The Transformation Toolkit: How to thrive in the face of market disruption

In todays market, it is disrupt or be disrupted. Every industry is exposed to disruption in some way. In the face of these disruptors, organizations have two choices: continuously reinvent themselves or be left behind.

The pace of change has not only accelerated but has manifested itself in a reduction in tenure on the S&P 500, with a 77% decrease in average lifespan since 1920. According to some projections, 50% of S&P 500 companies will be replaced in the next decade.

In the public sector, we see similar trends, such as the prediction that 50% of higher education institutions will close or go bankrupt in the next decade. Or in healthcare, where we see mergers and acquisitions up 14.4 percent year over year. Even government agencies must stay relevant by transforming into more efficient organizations to stay modern in service delivery and responsive to constituent needs.

Recognizing and adapting to the disruption is key to transformation, and HR leaders must play a pivotal role in driving this strategy. Driving transformation will likely necessitate a closer look at processes and technology, but the real key to a successful transformation is your people. By focusing on and investing in your people, your organization will be better set up for sustainable performance improvement and the type of cultural change that's necessary to turn disruptive crises into transformational opportunities.

In the following chapters, we will focus on three of the more common disruptors: mergers and acquisitions, emerging technologies and changes in regulatory compliance. It is virtually guaranteed that you and your team will experience one or more of these in 2020.

Each chapter will walk through the impact of these disruptors – on your people and on your business - and give you specific actions to help you attract, retain, and develop a team that will thrive in the face of disruption.