes employee well-being. For Veglio, the research shows that it is necessary to improve the system, encompassing employees, business, labor market and social security mechanisms.
“We believe that people, regardless of the type of work they do, aspire to four fundamental elements: financial security, physical and mental well-being, empowerment, and a desire to contribute – whether personally, professionally, or to society at large. This sounds simple, but in a world where 700 million people are in extreme poverty, 20 million are in forced labor, more than 80% of the U.S. workforce is considered stressed at work, and about 50% of workers believe their jobs are meaningless, we have obstacles to overcome.”
Siemens’ Human Resources Director, Sylmara Requena, highlights the human component, which will be fundamental in this future of work. “In the 19th century, we hired hands. In the 20th century, the search for brains began. The focus of the 21st century is the heart. We need the complete human being. These human characteristics, such as creativity and the power of improvisation, are not brought with them by digital transformation,” she argues.
But in a country with an educational deficit, how can we prepare young people to enter the job market? Moderator Igor Ferreira discussed the most sought-after skills, according to a LinkedIn survey, in which five of the main characteristics are geared towards the technology sector. “We have a large educational deficit. Only 40% of technical school graduates work in their field of study, for example. How can we address these problems? How can companies fill this gap?”
Sylmara defends the importance of partnerships with universities and the need to invest in education. “Everything we do in the sustainability tripod is geared towards education. Education is what drives us. We have to work with people knowing how to ask questions. In Brazil, there is this idea of preparing for the interview with what the interviewer wants to hear. It is essential to be yourself, because we want someone to complement us. The population needs to be ready to contribute and the university is a very important partner.”
Carol Romano highlights the development of more human characteristics. “Who has taken an education or emotional literacy class? We learned this because we are human. It is necessary to involve the employee, so that he enjoys what he does and feels part of the result. Companies that understand that they are learning platforms are the companies of the future”, she believes.
Along the same lines, Veglio calls for reflection. “If people are the company’s main assets, then why are they always listed as cost in the balance sheets?” And he states: “The future of work is not sustainable without people.”
To watch the debate in full, go to here.
