The global economy is changing and companies need to position themselves in this ever-competitive market.
So said Ansophie Strydom, senior manager of Integrated Communications Africa for SAP Africa, speaking at the 2020 Workforce event at Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, last week.
To be able to do that, she noted, organisations need to recruit and retain skills ? and they need to start doing that now.
"As companies transform themselves, they need to respond to these profound market changes, they need to arm themselves with employees who have the skills and the motivation necessary to take these companies into the future."
These factors are forcing organisations to rethink the way they find, retain and engage their workforce, said Strydom.
Brett Parker, MD: Southern Africa at SAP Africa, believes the current need for technology skills (data analytics, cloud, mobile, social media) will only grow in future.
However, according to an Oxford Economics survey, few South African employees expect to gain proficiency in most of these areas ? 14% expect to be proficient in cloud in three years, and 35% expect to be proficient in analytics.
He said this means both employees and businesses stand to benefit from better training and education opportunities.
According to the study, 42% of South African employees get ample training on workplace technology; and 31% get access to the latest technology. Companies and workers are unprepared for the growing need for technology skills.
"Building the workforce of the future is extremely complex, and I'm sure building the workforce right now is very complex," continued Strydom.
The study notes 53% of South African executives say their companies offer supplemental training programmes to develop new skills. But only 30% of employees say their company provides the right tools to help them grow and improve job performance.
Forty-one percent of employees say their companies encourage continuing education and training to further career development.
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