TODAY’S hyperconnected world continues to demand a new way of thinking, learning and doing. Our minds need to rapidly adapt to issues and problems and respond with relevant solutions.
Learning new ways of doing things and addressing these challenges with equally new methods is deemed not only necessary but crucial. Implementing these using innovative strategies and updated technology at the right time with sound resources is key to success.
This connectivity has influenced us in so many ways and technology becomes one of the drivers that influences today’s culture.
Almost every industry is disrupted by companies that have leveraged on digital experiences. Companies, like Airbnb, Uber, 23andMe, Spotify, Nest and Netflix, are creating products and experiences that challenged the foundation of Fortune 500 companies.
Given this, our challenge today, especially as people and as a country, is to remain relevant.
As an emerging market, we have our own set of unique challenges to overcome to participate on a global scale. That said, there are groups cultivating homegrown tech-based start-ups to be part of a national and, perhaps, global playground.
Our educational institutions are consciously pivoting toward catering to the skill sets needed for the new work force. There is a consciousness going around, but are we going fast enough, or is this relevance only reserved for the few?
Access
Companies that are leading the change have used the digital age to gain leverage in the market.
Communication platforms, like Messenger and Viber, have not only made work easier but also friends and family closer, while Snapchat has banked on temporary micro-moments as a form of expression. Coursera has given extended access of top-tier education to everyone.
The maker movement, a doit-yourself revolution, has challenged the typical production line—allowing these creators to test and iterate their new products within a short span of time.
This movement has not only influenced people in the field of design and product space but extends to addresssing problems in food, health and infrastructure.
Platforms like these help equip us with the tools to be able to stay relevant. Private-public partnerships would be vital to extend this type of setup to the general public.
Being part of organizations that have a common goal opens the conversation of collaboration. Creating policies to improve infrastructure for access should be a priority.
Creativity + Data
The creative process will evolve into including “big data” into its process. The digital landscape has changed human interaction online and offline seamlessly blurring these two worlds.
This instant feedback becomes a valuable resource into personalizing interactions between product and user. Creative industries globally are encouraged to create a dialogue to help the users seamlessly navigate this already cluttered landscape.
A classic example is Nike+. This platform focuses on fitness despite the brand that the user is wearing—tracking the activity levels and comparing your performance to other athletes across the globe.
Waze is used to navigate through traffic in the city. People discover new routes to work, cutting down travel time and, thereby, increasing productivity—all because of the crowd.
All of these have opened doors and facilitated interactions for a common need. Creativity leverages on data to make better experiences for this interactive world.
The talent of tomorrow
Retaining, growing and finding talent will be a challenge. A new set of skills will be required and job descriptions redefine as companies adapt to this new landscape.
Technology will bring automation and this will have a huge impact especially on a work force built for the industrial world.
Today’s value will be defined by the versatility—to be able to handle now and shift gears when necessary. This new wave of young leaders have moved into leadership roles quicker than the previous generation and it is changing the way companies do business.
The work force of tomorrow will work for a purpose. With this, comes the challenge of creating an elastic workplace to retain top talent, creating local opportunities that understand their culture and motivations.
Moving forward
Improving access, combining creativity and data, and understanding how to retain top talent, can increase our competitive edge and participate on the global playing field.
Being part of organizations, such as the Young Professionals Committee by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, opens yourself in a local setting with a network on a global scale.
Likewise, it provides opportunities to come together in a forum where individuals with similar purpose work toward achieving the same goal of bringing the Philippines forward into a more competitive environment.
As we navigate tomorrow’s landscape, we have to continuously get out of our comfort zone and be open to new ways of thinking, learning and doing. Change should be a continuous process and, as we adapt, we rally that our country be part of this digital disruption