Technology Is Destiny

ORGANISATIONS ACROSS THE WORLD are witnessing a varied mix of generations of workforce. We have the baby boomers to Gen X to millennials. The motivations and as­pirations are very different for each of these generations. The very definition of work-life balance couldn't have been more different than what it is now.

For an organisation, the challenge then is how to pro­vide a great working environment to every generation and how to ensure healthy levels of engagement and retention. With people working beyond the usual "retirement age" and young talent coming from B-Schools, it is crucial for the human resource department to facilitate a smooth and seamless assimilation.

At Cosmo First, a global leader in a broad spectrum of spe­ciality films for flexible packaging, lamination, labelling and industrial applications, we require a talent pool across manu­facturing, e-commerce, information technology, research and development, and more. We have a very diverse mix of people cutting across generations. Our flagship business vertical, Cosmo Films, has a legacy of over 40 years. There are other fledgling verticals like Cosmo Speciality Chemicals and Zigly, our pet care business—both a year-old.

A critical skillset for any B-School gradu­ate is to have the acumen to understand how to leverage technology to bring in efficien­cies, reduce manual work and provide smart insights to the business. We all have seen how the last two years have redefined how we use and look at technology. With every­thing we do, and everyone we meet—tech­nology has become omnipresent. Thus, it has become imperative for talent pools, cur­rent or future, to have a sound understanding of technologies.

While virtual seemed to be the norm, many companies globally are resuming work as usual. Thus, it is important to go back to the basics of collaboration, operating with trust, picking up the phone, and connecting. The two years of resi­dential B-School programmes aid the development of these behaviours. The basic concepts, including self-discipline, have not changed over the years.

In recent years, many B-Schools have introduced spe­cialised MBA/PGD programmes for Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Business Analytics, in addition to the existing specialisations. But it is important for all spe­cialisations to be technologically adept. Companies induct B-School graduates with the objective of having resources who understand the theories and apply those learnings to actual business problems, provide out-of-the-box solutions, get fresh perspectives, and offer continuous improvements. At Cosmo, we promote the Japanese philosophy of Kaizen, as every small improvement leads to the overall progress of the organisation.

For talent mapping, reviewing the organisation struc­tures from time to time helps maintain clarity on the require­ments. It provides visibility of what are the new skillsets we would need in the immediate/short/medium term. At Cos­mo First, when we started out new businesses, we lay equal importance on preparing the talent requirements as much as putting down the business plan. Ultimately, we require people to execute the plan and make the business a reality.

In the near future, technology coupled with the basics of human behaviour will continue to remain the cornerstone.