What the future of work will be like, according to an HR guru

The Mexican Monica Flores Barragan For over 10 years he has been the number one human resources consultancy Manpower in the 18 Latin American countries in which the company operates. It is the first time he has visited the country since the pandemic and there is a stir in the Buenos Aires offices. The nervousness of welcoming one of the most recognized women in the region into her camp mixes with the hustle and bustle of a busy schedule.

Meetings with clients allowed him to leave the country with an idea of ​​how business is going and a conviction: The second semester “will be very nice, if everything that was supposed to happen happens” in Argentina.

Despite the economic situation, the specialist assures that there is still demand in the country (the company is strong in research and temporary work), due to the shortage of talent, an international phenomenon. In a recent survey by the consultancy firm, 80% of companies in Brazil and 76% in Argentina cannot find talent, with a regional average of 70%.

-Why are people missing?

-The talent that exists is either employed or has gone to another country. On the one hand there is a lack of experience, technical or academic knowledge among young people. Secondly, the specific skills required by the world of work are lacking. And finally, English is needed, even though Argentina is one of the countries where it is best spoken in the region. The world is global and knowledge is on the Internet and in English. And anyone who doesn’t speak the language will be excluded. The nice thing is that in the region we have what is called the “demographic bonus”, that is, there are young people to train on what the market requires.

-How do you see Argentina?

-In addition to good English and a higher number of universities in world rankings than other countries in the region, it has large technological hubs, which could be better exploited. All countries have experienced crises and Argentina has had more challenges, maybe that’s why there are many Argentines out.

-Why is the gap between what people know and what companies need so big?

-Study plans do not move at the speed of the world and it is complex to change them. We need microcertifications and reevaluation of these shorter qualifications than at university. The school can be obsolete in two years. We need “preskilling”, that is, accelerating the dialogue between businesses and universities. Having what the market demands is not bad, the person earns more when this happens. It is also necessary to continue learning throughout your life, retraining yourself. We all need to retrain ourselves, otherwise we will become obsolete. Especially when, with longer life expectancies, people continue to work well into their 70s.

-But do companies hire these elderly people?

-When there is a shortage of talent, companies start looking for it in groups that were not previously taken into consideration, such as the elderly, women, refugees.

-Won’t technology replace some skills, such as the need to know English?

-We will use technology, but human skills will become important. According to the World Economic Forum, there are 10 skills that will be needed in the world of work in 2025: analytical thinking and innovation, active learning, complex problem solving, critical thinking and analysis, creativity, leadership and social influence, use and control of human resources. technology, technology design and programming, resilience and flexibility, and reasoning. To all this I would add emotional intelligence. Interaction and humanity become important. It’s the unique touch, for example, in the shopping experience.

-Which careers will have the most future in the coming years?

-I don’t want to talk about careers, but about the skills necessary to continuously learn and human skills. I’ve seen guys with a 10, but unable to interview. I would say that careers related to the so-called “STEM” (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) to which I would add philosophy, due to the preponderance of the human.

-Personal work vs. home office, which is better?

-Depends on location and industry. We could say that there are few positions that can always work remotely, just as there are few jobs that require constant presence in the office. You have to find the balance. It’s a myth that everyone wants to work from home. They look for flexible hours, to avoid traffic or studying, for example. But the only way to transmit a culture is physical contact, not a manual. Team spirit is in the person.

What companies need to learn

For Flores Barragán, companies have an important role in training their employees both in the skills needed today and in those that will be required in the coming years. According to the consultancy firm, companies need to stop seeing work as a transaction with the employee and see it as a negotiation. “The new generations work for a living, they want it to be fun, to have balance with their life, to continue learning. This is not easy to achieve if we continue to see the company only as a profit generator.”

Philosophy student

Mónica Flores Barragán not only talks about the need for talents and leaders to have soft skills, but she herself is an example of what she promotes: she studied to become an actuary at the Autonomous University of Mexico, but later obtained a master’s degree in Philosophy and diploma in cultural history.