Any company that wants success needs to adapt to change. In order for it to thrive, it must be in sync with current trends in business. 

Hence, the ability for a firm to change with these changes, gives it a great competitive advantage.

According to Forbes, staying competitive in today’s business world poses a constant demand on a leader’s skill and will to adapt to change. To adapt is to be the right "thing” at the right time, where that "thing” may be a product or service, price, convenience, conversation, a physical presence, verbal tone or non-verbal communique that emits the solution you want to convey.

Companies don’t fail because of changes in the environment; they fail because their leaders are either unwilling or incapable of dealing with said change. In fact, companies don’t change. People do. Which means that to stay competitive in today’s environment warrants not only the skill and will to adapt to change but also the foresight to anticipate it, the website shows.

Diane Umuhoza, a sales manager at Digital creations Rwanda, an advertising agency, says that it is very important to adapt to new changes as an organisation because it reflects commitment.

"Although it is very hard to adapt to changes, it is very important. Imagine if you are a company that does business but haven’t considered delivery. To make it easy for clients that even live far from you, adopting a new strategy like online shopping and delivery can be helpful and will show your clients that you are ready to serve them any time, yet are moving with world trends at the same time,” she says.

Aimme Mugabo a human resource officer at a shipping company says that change is inevitable and a great way of moving forward.

A company that puts change in consideration is a company that wants their future to be bright and better, he says.

"We have seen it during this pandemic, companies have had to adapt. Be it working remotely, they would find ways to still work and connect with employees, and for those that didn’t adopt, they perished.”

The role of HRs in adopting work trends

According to an article about preparing for the future of work, human resource leaders need to constantly re-examine workforce planning, emerging skills, the impact of artificial intelligence, the employee experience and so much more as business disruptions reset key work trends - many irreversibly.

"It is the human resource’s responsibility to know the changes the company needs or that will work for the workplace and employees. However, it is not necessary to put pressure on employees because change takes time and patience to benefit the company,” says Mugabo.

The world economic forum page shares a few trends to look out for;

Talent scarcity 

This is one of the key lenses through which we will see the entire world of work. The reasons are myriad. Some are long-standing, such as the shift towards automation and digitisation, the green transition, the lack of decent working conditions, the push towards higher education in place of work-based training pathways, and the mismatch between education and workplace needs all contribute to the issue, among other factors.

The Green transition takes shape

The Green transition is here, and economies around the world will be impacted by the shift to a more sustainable future. 

Digital transformation and hybrid work arrangements will continue to change companies.

There are two key parts to a successful digital transformation. The first is the transformation of industries and companies and the effect it has on skills. The second is the impact digitisation has on the culture of an organisation for example digital and remote recruitment, on boarding, and leadership.

Equity and social protection in the workplace

In the wake of the pandemic, inclusion, equity and equality will become a key focus for many. Each worker has different circumstances, and as leaders, we need to allocate the specific resources and opportunities they need to reach an equal outcome.