“We will never understand complex systems unless we develop a deep understanding of the networks behind them.” Albert László Barabási, Harvard

Not surprisingly, the constant urge to adapt motivates organisations to reorganize and continuously rebuild themselves with organisations of the future by restructuring their hierarchical system into a network of teams.

In every organisation there are two simultaneous structures:

◉ Artificial
◉ Organic

Planned and constructed structures are artificial. These include the organisation’s hierarchy, supply chains and project teams. Conventionally, these are designed by the organisation’s leaders and owners.

Organic structures are formed by the members of the community (e.g. employers and employees). These two networks generate reality together. Thus, the future challenge is to synchronize these networks according to the needs of the digital age.

Organisational Network Analysis (ONA) can visualize organic structures, creating the opportunity for synchronization.

Organisation Network Analysis

ONA examines relationships between members (people, groups, communities) of an organisation. Unlike traditional analyses which explains behaviours according to personal attributes, ONA concentrates on connections between members of the organisation. Everyone has an impression or an opinion about how they connect to each other. Nevertheless, according to direct research even in smaller communities, they cannot precisely identify and see the network of their relationships. Biological researchers have found that we can only see the complete network of relationships in a community with up to 7 members and cannot grasp more than 150 relationships simultaneously.

During ONA we analyse the patterns of different types of connections (communication, work cooperation, trust, etc.). The result is then mapped. It visualizes the relationships and key people providing a map of our thoughts about the company.

By applying this modern approach, you gain entirely new insights into the social mechanisms, communication and cooperation at all levels. The social network map of your company supports you in understanding, predicting and controlling the complex system within your company.

Organisational Network Analysis can answer the following questions:

◉ Who are the key people in the organisation?
◉ How does information flow within the organisation?
◉ What is cooperation like between entities?
◉ Who could form am innovative team?
◉ Who are the real talents worth investing in?
◉ Which employees may leave the organisation soon and who might follow?

To familiarise ourselves with the aspect of social network analysis, let’s see an example:

We analysed two different small groups of people within varying structures of a network. Each node represents a person; each line represents a potential channel for interpersonal communication.

Question: Which small group of people can solve problems with the highest speed and accuracy? Each group received the same problem. Each can only communicate with the designated others.

Answer: The less centralized group (left) outperformed the centralized structure (right). But when we gave a task instead of a problem (tasks are completed, while problem require ideas to solve them), then hierarchy structures performed better.

“The efficiency of communities depends on the participants’ interactional network as much or more than it depends on everything else, such as combined knowledge with experiences, with IQ, with skills, etc.” – Alex Pentland, MIT

Organisational Network Analysis is a unique option to understand the company and its operation better. Why is ONA useful? First, we need to clarify what useful means. Useful is what:
◉ makes our decisions easier
◉ improves efficiency
◉ boosts the speed of change and makes it easier to achieve

Makes our decisions easier

ONA simplifies decision making because it measures behaviour and provides facts.

Question: We have three candidates for a manager position. Who is the most suitable?

Answer: BondWeaver Systems identifies the person who has the same or the most similar relationship network compared to the expected relationship network, who has more respect among employees and who is better integrated into the leader community.

Question: Why are group decisions slow?

Answer: When a decision is made in a group, it usually gets stuck at the first question, ‘What is the situation?’. ONA provides a map with data so the group can proceed to the most important question: ‘What shall we do?’.

Improves efficiency

Companies pursue stronger internal and external cooperation. They try to achieve this through forcing cooperation in many ways, for example, by applying matrix systems or other formal mechanisms. However, employees often find faster and more appropriate connections which don’t match artificial (formal) mechanisms.

Question: Why does information disappear?

Answer: The affected groups are often in silos. The connection between leadership hierarchy levels or organisational groups is not properly developed. They have to identify relationships that should be established to integrate diverse communities.

Boosts the speed of change and makes it easier to achieve

Question: How can we improve the acceptance of a new idea or behaviour?

Answer: Change can be adopted more quickly and pervasively through appropriate recognition and management of key employees. This helps eliminate risk and limit costly disruption simultaneously aligning the organisation with its business strategy.

BondWeaver Systems identifies key individuals and brokers who can help spread ideas and behaviours. It also reveals disconnected functions and individuals who need to be brought into communities.

If you would like more information about BondWeaver or about Organisational Network Analysis (ONA), please contact us at info@peoplefirstme.com

Six competencies critical for future success in the workplace

We are living in a time of constant change which is reshaping the future landscape of work. The workforce in the next 20 years will look very different to the workforce of today. Over the next decade, new technologies will enter every domain of the workplace replacing humans, the jobs that we do and transforming the way we work. Globalization will continue to create greater cultural diversity and broaden the values and the set of beliefs held by organisations today. By 2030, four generations will be in the workplace simultaneously, each with unique attitudes, behaviours, strengths and weaknesses that will need to be recognized and managed coherently.

The new age will require a range of different skills in the workplace and skills that are considered important in today’s workforce will change. Therefore, it is important that organisations prepare for the future of work and align the skill set and capabilities of their employees to the challenges that will arise over the coming decades.

Future work skills

Looking ahead, we have identified six competencies that we believe are imperative in a digital age and define the threshold levels required to succeed in the workplace.

1. Innovation

Definition: The ability to find and apply new and creative approaches to work  

Companies are increasingly confronted with shifts in industry transformation which have major implications on the skills employees need to succeed in their organisation. As business environments are becoming more complex, this requires employees to derive new solutions and approaches to navigate through this volatility and uncertainty. The employee of the next decade will have to be innovative to develop new ideas and new ways of working and combine this with an approach of continuous improvement to ensure that they are positively contributing to the success of the company.

2. Emotional intelligence

Definition: The ability to read and perceive emotions and adapt behavior accordingly

Emotionally intelligent employees are able to quickly assess the emotions of those around them and adapt their words, tone of voice, body language and gestures accordingly. This has always been a key skill for employees who need to collaborate and build relationships, however, it is now even more important as we are entering an era where we will be working with an increasingly diverse group of people from different cultures, backgrounds and generations. Furthermore, as artificial intelligence continues to change the landscape of work, emotional intelligence will continue be one of the vital assets that gives employees a competitive advantage over robots, machine and automation.

3. Adaptability

Definition: The ability to adapt and respond well to change

The ability to respond to unique and unexpected circumstances will be highly valued over the next decade. As jobs across all occupations are constantly changing and automation continues to gain traction, organisations are under pressure to adapt quickly to both the internal and external changing environments. Adaptable employees can make the necessary adjustments needed in a given timeframe to acknowledge, accept and respond to any changes that are occurring. In the future, employees will need to be open to new ideas and respond effectively to upcoming challenges, seizing any opportunities that can contribute towards a successful result or output.

4. Critical thinking

Definition: The ability to critically analyse and evaluate information, considering the facts from different perspectives

Critical thinking is often referred to as the most valued skill of the 21^st century. Employees that can ‘critically think’ are able to filter and assimilate complex information in a manner that facilitates problem solving and ultimately enhances the decision-making process. Critical thinking is emerging as an important skill as companies need to balance and combine the use of data and analytics with objective reasoning for the purposes of informed decision making. Critical thinkers ask the right questions and recognise the right opportunities, ensuring that the company makes logical and successful business decisions.

5. Diversity

Definition: The ability to understand, practice and operate in different cultural settings

Organisations are increasingly viewing diversity as a driver of innovation, bringing different ways of thinking, skills and experiences together. As diversity in the workplace grows, it will become a pre-requisite for all organisations as they seek to represent and mirror the customers and communities that they serve. All employees, and not just the ones that operate in diverse geographical environments will need to be able to work effectively across different teams, understanding the breadth and depth of different working styles and cultural perspectives. The ability to understand and leverage those cultural differences will be essential in achieving organisational goals.

6. Managing change

Definition: The ability to manage, lead, enable and embed the process of change and transition

The old paradigm “the only thing that is constant is change” is very much true for today’s working environment when ideas, plans and processes can become redundant nearly overnight. This will cause an increasing demand for change management skills in the future. The ability to anticipate, adapt to and implement change will be pivotal. Every business and industry will require change management whether the company changes a policy, procedure, technology, process, service or product; businesses themselves need to continuously manage change as the habits of their customers and their consumers constantly change.  Employees will have to be highly competent in managing change and well versed with change acceleration processes to oversee a period of continuous transition over the coming years.

What does this mean for your business?

Companies need to continuously adapt to the changing environment in which they operate. This requires strategic workforce planning and the development and implementation of talent management strategies to ensure that the workforce is equipped with the necessary skills to ensure future organisation success.

If you would like more information of how we can help your organisation prepare for the future, please contact us at info@peoplefirstme.com

“We are in a dilemma: What to do with our education? Where to work? A number of girls get their diplomas but are lost afterwards due to the lack of job opportunities for women.” – Head of a women’s welfare association in Jeddah.

This is not an uncommon sentiment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) where women represent only 16% of the total workforce. The low representation of women in the workforce is not entirely surprising in a country that does not allow women to open a bank account or control their finances without the permission of their male guardian.

But not for long.

KSA has embarked on an ambitious journey to modernize the Kingdom through its Vision 2030. This vision includes the empowerment of women and the materialization of their potential through a series of endeavours that will likely bring massive changes to the way the female workforce is perceived in the region.

We can already see how the government’s efforts to provide flexibility to women has positively impacted the participation of women in the workforce. For instance, allowing women to work in a wider range of jobs has resulted in a 130% increase in the employment of women in the private sector between 2012 and 2016. While women make up only 16% of the total workforce right now, the government aims to increase this to 30% by 2030. Meeting this target could add 12% to the size of the total OECD economy by 2030. (AT. Kearney Middle East).

What’s more? The government seems to be advocating this vision strongly through its progressive actions like lifting the ban on driving for women.

With all these advancements, more and more women will soon enter the workplace and businesses in Saudi Arabia will find themselves asking the question: ‘Are we prepared to welcome the changes that will result from the inclusion of women in the workplace?’

We understand that the answer to this question may not be simple, therefore, PeopleFirst is taking this opportunity to present a series of three articles to help businesses explore the ways in which they can prepare themselves for the inevitable change. Each article in the series will focus on the most important aspects of business that need to be addressed and are illustrated on the right:

In part one, we will look at how the work environment of an organization may need to adapt to facilitate the inclusion of women in the workplace. Before we begin, however, it is important to note that businesses in Saudi Arabia must truly embrace the idea of inclusion of women in the workplace before they can begin to make any changes to the way they work. It takes courage to let go of the familiar and embrace the new, and if new ideas are advocated from the top management, change will be cascaded to the departmental and individual levels more seamlessly.

Strategy

Women make up 50% of the consumer population in KSA. Wouldn’t it be great to know a woman’s perspective when it comes to making business decisions that could affect business growth?

A critical starting point for any business that wants to include women in the workplace is to have a holistic strategy. Before they can develop a strategy, decision makers must ask themselves how including more women into their workplace will contribute to their business objectives. For instance, with women now being able to drive, there is potential for more women to purchase cars and an auto dealership may benefit from hiring female sales staff for their showroom to assist female customers.

Once the business strategy is in place, businesses may need to devise a diversity plan that will aim to drive gender balance across the organizational hierarchy. The diversity plan should provide equal opportunity to women in terms of time, space and resources across the business.

The strategy and diversity plan will then feed into all other aspects of the work environment, culture and day to day operations, opening doors for equal opportunities and gender sensitivity in the workplace.

Research suggests that companies that promote gender diversity and provide equal opportunities make a huge difference in employee satisfaction, productivity, and overall company success. So it’s no surprise that the list of companies with female leaders continues to grow. General Motors, PepsiCo, Xeroxx and IBM are just a few examples of companies with female CEOs.

HR Policies

HR policies provide a concrete foundation for businesses to operate at a strategic and operational level in a way that is legally compliant and in line with best practice. Therefore, in order to incorporate the diversity plan into the company’s day to day HR practices and develop a gender sensitive workplace, businesses will need to review and update their HR policies. Policies that promote equal opportunities, fair work practices and gender balance will certainly allow companies to be more successful in achieving their ultimate goals.

Fairygodboss (a site where women can review their employers) reports that nearly 43% of women have experienced some type of harassment in the workplace. The website highlights that the majority of workplace harassment is perpetrated by a colleague (57%), rather than a boss (36%) or manager (25%). Such practices will not be phased out of the workplace unless companies adopt strong policies and practices of reporting and punishing the perpetrators.

Needless to say, businesses will need to start thinking about developing and implementing other policies that include but are not limited to the following:

• Offering flexible working hours and adapting leave policies to facilitate women in managing work life balance
• Work ethics may need to be redefined to ensure women are treated with respect and professionalism at the workplace, and that they are able to voice any grievances with the confidence of a fair and objective resolution
• Offering competitive and equitable pay structures
• Providing women with the opportunity for training and career development

This may help businesses attract and retain female talent in support of the Kingdom’s vision.

While the company can decide which HR policies to change and when, there will be certain policies & practices that will definitely have to change before women can be introduced to the workplace. For instance, keeping in mind the religious and social obligations, unrelated men and women are expected to maintain distance and limit their interaction with each other. Which is why, as a minimum requirement of the Shariah law, companies will be expected to prepare separate work spaces for men and women. This will include the separation of at least the following:

• Work stations
• Office entrance
• Office elevators
• Lunch and prayer room
• Restrooms in the workplace

Having separate work spaces will not only meet the legal requirements but it will also provide a comfortable work environment for both men and women, allowing them to work in an environment that is perceived as familiar and culturally acceptable. Having a comfortable space to work in can also result in higher engagement levels for women as explained in the next section.

Employee Engagement

It is widely known that engaged employees are productive employees, and companies that wish to build an engaged workforce need to foster the right work environment. HR can ensure that the newly hired women as well as the existing men in the workplace are engaged and motivated by encouraging open communication, opportunities for idea-sharing, employee support / resource groups and mentorship programmes. In addition, welcoming new employees with a well-rounded induction plan can go a long way in allowing them to integrate seamlessly into the organization and helping them to eventually grow.

PeopleFirst is ideally positioned to help your organization optimize the workplace environment, improve employee engagement and refine employee development. If your aim is to position your organization to reap the benefits of inclusion of women in the workplace then get in touch with PeopleFirst today.

Ten years ago, when I set up PeopleFirst, I had no idea where our first piece of work was going to come from; I took a leap of faith and trusted my instincts!

Ten years on, PeopleFirst has established itself as a trusted brand that is now one of the leading HR consultancies in the region and has recently been recognized as ‘Highly Commended’ by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) in the category for Best HR Consultancy in the 2017 People Management Awards. This accolade is a dream come true and has been achieved through hard work, commitment and a shared passion ‘to be the best’ by everyone that has been part of our team over the past ten years. Therefore, I would like to start by thanking everyone who has contributed to PeopleFirst since its inception. Each of you has made a unique and significant contribution to our journey of achievement, success and continuous development, and I am confident that this experience would have contributed equally to your journey of personal and professional growth.

I would like to also reflect and thank every client we have worked with so far. As a boutique consultancy we have exceeded all expectations and have had the privilege of working with many high-profile clients on significant benchmark projects giving us unparalleled exposure to build our brand reputation. A special word must go out to some of our very first clients like Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies and Omantel who placed trust in us and took somewhat of a risk in working with us as a new start up. I am pleased to say that this trust has paid off resulting in positive results for our clients and a platform for PeopleFirst to demonstrate its passion, technical expertise and unique approach; something that sets us apart from our competitors even today. I would like to celebrate the diversity of clients we have worked with and the success we have attained in key projects like AMMROC, Oman Airports, Saudi Electricity and KEF Holdings just to name a few.

Despite the very challenging, ‘roller-coaster’, economic landscape and competitive environment of the past decade, PeopleFirst has remained steadfast and has emerged as a trusted, reliable, long term business partner for its clients, which come from a very diverse range of industry sectors. Over the past ten years we have gained extensive knowledge and insights into multiple industries, having worked with large and small clients in government, semi government and the private sector. This exposure and our continuous endeavor to develop innovative HR solutions will undoubtedly support PeopleFirst over the next decade as we further embrace technology to enhance the employee proposition and partner with our clients to increase their bottom line by focusing on putting their ‘people first’.

I would also like to mention the extensive network of business partners and acquaintances that have supported PeopleFirst and encouraged me personally. It has been such an honour to engage with so many well-wishers and of course, being selected as a a finalist for Emirates Woman of the year in the visionaries’ category was the icing on the cake as PeopleFirst was my vision!

I look forward to the next decade and our contribution to the development of HR skills in the region and beyond. Going forward, I hope to strengthen our focus on supporting communities around us through exclusive programmes like ‘Leaders for Tomorrow’ which is our way of giving back to society.

Remember, it pays to put people first!

In celebrating our ten-year anniversary, we are pleased to share with you case studies of HR projects that PeopleFirst delivered for three high-profile clients. The case studies are presented in short videos and can be viewed here:

by American University in Dubai (AUD)

In line with our continuous endeavours to support upcoming graduates in gaining essential HR skills, PeopleFirst once again collaborated with the American University in Dubai (AUD) to develop and evaluate an HR project for students who enrolled on the Human Resources Management module.

The students were required to select a topic from a set of six (6) options and apply their theoretical knowledge to develop practical solutions that can be used by employers and HR teams. The topics were career development, job design, onboarding, performance management, compensation and benefits and recruitment.

The winning team chose the topic of ‘performance management’. The team was asked to recommend an approach to performance management that will attract and retain talent from the Centennial Generation. The project team; Iman Zahid Hafeez, Neha Fatima and Yasmeen Al Oran demonstrated a sound understanding of performance management, how it is delivered and its importance in an organisation. They presented robust recommendations on how companies can use performance management to effectively manage and improve organisational performance.

To recommend the most suitable performance appraisal method for centennials, the team conducted a survey which captured over 100 responses. Key findings showed that centennials prefer regular feedback in person and are interested in work assignments that are challenging. In terms of performance related rewards, the survey showed that centennials place an importance on bonuses and monetary incentives to increase morale and productivity. The findings presented were in line with previous research conducted and further information can be found here:

Is-your-organisation-ready-for-the-centennial-workforce
The-future-summit

The team conducted thorough research to support their ideas that bridged theoretical knowledge with practical application. The approach recommended by the team moved from the traditional approach which focuses heavily on objective setting to an approach that emphasised the importance of competencies (which included teamwork, collaboration, interpersonal skills, communication and confidence) as an essential component of performance management. The team further moved away from the traditional cycle of mid-year and annual reviews and placed an emphasis on more frequent and continuous feedback to improve workplace engagement and productivity.

The team’s presentation was well structured, well-articulated and delivered in a professional manner. The delivery of the presentation enabled the audience to engage with the presenters and they were also well placed to answer all questions that were raised in a comprehensive manner which further highlighted their understanding of the topic.

We enjoyed the time spent with the students and would like to thank AUD for inviting us to participate in this initiate.

“When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.” – Simon Sinek

Managing employees in a way that keeps them emotionally invested in the business can be a challenge, but it is not an impossible feat. Employee management can be defined as the systematic identification, attraction, retention and development of human capital required to fulfill business requirements.

Managing employees and their expectations is important for all organisations and will be of even more significance to companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) who are preparing themselves for the inclusion of women in the workplace. In this article, which is part two of the series, we will continue to review how organisations will need to prepare themselves, particularly in the way they manage their employees for the increasing gender diversity that will start to arrive in their workplace.

Recruitment and Retention

While recruitment may seem like a fundamental and sometimes straightforward HR activity, if not carried out correctly, it can result in difficulties in attracting and retaining talent. At a time when gender diversity is an ever-increasing priority for organisations, it will be even more crucial to develop and implement a robust recruitment process that will help to attract and retain talented women.

So, how can companies prepare for the recruitment of women?

Let’s explore some of the preferences of female candidates along with the small changes that companies can make to facilitate the talent acquisition process:

[Source: Fairygodboss_2017_Women_in_the_Workplace_Report_q2qsax.pdf ]

Advertising and promoting gender diversity policies and practices may help companies to attract suitable female candidates, however, living the policies in day to day operations will help increase retention of female talent. Unsurprisingly, financial compensation remains the most important factor for female employees when deciding to stay in their current role or with their current employer.

Compensation & Benefits

Despite the importance and media attention on equal pay in the recent past, the World Economic Forum (WEF) reported in 2017, that for the first time since 2006, the global gender income gap is widening. They estimate that it will take 217 years to close this gap.

While this news is disappointing, some companies like Adobe, SalesForce, WholeFoods, Microsoft, Intel and Accenture have started taking measures to reduce and eliminate the gender income gap in their organisations. Furthermore, Iceland has become the first country in the world to legally incorporate gender equal pay practices. Fortunately, companies in KSA can ensure from the very beginning that they compensate employees, regardless of gender, equitably and according to the true value of the job that they will perform.

To ascertain the ‘value’ of each job role, it is important to conduct a job evaluation exercise and benchmark C&B accordingly. The implementation of a robust and fair compensation and benefits framework can go a long way in creating and administering internal pay-equity in a company.

• Are we prepared to offer the same compensation to a male and female employee performing the same job?
• Will we pay the same allowances to both men and women?
• Are we prepared to provide both men and women with the same benefits?

With comprehensive C&B frameworks in place, companies can strive for transparency in their compensation practices.

Performance Management

Besides enhancing the company’s talent pool, recruiting women may also increase the company’s financial performance. Research shows that Fortune 500 companies with the highest representation of women on boards financially outperform companies with the lowest representation of women on boards.

[Source: https://www.ccl.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/WhatWomenWant.FINAL_.pdf]

This brings us to the topic of performance management for women. With women entering the workplace, companies will need to prepare themselves for the manner in which they measure and evaluate performance.

Managers will need to interact with new female team members, discuss their objectives and KPI’s and provide feedback on their performance. This may not be an easy transition; therefore, companies will need to ensure that the right change management and facilitation initiatives are in place in preparation for this challenge.

Preparatory measures that organisations can take to facilitate the performance management process can include:

• Communication sessions with line managers to help them prepare for conversations with female colleagues
• Training line managers and female employees on setting SMART objectives
• Coaching line managers and female employees on how to give and receive feedback
• Training managers on the performance management framework

If you would like more information on how PeopleFirst can help your organisation, please contact us at info@peoplefirstme.com

Continuing our partnership with the American University in Dubai (AUD), PeopleFirst once again designed and evaluated a term project for the students enrolled in two separate sections of the Human Resource Management course with Professor Raj Kapoor. Students in each section were split into six teams and asked to collect, review and analyse information regarding the expectations that Centennials have from employers in today’s environment; the students were then required to present their findings and make recommendations that would assist employers and HR professionals to attract and retain this generation in the workplace.

Students had to apply their academic knowledge and analyse their findings to develop and present practical solutions on six respective HR topics: Career Development, Job Design, Onboarding, Performance Management, Compensation / Benefits and Recruitment / Selection.

The presentation skills displayed and the recommendations made from all participants were of an impressive standard and exceptionally well-articulated. The students conducted thorough research and proposed a robust set of recommendations that should be given due consideration and can potentially be incorporated in the employee value proposition offered by companies to effectively engage the Centennial workforce.

Based on the reports submitted and the presentations delivered there were two winning teams (one from each section):

Section A: Topic: Career Development

Team members: Dimple Tahiliani, Silmi Dhrolia, Yash Kapoor, Trisha Jiandani & Karan Dhakka

The key research findings and recommendations presented by the winning team are summarized below:

• Centennials have ideas and a set of skills that need to be developed which can then be used for the right job at the right time
• Companies need to continuously make efforts to enhance and develop the skills of their employees
• Some suggested that companies can use the following methods to develop skills and broaden and deepen working/business knowledge:
  • participation in group workshops
  • individual development sessions
  • cognitive training
  • team building that focuses on developing new skills
  • job shadowing
  • lateral moves within departments or across organisations to develop a breadth of knowledge
• Companies should also encourage their employees on self-development to encourage growth, resilience, confidence and accountability
• Companies should provide continuous feedback to employees to enable them to understand their areas of development
• Career development discussions should be conducted on regular intervals
• 56% of the surveyed participants felt that external training programs are effective as they expose the company and the employees to new skills, trends and encourage participation
• However, 44% of the surveyed participants felt that internal trainings were more effective as they are cost-effective, and the content is more relevant to the job
• Overall, 84% of the surveyed participants believed that career development helps improve employee performance

Section B: Topic: Job Design

Team members: Daniel Haddad, Basil Romie, Filippo Borghi, Francesca Pasqualucci & Mohannad Alzahrawi

The recommendations presented by the winning team are summarized below:

• Companies should design jobs that provide a variety of tasks to keep them engaged rather than engaging in repetitive tasks and activities; however, employers need to be cautious that many tasks are not allocated at the same time
• Employees want job titles that befit their roles which helps in eliminating ambiguity concerning their responsibilities
• Centennials prefer an independent workspace and would prefer not to share their workspace with other team members. They also aspire to be in roles that give them the ability to plan, execute and control their tasks independently
• It is recommended that employers trust Centennials to take responsibility for their work and enable them to make decisions in the workplace as employees are more likely to add value if they are given independence and given enough ‘space’ to thrive
• Mentors / coaches should be assigned to new employees to ensure successful on-boarding
• Rigid or fixed working times do not appeal to Centennials therefore companies should include flexibility in their job design and working practices
• Teams should be diverse with a balance of experienced and new employees to develop communication skills and build successful relationships
• Clear and transparent career progression opportunities should be made available to Centennials so that they can plan and map out their own career paths

We would like to thank AUD and Professor Kapoor for inviting us once again to participate in this initiative and congratulate the winning teams for the high quality of work that was delivered; we would also like to thank all students for their participation in this project.