CEOs need to change their way of thinking: digitalisation means decentralisation of power

So does life-long learning need to become the top priority within our society and economy?

It needs to be high up on the list of priorities at least. As part of a major survey conducted by Tamedia, half the population stated that at the moment they don’t feel as though they need to continue learning. I find this alarming – within this group are people who will lose their jobs.

What approach do employers need to take to deal with digital skills and training?

This needs to be a priority for the Board of Directors and the Executive Board. Many of the big tech companies have known this for a long time. Training is one of their main priorities, alongside their core business and finance.

The digital working world is evolving at a fast pace. What other risks are associated with this?

The major risk is one that applies to our private lives too: loss of privacy, values and social contacts. Companies can misuse digitalisation and use it to track their employees, for instance. Working at home all alone in ten years’ time wearing smart glasses is not an exciting prospect.

“Traditional management is being revolutionised. Companies are adopting an empowerment leadership model in which responsibility is shared.”

What opportunities will the digital working world bring?

Many things will be more practical, more convenient, and we’ll see a huge increase in services. Mobility will be transformed, agriculture will be automated, smart homes will take over our housework – machines will carry out lots of tasks. People need to be more creative about how they work together, and focus more on analysis and development and less on execution.

The #LifelongLearning campaign by digitalswitzerland and the Swiss employers’ association is committed to a continuous learning process. What’s the specific objective?

Initially, it was to make people aware that learning is an opportunity for life that each and every one of us needs to seize. This year, we’re focusing more on activation. We can now offer companies direct financial support for training their employees.

How can companies promote “digital upskilling” within their workforce?

Mandating digital upskilling would be a step too far. But what’s essential is that companies allocate enough days for training. Tech companies invest up to 20% of their employees’ time in training – even outside of their core business. Training is a key performance indicator.

What are the main challenges companies face with the “digital upskilling” of their employees?

There’s a fine line between enforcement and self-motivation. Both the employees and the managers must want it. Digitalisation means decentralising power, and CEOs need to change their way of thinking.

How does Switzerland fare when it comes to education? Are talented young people equipped for the future?

Here in Switzerland, we like to complain, although for the last seven years we’ve ranked number one in the Global Talent Competitiveness Index. We’re not in pole position when it comes to digital education for children. But having said that, IT is on the 2021 school curriculum for 11-year olds, which is a very important development. The next step in education is “computational thinking”, in other words the interaction between people and machines. This involves children learning how to program robots. Digitalisation isn’t just about software.

Children will learn how to program robots?

If I look at my children as an example, they have no reservations or inhibitions when it comes to automation. Why vacuum when a machine can do it for you? I’m not really that excited about the thought of self-driving cars, but my children think it’s cool! The next generation is also very socially minded.

There’s high demand for digital skills but an insufficient supply in some areas. Where does Switzerland sit with regard to the digital talent gap?

According to a study by ICTswitzerland, over the next few decades there’ll be a shortage of thousands of digital specialists. Some large companies, SMEs and start-ups are already starting to really notice the talent gap.

How can companies fill this talent gap?

Firstly by upskilling and secondly through the immigration of digital experts. This statement is purely based on statistics and it’s a major problem in lots of countries. Every year in Switzerland, there’s a shortage of several thousands of specialists. It could be addressed by issuing tech visas. This is something that’s already happening in the Netherlands, which explains why there are Swiss tech companies operating subsidiaries in Amsterdam. Half of the founders in Silicon Valley aren’t from the US.

Training is expensive. Why do companies need to invest in it?

Training is a means of incentivising, and employees are grateful for training opportunities. When they’re able to put what they’ve learned into practice, they’ll remain at the company and contribute towards its productivity.

“Fear is a poor basis for decision-making. The solution is curiosity and life-long learning.”

What is your vision of the future world of work?

I hope that machines will make our lives much easier, and that we as people can concentrate on analysis, interpretation, creativity and further training. And essentially: on maintaining social contact. More people will have several different jobs, they’ll be more flexible and there’ll be more digital nomads. This means we really have to cultivate contacts.

Is digitalisation also changing how companies are managed?

Traditional management is being revolutionised. The keyword is people empowerment. This means focusing on the people and teams, and giving them greater responsibility. At the same time, companies will be measuring and analysing more, and they’ll be guided by validated data. This requires an understanding of complex structures. Top-down management no longer applies, instead companies are adopting an empowerment leadership model in which responsibility is shared.