Today, global capability centres (GCCs) have evolved from following the model of “cost efficiency”. The leading GCCs now subscribe to a “business value” model that delivers business transformation, process improvement, and operational efficiency to their global parents. The aim today is to leverage the very best of capabilities available globally to achieve economy as well as enhanced effectiveness. So, while cost-effectiveness remains a significant factor in favour of GCCs in economies like India, many modern GCCs are moving up the value chain with built-in capabilities in:
- Product development
- Digital transformation
- Data Analytics
- Business innovation
As GCCs keep evolving, they know that they must hire a workforce that can adapt to this change and provide the necessary skills and capabilities. In a recent GCC conclave organized by NASSCOM, business leaders in the GCC domain emphasized the following requirements to build a future-ready workforce:
- Building the necessary technology skills and competencies.
- Balancing their permanent and contractual workforce.
- Developing industry partnerships in areas like skills taxonomy and L&D training.
In this light, what would be the essential traits of a champion contributor in modern GCCs? Let’s explore.
5 traits of a successful GCC workforce
Modern GCCs are providing a host of value-added services including:
- Developing intellectual properties (IPs)
- Establishing Centers of Excellence (COEs)
- Building expertise in advanced technologies
With more maturing GCCs, they need to redesign their workforce skills and behaviours to fit with future job roles and business requirements. This includes a mix of both technical and non-technical skills, as presented below:
- Technical skills
In the current global landscape, GCCs are powering business transformation with their expertise in digital technologies like AI, machine learning, and automation. This means in the technical domain, GCCs need contributors proficient in technologies such as:
- AI and machine learning
- Generative AI
- Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
- Data analytics and visualization
For example, with AI-powered solutions, GCCs can improve operational performance and efficiency. In customer-focused GCCs, AI solutions can enhance decision-making and personalize the customer experience. Cybersecurity specialists (with AI expertise) can boost GCC security with their skills in AI-powered incident response and threat detection.
- Collaboration skills
Modern GCCs also need effective team-building and collaboration skills to manage their globally dispersed workforce. According to the 2023 Forbes “State of Workplace Communication” article, 40% of employees are impacted by poor communication and lack of trust in the leadership team.
As more GCCs hire geographically distributed teams, team leaders (or managers) need effective collaboration and communication skills to keep them engaged and motivated. Besides good speaking, they need active listening skills to understand individual concerns and to build empathy.
Besides these soft skills, they need expertise in cloud-powered communication tools to maintain collaboration among distributed teams. Through real-time collaboration, GCCs can develop into innovation hubs by partnering with technology startups and universities.
- Team-building skills
Besides collaboration, champion contributors in GCCs must have excellent team-building skills that create an inclusive work environment. Besides improving creative thinking, an inclusive environment can empower employee engagement and contribution. Frequent team-building games and activities can further foster an inclusive work environment – including remote and distributed employees.
Team-building skills can also develop curiosity, which is an essential trait in forward-looking GCCs. In an open and collaborative environment, curiosity can help in:
- Developing new ideas.
- Inspiring new talents.
- Driving job and skills promotion.
- Leadership skills
Over the next 5 years, GCCs are projected to achieve a remarkable growth momentum of 144%, thus increasing the market size from the current $45 billion to over $110 billion. As more GCCs increase their headcount, the demand for leadership roles will also increase.
Leadership skills in GCCs are more complex than in traditional enterprises. For example, business leaders must possess the following skills:
- An innovation mindset to deliver high-quality products or services.
- A solution-oriented approach to navigate the changing technology landscape.
- An entrepreneurial mindset to deliver customer value.
Additionally, leadership roles in GCCs must address multifaceted challenges in the form of cultural integration, skill development and talent retention, and regulatory compliance. Here are some leadership strategies that can help them navigate these challenges:
- Cultural intelligence – includes language training and culture workshops.
- Talent development – through employee training programs and continuous learning.
- Leveraging technology advancement by partnering with technology experts.
- Value-added skills
As GCCs mature and advance, they are required to undertake complex value-added activities in the form of advanced analytics and specialized domain expertise. With this transition, GCCs can evolve from “cost-saving” ventures to delivering business value and intellectual property.
In the changing landscape, GCCs must also equip their workforce with future-ready skills. This requires reskilling the existing workforce that can help them adopt future-ready technology tools and platforms. With this value-added approach, GCCs can also reduce the skills gap and develop an environment that encourages continuous learning and upskilling.
How CodingLimits can help GCCs
As more GCCs continue to mature and move up the business scale, they need access to the right mix of talent to deliver technology and domain expertise.
As a technology partner, CodingLimits can supply the human resources that GCCs need to power their growth and innovation. Through our contract staffing and augmentation services, you can get access to a skilled pool of professionals ready to integrate into your workforce. Our technical resources are skilled in digital technologies like Artificial intelligence and data analysis and visualization.
Are you looking for the right combination of skills to match your business growth? Connect with us now.
