HRM and skills development – June 2021
Sustainable employment: how to keep a capable workforce in packaging?
The day this MOU edition is published, the NVC seminar Sustainable employability of employees in the packaging industry will take place in the afternoon. Key topic: how to ensure that the required skills, knowledge, expertise and motivation of the workforce continue to meet the changes imposed by the market? The adjustment of functions and the facilitation of development programmes for employees in the field of packaging are also analysed together. You are welcome to join us and don’t hesitate to contact Oscar Faber with your questions.
Robots on the move...
Researchers at Columbia Engineering have published results (7.82 MB) on using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to teach robots to make appropriate reactive human facial expressions, an ability that could build trust between humans and their robotic co-workers.
Despite all the AI inputs, robots and machines still lack the ability to touch and feel their subtle and complex surroundings like human beings. Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have now invented a smart foam that can give machines more than a human touch. The new material is soft and feels like a sponge, it mimics the human sense of touch, can sense nearby objects without actually touching them and repairs itself when damaged.
Education can make one happy – but only to a certain Degree
Education is considered one of the most critical personal capital investments. But formal educational attainment doesn’t necessarily pay off in job satisfaction, according to new research from the University of Notre Dame. In fact, there is almost no relationship between the two, as may be derived from a recent publication (abstract) in the Journal of Applied Psychology.
6 out of 10 companies: “Employee responsible for own development”
No less than 58% of Dutch companies believe that personal growth, such as developing skills, is the full responsibility of the employee. This is shown by research among 1,057 HR professionals conducted by Lepaya in collaboration with Panelwizard. The promises around lifelong learning don’t seem to match with the reality of the situation.
Circular economy perspectives on the development of work
A report (in Dutch, 4.27 MB), commissioned by the Dutch government and written by KPMG and Circle Economy, charts the developments in the job market as a result of the circular economy developments. Strong growth is expected in product-related services such as repair, refurbishment, and rental and leasing services. Also more jobs related to raw materials are anticipated, such as product design and process and product innovation. Job content might also change, like the relationships with suppliers where more partnerships are established instead of the traditional buyer-supplier relationship.
The impact of COVID on work analysed in 17 countries
To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on workers worldwide, the ADP Research Institute (in Dutch) surveyed over 32,000 workers in 17 countries between 17 November and 11 December 2020. The shows everything that we care about at work: job security, compensation, working conditions and mobility. You will receive the report (in Dutch) by e-mail after filling in your details.
NVC members receive this information with all the relevant links in the monthly NVC Members-only Update. If you have any questions, please contact us: info@nvc.nl, +31-(0)182-512411