As organizations plan for a post-COVID world they face stark challenges associated with increased economic uncertainty, a highly competitive global marketplace for talent, and the rapidly growing remote work movement. Recently, Visual Workforce, in partnership with ChamberRVA and Richmond SHRM, hosted a Virtual Town Hall designed to dig into those very issues.

The event, which can be viewed in its’ entirety here, shed light on how business leaders are thinking about the evolving role data and analytics can play in shaping conversations around employee retention, emergency succession planning, learning and development initiatives, and workforce optimization.

The conversation was moderated by our very own Bryan Bostic, and we can’t say enough about the contributions of our wonderful panelists: Chris Mumford of The Martin Agency, Paulina Hidalgo of Shockoe, and Anna Widdowson of Dominion Energy. They each brought their own unique perspectives to bear on questions that are critical to all businesses as we move into 2021 and beyond.

Panelists discussed a wide range of topics including: the business impact of COVID-19, the rise of remote work, the importance of learning and development programs, and the role internal mobility, career pathing, and upskilling play in building a workforce that both meets the immediate needs of a business and has the resiliency and agility to rise to unexpected challenges. Below are 4 key takeaways from the discussion:

• COVID has placed succession planning, or the lack thereof, squarely in the spotlight – want to learn more about succession planning? Check out this great article from SHRM

• The partnership between HR and IT is critical to building systems and developing processes that give decision-makers access to critical data on people

• Talent is king, and the ability to identify and develop high potential employees can mean the difference between success and failure

• There is an expectation among younger employees that organizations will direct and support their continued learning and development – according to Gallup, “59% of millennials report that opportunities to learn and grow are extremely important to them when applying for a job”

At Visual Workforce we’ve long believed in the importance of skills data in informing decisions about human capital. This fascinating and wide-ranging Town Hall discussion only served to reinforce that belief. Hearing from our panelists, it’s clear that data has a big role to play in helping organizations better understand their workforce and make more informed decisions about their people. If you want to learn more and listen to the full conversation for yourself, you can access the recording here.

Be sure to stay tuned for more from Visual Workforce, ChamberRVA, and Richmond SHRM in the coming months!