One of the perennial challenges to organizations globally has been how to develop and sustain a skilled workforce. This challenge has recently been magnified by the need to fill clear gaps in terms of technical skills that are required to become an increasingly digital organization, and by changes in the expectations of talent. Turning the talent challenge into a competitive advantage requires a strategy that meets the needs of both employees and employers.
This study will rely on exploratory qualitative case studies, in conjunction with quantitative analysis of the exploratory survey data in the recent MIT CISR 2022 Decision Rights for the Digital Era Survey.
We will focus on the following research questions:
- How are large, established organizations approaching their strategic workforce planning process?
- Which approaches to filling digital skills gaps (i.e., hiring, acquiring, contracting, training) are proving most effective for them?
- How are these organizations using technology to identify and meet the unique needs of individual employees?
- What practices have proven effective at creating a work environment that fits employees' expectations?
This project is a continuation of MIT CISR’s 2022 research project on Developing a Digital-First Workforce.
SEEKING: We are seeking interviews with leaders who are involved in (reimagining) their organization’s strategic workforce planning and/or talent-related efforts. In addition, the research team would welcome the involvement of an organization that has made significant progress in developing a workforce that is digital-first.
CONTACT: Nick van der Meulen
