Chief Client Officer, AXA Mansard Insurance Plc, Rashidat Adebisi has urged business leaders and managers to create the right environment for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB), technology adoption, and a multigenerational workforce to thrive.
She said that, among other evolving workplace trends of the 21st century, these factors will redefine how organisations operate and perform.
Speaking to members of the Society for Women Accountants of Nigeria (SWAN) – the female arm of the Institute of Chartered Account of Nigeria (ICAN), Adebisi noted that business leaders must pay close attention to these trends, embrace them and create environments where they can enable productivity.
She added that companies that fail to integrate the changes brought about by new workforce trends risk falling behind in today’s increasingly competitive and digital economy.
Adebisi said that the importance of a diverse, equitable, included workforce cannot be overstated. She noted that in Nigeria and worldwide, women remain underrepresented in executive roles, with women occupying only 24 per cent of directors’ seats on the top 30 capitalised companies on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, according to a March 2021 report by KPMG.
She stressed the need for organisations to go beyond token representation and implement policies supporting women’s advancement into leadership roles. Additionally, she noted that issues such as ageism, BSc-HND discrimination, and accessibility for professionals with disabilities continue to create barriers for talented individuals.
She urged organisations to develop systems to eliminate these biases, focus on competency-based hiring, and foster inclusive work environments that empower employees of all backgrounds. On the importance of a multigenerational workforce, Adebisi noted that today’s workforce now spans four generations, from Baby Boomers to Generation Z, making it more diverse than ever before.
“Each generation brings unique strengths. Baby Boomers and Generation X offer experience, while Millennials and Gen Z drive digital innovation and agility”, she said.
She explained that businesses must intentionally create structures that allow these generations to collaborate effectively so the organizations can harness the opportunities for higher productivity and better problem-solving outcomes.
“Despite the opportunities, many companies still struggle with the generational divides in communication, belongingness, and work styles and expectations,” she added.
“Technology remains a major driver of workplace evolution,” she continued. “The adoption of AI, automation, blockchain, and cloud computing is reshaping industries, from accounting to insurance and other sectors.
No matter how small, one can hardly think about a business not investing in digital transformation today. Yet many employees of these organizations lack the skills to fully leverage these advancements for personal and business growth”.
Adebisi emphasized that business leaders must prioritize upskilling and digital literacy programs to ensure their workforce is equipped to navigate the new era technology has brought to the workplace.
She cited examples of how FinTech and digital accounting solutions are revolutionizing financial management, allowing accountants and business leaders to make data-driven decisions faster and more accurately, saying, “Every industry is going through a similar journey to do things faster, cheaper, and better with technology.” She explained that while these technology trends are placing new demands on every facet of the workplace, leaders have a higher responsibility of not just investing in talent and skill development but also creating an environment that can unlock the opportunities that technology brings to business operations.
