The global economy is transforming into an integrated market, full of opportunity, competition, and swirling change. Such change comes with its share of challenges. Indeed, the strain that global economic growth is placing on the supply of commodities and the environment has been well documented. Perhaps less well understood are the difficulties this expansion is causing today$’$s organisations as they strive to make the best use of their most important assets: their workforces.

However, as any firm that has attempted to transform its workforce to meet changing conditions will attest, the journey is difficult and littered with obstacles. Understanding key workforce performance challenges and identifying the leading practices companies are using to overcome them have become central focus areas for our research and consulting.

Creating an adaptable workforce requires more than a series of HR programs. It starts with leadership $–$ having the right people who have the skills and capabilities to develop and communicate a vision, provide structure and guidance, and ultimately deliver business results. It requires the ability to identify experts and foster an environment where knowledge and experience travel beyond traditional organisational boundaries. It calls for a talent model that can help companies recruit, develop, and retain valued segments of the employee population. It depends on an underlying backbone of data and information about the current and projected state of workforce performance, and the ability to apply that information to develop strategic insights and recommendations.

The adaptable workforce is a precursor for future organisational success. The key to building that kind of workforce lies with the leadership of the organisation, facilitated in large part by HR$.$ If there was ever a time for the HR function to prove its strategic value and contribute to organisational performance and growth, it has arrived.

Task:

$1.$ The study mentions three key elements that contribute to the organisation$’$s ability to develop an adaptable workforce. Briefly explain each of these core elements along with the key findings from the study.

$2.$ What are the top three barriers to collaboration across the organisation according to the study? Discuss their implications. What initiatives were taken to address these barriers?

$3.$ Discuss the top three barriers to collaboration in your current organisation.