(Solution) 7HR02 Question 1 External and Internal Factors Shaping Organisation’s Resourcing and Talent Strategy

Solution

Question 1

In this section, the external and internal factors which shape the organisation resourcing and talent strategy have been put into account. This is with a recommendation on improvement of the strategy provided.

External and Internal Factors Shaping MOT’s Resourcing and Talent Strategy

External Factor-Technological Advancements

Due to the changes in the transport and logistics industry regarding technological advancements, organisations, like the Ministry of Transport and Logistics Services (MOT), are witnessing changes in the way they have been resourcing and developing talent.  As part of Vision 2030, MOT modernises infrastructure and integrates promising technologies such as autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, internet of things (IoT) systems and green energy solutions (MOT, 2024). While these technologies can allow for more efficient, more sustainable, and more intelligent logistics operations, the demand for highly skilled professionals who can manage and implement these innovations is critical (Gilch & Sieweke, 2020).

This is a challenge for the external labour market. As industries across the board move towards digital transformation, global competition for talent with AI, big data analytics and smart systems skills is intense (Schneider & Kokshagina, 2021). For MOT, not only does this competition make attracting such talent hard, but it also adds pressure to the organisation to offer competitive compensation packages and plans for long term career growth. Additionally, as explained by Li (2022), there is the need of upskilling the existing workforce on an ongoing basis as the pace of technological change increases. In addition, with MOT’s focus on modernisation of infrastructure, it has to attract not only technology experts but also experts in environmental sustainability as green logistics and carbon reduction targets are important to achieve (MOT, 2024).

To remain relevant, professionals have to follow the latest developments in technology (Padmaja & Mukul, 2021). Consequently, MOT must not only recruit externally but also build up and develop internal capabilities to narrow the gap between the current skill sets of the existing workforce and future skill needs. This factor demands a strategic approach to recruitment, retention and workforce development to maintain competitiveness and meet the mandate of the Ministry.

Internal Factor-Workforce Demographics

The internal challenge with workforce demographics is critical for MOT. The organisation is likely to be employing a lot of senior professionals nearing retirement and many younger employees early in their career. Although having experienced senior staff is valuable when it comes to such strategic initiatives, their impending exit causes the risk of huge knowledge gaps (Banfield et al., 2018). Senior employees have critical knowledge that consists of the organisation’s processes, policies, and long-term projects. According to Klotz et al. (2020), this risks creating big gaps in institutional memory for their potential departure from the workforce. The absence of sufficiently developed knowledge transfer mechanisms when experienced staff depart can result in ongoing operations being disrupted and block the organisation from successfully executing strategic objectives.

At the same time, younger employees are full of energy, bring new perspectives, but are also looking for fast career advancement and interesting cutting–edge projects (Viviani et al., 2021). MOT therefore, if it does not match their expectations by providing the opportunity for employees to grow, innovate and learn will face the consequences of employees becoming disengaged or leaving. Such a scenario creates a retention risk, especially in a competitive job market where companies are looking for skilled professionals. In addition, it is equally important to encourage a culture of collaboration between these groups to ensure proper transfer of knowledge (Lam et al., 2021). If no intentional strategies are implemented, the organisation may have a difficult time keeping institutional memory and project continuity alive in crucial projects. These demographic challenges must be met if MOT’s operational efficiency is to be sustained and broader MOT objectives under Vision 2030 fulfilled.

Recommendations on Improving the Strategy

Introduce Partnerships for Training and Talent Pipelines: To respond to technological advancements, MOT should work with universities, research institutions and industry leaders to build specific training programs in the areas of AI, IoT and green logistics. As stated by Jooss et al. (2023), this will create steady talent pipeline while also planning future demand for certain skills. Graduate internships are introduced to allow participants to get their hands on experience and have their skills matched to organisational need.  Furthermore, MOT can further sponsor or grant scholarships to promising students pursuing degrees in related areas to ensure that they are cultivating the loyalty of future recruits. Continuous dialogue with these educational institutions will be necessary to substantially amend the curricula, such that all graduates are trained with the relevant latest skills required for MOT’s Vision 2030 objectives. Further, existing employees can be upskilled and reskilled through workshops, e-learning platforms and certification to bridge skill gaps (Braun et al., 2024). MOT should also have a technology scouting initiative to identify new trends and bring them into workforce planning. Competitive salaries, career growth opportunities, and technology incentives will attract and retain top talent.

Implement Knowledge Transfer Programs: Filling information gaps resulting from workforce demographics could be addressed by establishing structured mentorship programmes where senior professionals, for example, are matched with junior employees so they can help transfer institutional knowledge. Thus, the objectives of these programs should be well-defined, such as documenting processes, sharing strategic insight, and identification of successors to key positions (Dixit & Sinha, 2022). Digital tools like AI-driven repositories support knowledge management platforms to ensure the information is properly organised so that it may be easily accessible. Similarly, cross-departmental workshops and seminars can regularly bring staff from various departments together to promote collaboration and innovation as well as share knowledge across the workforce (Mohamad et al., 2023).

In summary, form the obtained findings,……

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