In order for companies to usher a practical change in the workforce, there needs to be an environment where new ideas can be heard and embraced, the panel all argued.
Discussions around the future of work:
Building a workforce fit for the future
Six predictions for the future of work
Why employee resilience is the future of work
Yasar Ahmad, head of talent at food production company HelloFresh, suggested that companies needed a shift in mindset to allow new ideas to be taken seriously.
He said: "Organisations are in a reactive mindset, and this doesn't provide a psychological safety net for new ideas."
Guy Lubitsh, professor of organisational psychology, added that HR needs to work hard to create the spaces for ideas to be shared.
He said: "We're missing places - in person or virtually - to hear people share ideas. That's one way HR can help - making sure those conversations happen."
Jess Brannigan, lead people scientist at employee engagement platform CultureAmp, argued that HR professionals shouldn't have to shoulder all the responsibility for introducing change in the workplace.
She added: "We should move away from asking 'what can HR do?' to asking 'what can we all do?' It shouldn't just be on HR to manage employee feedback and engagement"
Before new ideas can be introduced, companies need to be honest with themselves when acknowledging what needs to be changed.
"Humility in the workplace is the baseline we need for more innovation," added Lubitsh.
In terms of actually implementing the required changes, Ahmad added that prioritising key information will be the fastest way for businesses to bring their employees up to speed.
He said: "You only have 40 hours in a work week - its impossible to add to people's workloads. Prioritise properly to make sure that the things people need to understand are there from the beginning."
The on-demand version of the webinar is available at the Work Reinvented microsite.
