AN ANALYSIS OF CRUCIAL SKILLS REQUIRED IN THE MODERN WORKPLACE BY INSURANCE SECTOR EMPLOYERS

Purpose: The insurance industry is one of the industries that have experienced the Fourth Industrialization Revolution due to the ever-changing technology which will greatly affect the future of labour market. As a result, most insurance companies are reinventing their business and organizational strategies in order to modernize their workplace as well as acquire employers and employees with skills that can adapt to the new changes in technology. The objective of this study was to analyze the crucial skills required in the modern workplace by insurance sector employers. The aim of this study was to help the readers understand the crucial skills required by employees in the modern workplace and their importance in the insurance sector. Methodology: A desktop literature review was used for this purpose. Relevant seminal references and journal articles for the study were identified using Google Scholar. The inclusion criteria entailed papers that were not over five years old. Findings: Most insurance sectors aim to remain efficient and competitive in the rapidly changing global market. The challenge that affects the competitiveness and productivity of insurance sector are closely linked with the lack of the crucial skills necessary in the modern workplace. It is evident that from this review, researchers have emphasized on acquiring of various crucial skills that adapt to the ever-evolving technology in the modern workplace and specifically in the insurance sector. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The following are the recommendations were made: Insurance sectors should oftenly conduct training programs that will enable insurance providers gain essential skills that align with the evolving technology in this industry. Employers should not focus on gaining professional and technical skills only but also learn the soft skills that are essential when interacting with colleagues and customers. Insurance providers should document their work ethics to the public even if it’s through the online platform.

Freedom in the Workplace

This chapter follows the argument of Private Government: How Employers Rule Our Lives (and Why We Don’t Talk about It), particularly chapter 2. Is the modern workplace a threat to freedom? Specifically, Anderson argues that the workplace is a site government: where power is exercised over us government exists. If we ask what type of government workplaces are it is clear that the vast majority are dictatorships. The interviewer brings up the main counterarguments—surely we can leave bad jobs and freely negotiate the terms of employment elsewhere—and Anderson responds. This is followed by a discussion of why this topic has been comparatively neglected by political philosophy. From the conclusions drawn, an argument is developed that political philosophy is strengthened by the field’s increasing diversity, and by philosophers considering material from a wide range of sources.

Lateral layers and loops: Why managers need to curate the fabric of the digital firm in a post-lockdown world

The sudden switch to remote working has exposed the fatuous and even unproductive nature of many conventional management techniques in the modern workplace. Rather than micro-managing performance of individual contributors, this article argues that leaders and managers should focus on curating the fabric of the digital firm to enable more productive and engaged online-first working in the post-lockdown world of work. Having inherited organisational structures and processes that are largely not fit for purpose in the digital world, this is a once-in-a-generation challenge for emerging leaders today, and if they are able to succeed then they will not only enjoy greater short-term productivity, but also leave a legacy for the future in the form of organisations that are better adapted and more fit for the digital, networked future of business.

Applying theory in practice: views of graduating business students

PurposeUniversities have traditionally focused on imparting theoretical knowledge, which graduates then transfer to the workplace. However, the unpredictable modern workplace makes this transfer less certain. Whilst the gap between theory and practice has often been considered from an employer and academic standpoint, less is known about the graduate perspective. The purpose of this study is to determine the ways in which theoretical knowledge and practical experience interact for graduating students.Design/methodology/approachThe views of 86 undergraduate business approaching graduation were gathered on how they applied theory to practice during their recent internship.FindingsGraduating students apply theory that they have learnt at university through the direct application of fundamental knowledge and through workplace experience, which built on and deepened the knowledge accumulated at university. The findings indicate that there is, indeed, a gap between theory and practice but that employability skills may assist in the transfer process.Research limitations/implicationsThe research broadens the understanding of how theoretical knowledge is applied in practice and helps to determine if graduating students are prepared to meet the demands of an ever-changing workplace.Practical implicationsThe results give us insight into how theory and practice interact for graduating students and give support to universities further exploring experiential learning opportunities for students and continuing to the development of employability skills.Originality/valueThe findings encourage a more nuanced debate regarding the role of universities and that both the provision of core theoretical concept and employability skills are necessary for graduates to effectively use their academic education in the modern workplace.

Workplace Assigned Mobile Communication Devices and Employee Stress

A literature review of the important role played by stress in workplace performance, the correlation between workplace assigned mobile communication devices and stress as well as measures that can be taken to alleviate such stress is presented in this paper. Workplace stress can cause problems ranging from mild anxiety to serious problems which could cause death. Stress can also have an adverse effect on the productivity and morale of employees. The modern workplace is rife with a large variety of stressors. With the rapid advance in communications technology, mobile communication devices are new possible stressors which have become widely prevalent over the past few years. These devices allow employees to be in constant communication with workplace activities. They are invaluable tools for employees who travel frequently and who are required to be on call. This paper seeks to present a review of current literature that investigates the possible correlation between workplace stress and mobile communication devices. Managers that require employees to monitor their communication device after work hours and while on vacation could be placing undue stress on their employees’ well-being. Some employees feel that they will miss out on something or get into trouble if they are not in constant communication. A separation between work and personal life must be present to reduce stress among employees and managers. Such a separation is vital to the health and well being of all concerned. The role played by workplace assigned mobile communication devices has been studied in this paper. This is a timely addition to the literature in this area in light of the increasingly ‘mobile’ nature of the modern workplace.

Connection

This chapter brings to life how successful relationships in and outside the workplace are established and maintained. The chapter recounts the development of attachment theory and how our earliest interactions set the stage for all our future relationships. Individuals who benefited from secure relationships are likely to navigate the tenuous nature of the modern workplace more effectively. The chapter also takes a tour of John Gottman’s Love Lab, which has become famous for its ability to break down the ingredients of long-lasting and happy marriages, a finding that has profound implications for professional relationships. When the Magic Ratio of positive to negative interactions becomes unbalanced or if any of the Four Horsemen of criticism, contempt, defensiveness, or stonewalling rear their ugly heads, those in a relationship are forewarned to act quickly and decisively.

WORKPLACE INNOVATION IN THE PRODUCTION SPACE SYSTEM

This article examines the basic concepts of workplaces at enterprises and innovative processes to improve their organization in the context of the digitalization of the economy of Uzbekistan. Theissues of the possibility of introducing innovative processes into the organization of workplaces not only in production, but also at a remote location are discussed, which has become especially important in the context of a pandemic. The issues of organizing jobs for people with disabilities are considered.Keywords:workplace, social workplaces, Bench systems, coworking, virtual workplaces, copywriters, freelancers, mobile workplace, reserved workplaces, modern workplace, workplace specialization, workplace layout, digital economy