The Shape of Work

#111: 'Demographic Catastrophe' - Han Mesters on the global skill shortage, mismatch and what the orgs of 2030 will look like

September 10, 2021 Springworks Season 1 Episode 111
The Shape of Work
#111: 'Demographic Catastrophe' - Han Mesters on the global skill shortage, mismatch and what the orgs of 2030 will look like
Show Notes Chapter Markers

“Just like climate risk is a financial risk for the bank, human capital risk is also a financial risk for the organization.”

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Han Mesters,  Sector Banker - Business Services at ABN AMRO - one of the leading banks in the Netherlands.

Being a staffing and business expert, Han helps many executives in the staffing industry navigate the changing labour market and technological landscape.

Han has virtually transformed from a banker into a Human Capital expert: advising within professional services. In addition, he is also a trend watcher and cultural anthropologist who takes on the role of identifying issues within and outside the organisation.

In this episode, we discuss with Han: 

  • Demographic catastrophe: the shortage of skilled people, retention, technology, and international workforce.
  • Global skills mismatch: fixing it through competencies
  • Will technology extend the Dunbar number and what does this mean for remote work?
  • Why organizational culture is the future of work: shift of focus on profit to creating value for the environment
  • What changes become permanent when the situation returns to normal?
  • What work will look like by 2030: will people still be working for organizations?
  • Is it necessary to strive for friendships at work?
  • How HR can adjust processes and outcomes during unprecedented times?

Specialists vs. Generalists: What is the future trend?

In the olden days, specialist knowledge was enough to survive in the job market. The focus was only on one type of skill set. Back then, interpersonal skills often took a back seat. This organizational hierarchy creates an atmosphere of fear and distrust, leading to low institutional productivity. 

However, the youngsters of today no longer believe in hierarchical work. They need more freedom and creativity at work. Luckily, things are changing for good. Interpersonal competencies like empathy and communication skills are being given equal importance as technical skills. These factors play a crucial role in reducing ego at the workplace, thereby increasing productivity.

How do you see the future of work?

The post-institutional world is becoming a reality. But, how this world spans out depends a lot on cultural differences.

Han Mesters takes the example of his home country, the Netherlands, to say that they don’t follow a hierarchical work culture. The Netherlands is a feminine country with a caring component that believes in treating everyone equally at work. Han Mester’s organization believes in a post-institutional world with just 20,000 employees. Ten years ago, this number stood at 130,000. Also, out of the top 10 economically competent countries, 5 follow this Scandinavian-Dutch cultural component of non-hierarchical work culture.

Will people continue to work for organizations in 2030?

The world is shifting towards a non-institutional framework, with more people preferring to work independently. For example, 40% of Manhattan laborers are not permanent employees; they are contractual people with the right core competencies.

Similarly, Upwork research shows that 50-60% of young graduates seek employment as independent contractors. Also, many graduates in the Netherlands wish to start their businesses.

Which all industries can weather the storm of changing work culture?

Typically, small startups that focus on one core product tend to perform better in the business market. For example, Fintech companies have seen phenomenal growth due to their innovation streak.

Follow Han on LinkedIn

Produced by:  Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

Demographic catastrophe: the shortage of skilled people, retention, technology, and international workforce.
Global skills mismatch: fixing it through competencies
Will technology extend the Dunbar number and what does this mean for remote work?
Is it necessary to strive for friendships at work?
Why organizational culture is the future of work: shift of focus on profit to creating value for the environment
What work will look like by 2030: will people still be working for organizations?
How HR can adjust processes and outcomes during unprecedented times