The Association of Outsourcing Professionals of Nigeria (AOPN) has underscored the importance of automation and digital transformation in the workplace.
The body said despite technological advancements, some jobs would continue to remain irreplaceable.
Co-founder and Group Managing Director of Routelink, Femi Adeoti, said this at this year’s Outsourcing Expo, where he spoke on ‘Strategic Outsourcing: Leveraging External Expertise for Sustainable Value Creation.’
On the future of the profession, he maintained that businesses are increasingly outsourcing tasks to other companies or transitioning them to automated systems.
For the profession to remain relevant, especially in the emerging world of work, he urged professionals to continuously enhance their skills through learning, unlearning and relearning.
With the current world of work, he said if outsourcing was the way to go, people needed to be aware of the workplace dynamics and happenings in the work environment.
“The operational costs of running businesses are becoming very high and people don’t want to keep employing people so they will outsource several jobs either to other companies or move them to systems and machines.
“Either way, it will happen. So people just need to prepare themselves for it and ensure that they are always marketable. If you’re always marketable, I don’t think anybody can take your job away,” Adeoti said.
Earlier, the immediate past president of AOPN, Dr ObioraMadu, who handed over to a new president and Chief Executive Officer of Knight and Bishop Consultancy, Mope Abudu, said outsourcing is yet to take its place in Nigeria.
However, he declared that the outsourcing industry is well equipped to tackle the shortage and difficulties in talent acquisition within the workspace, as well as contribute to the Nigerian economy.
He said the outsourcing industry has transformed from being a mere cost-reduction option for organisations to a more strategic one as firms are now willing to pay more for outsourcing certain functions as long as it gives them a competitive advantage.
“We will continue to push for advocacy. We look at outsourcing as a strategic tool for employment and quality of service in public service.
“On why outsourcing has not gotten its place in Nigeria, is because those in government did not see it as useful, which is a problem. It is for us to increase advocacy.
“Organised labour believes that as soon as technology comes, workers will lose their jobs, but the fact is if you upskill, you can make it. It is a partnership; it is not we against them.
“In the process of creating value, there comes a point where you may lack the necessary expertise or technology, thus requiring external assistance. This is where outsourcing becomes indispensable,” Madu said.
Abudu, previously the treasurer and a board member of AOPN, assumed the headship of the organisation from Obiora Madu, who led the organisation for a four-year term that started in 2019.
