By Dr. Shamim K. Matovu and Osarieme Tunde- Oni, (Prosci® CCP, Assoc CIPD).
In today's business landscape, "organisational transformation" has become ubiquitous, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses remain on high alert, anticipating market disruptions while implementing transformation initiatives to maintain competitiveness. According to the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025, the top anticipated barriers to transformation between 2025 and 2030 include skills gaps, organisational culture, and resistance to change.
The skills gap—the deviation between current competencies and desired ones —isn't a new phenomenon. Anthropologically speaking, societies throughout history have faced similar challenges in adapting labour markets to technological and economic shifts. Modern factors accelerating these demands include AI innovations, digital transformation, and automation.
Businesses within the Sub-Saharan context are taking proactive steps to address these challenges through reskilling and upskilling programmes and expanding talent pools by removing degree requirements to create more accessible pathways to emerging jobs. However, most organisations highlight a desire for public-policy interventions to improve education systems, cross-industry collaborations, and investment in vocational education.
Drawing from business anthropology research and consulting experience, consistently budgeting for these skills helps businesses craft more agile and integrated approaches in their learning and development initiatives, recruitment strategies, competency framework development, and career pathing mechanisms. With agility and proper integration, businesses can stay ahead of the shifts in demand and position themselves with a unique competitive advantage.
Organisation leaders are critical to achieving lasting transformation, which is deeply rooted in an organisation's culture. With specialisation in designing cultural frameworks that support leadership development and customising people effectiveness training programmes, Dscover drives organisations towards resilience and sustainability, empowering businesses with transformative and agile strategies to navigate workforce challenges.
About the authors
Dr Shamim K. Matovu is an Organisational Anthropologist and the CEO of Dscover. She is a trailblazer in corporate culture and human behaviour. She has served organisations across vast industries such as; oil and gas, financial services, media, automotive, higher education, health & social care, development agencies and political institutions, to revolutionise their workplaces through corporate culture design and leadership alignment. The result has been an increased sense of belonging and bringing equity back into the workplace for sustainable performance.
Dr Matovu is the author of Lean Strategies for Managers, an expert guide for forward-thinking leaders ready to revolutionise their approach to the dynamic landscape of leadership and management. She is the host of The Imposter CEO Podcast, where she leads insightful conversations on leadership and the realities of overcoming self-doubt in executive roles.
Dr Matovu holds a Doctorate in Business Administration from Teesside International Business School and a Master of Science in Anthropology and Development from The London School of Economics and Political Science.
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Osarieme Tunde-Oni specialises in Organisational Behaviour and Workforce Analytics. She is the Head of Research and Insights at Dscover. Her experience cuts across various industries including government/ public sector, financial services, agriculture, consumer and nonprofits. Her work focuses on global trends and behavioural insights that are critical for shaping the future of work. The result is to influence the design of data-driven, human-centred solutions for our client partners. Previously, Osarieme worked with KPMG Nigeria as an Associate Management Consultant - People and Change Management. She holds a Master of Science in Human Resources and Organisations from The London School of Economics and Political Science.
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