Skills Think Tank: Cornerstone + SkyHive – A day of insights for the future of work

The skills conversation is more prevalent than ever, permeating discussions from government agendas to workplace dynamics. On October 3, 2024, a diverse group of professionals, clients, and prospects gathered in London for the Cornerstone + SkyHive Skills Think Tank. This event provided a platform to explore the intricate layers of skills-based approaches tailored to current and future industry needs.

I had the honor of opening the event, presenting a macro perspective on the ever-evolving world of work and emphasizing the urgent necessity for a skills-based organizational framework in light of continuous change. This blog post aims to synthesize the key takeaways from the event and emphasize best practices for leveraging skills in today’s organizations.

Our discussions centered around moving beyond traditional structures, such as job descriptions and divisions, to create more agile, capability-focused organizations. I highlighted:

• Cognitive and manual skills: We examined the educational perspective on skills and how they can profoundly shape workforce capabilities.

• Examples from industry: Attendees learned from organizations with deep roots reinventing themselves, alongside newer businesses building a robust skills-focused culture from the ground up.

A critical takeaway from my keynote was exploring how organizational design should evolve. Transitioning from rigid hierarchical structures to more fluid configurations of multidisciplinary teams fosters skill utilization and maximizes organizational capabilities. To truly embrace a skills-based model, we need to supplement job descriptions with detailed skill profiles that align closely with business objectives.

Engaging with customer insights

The event featured a riveting customer panel, showcasing insights from leading figures in the industry, including Reanna Saeed from Teleperformance and Paul Buckland-White from Smith + Nephew. They discussed their unique programmed and emergent approaches to cultivating skills intelligence, emphasizing the need for continuous mapping and application to enhance performance and development.

Paul Jagger provided an insightful demonstration of the Cornerstone Ecosystem with SkyHive. This advanced platform works with real labor market data and skill taxonomies to help businesses connect their workforce capabilities to market demands.

The digital and organizational platform

Our discussions revealed two essential platforms necessary for a successful skills-based approach:

• Digital learning and performance platform: Organizations must avoid creating “islands of information. Instead, they require a cohesive, data-enabled platform for gathering, analyzing, and deploying skills-related information. This advanced technology serves as the cornerstone of truth in understanding workforce skills.

• The organization as a platform: Rethink your organization as a holistic platform housing intellectual property, governance protocols, and skilled personnel. This hive of activity leverages all available resources to enhance skill utilization across the board.

The "6 S’s" of a Skills-Based Approach

I concluded my speech with a compelling framework consisting of “6 S’s” to guide organizations on their journey to establishing a skills-based culture:

1. Start: Frame a compelling objective that generates interest and belief in a skills-based future.

1. Summon: Identify a champion within your organization to lead the skills-first agenda.

1. Sequence: Strategically integrate skills into your organizational strategies and value chains for measurable success.

1. Spread: Foster collective efforts to transition from static job descriptions to a dynamic skills marketplace forged by collaboration.

1. Shape-Up: Ensure your skills-based initiatives encompass the entire spectrum of job architecture, talent marketplaces, and strategic workforce planning.

1. Ship: Deliver your platforms, philosophies, and products that actualize a Skills-Based Organization.

Shaping tomorrow: The essential shift to skills-based organizations

The Skills Think Tank highlighted the need for sophistication in our approach to workforce capabilities. By adopting a skills-based organizational model, we can navigate the complexities of digitization, business model reinvention, and evolving workplace demands.

As we concluded the day, one equation resonated with all attendees: Skills x (Tech + Intelligence + Designed Systems) = People-Powered Performance.

Let this be our guiding principle as we work collectively towards building more agile, empowered organizations.

Download the Global State of the Skills Economy Report to gain actionable insights and prepare your organization for the future of work.