Transformative Workforce Management: What to Expect in 2019
In 2019, companies will look to their workforce to ensure a strong foundation for enterprise-wide modernization. Companies will be required to step beyond the big ideas and enact specific tactics that narrow in on particular technologies, such as leveraging insights gleaned by Business Intelligence (BI) functionalities. Implementing an effective workforce digitization strategy is a necessary first step in this process. By taking advantage of these tools, a company will be able to better manage their resources.
Companies have been inundated with articles heralding digital transformation and the phenomenal benefits it will bring their company, their industry, and the entire economy. In order to determine which solutions will bring about the greatest return on investment (ROI), enterprises are interested in the evaluation of these applications. While estimated gains can stagger, best practices may be fuzzy, and only vaguely mapped to enterprise management systems. Unfortunately, in efforts to seize quick returns in this heavily-hyped environment, companies often overlook one of the most significant opportunities and the ideal starting place: workforce management.
Four Pillars of a Transformative Workforce Strategy
Creating a modern workforce and managing personnel in this digital era requires new technology. A modern workforce management strategy rests on four pillars. Consider each of these an essential part of the digital foundation.
Cloud Deployment – With plans to implement a workforce digitization strategy, cloud computing is a must needed asset. With a greater need for analytics involving mass volumes of data from multiple sources, only cloud computing offers a practical, affordable way to aggregate and store these large volumes of data. Additionally, cloud implementation – and its automated software updates – helps to eliminate the risk of an outdated system.
Business Intelligence (BI) and Analytics – A company which adopts BI and analytics capabilities will be able to best determine a workforce strategy by analyzing the diverse sets of data brought about by these tools. Furthermore, the process can become even more advanced by incorporating AI and machine learning (ML). Predictive analytics allow companies to forecast staffing requirements according to geographic regions and factors such as weather and seasons. In retail and service industries, this type of insight is crucial to scheduling the right people while keeping in mind seasonal hiring needs, training demands, and compensating for discretionary time off and sick-days and absenteeism. Advancements in BI give managers access to easy-to-use reporting tools, dashboards, and tracking of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). This allows managers to justify investment in hiring and planning for typical fluctuations in need and availability of human resources.
Mobility – Providing personnel with mobile solutions is extremely important for any company looking to attract today’s modern employee. One study showed that 71 percent of people spend over two hours a week accessing company information on a mobile device – and this number is growing. Additionally, another study showed that 59 percent of people think that their company has been too slow in delivering mobile apps for the workforce. Therefore, companies must go above and beyond in offering their employees options that allow them to work efficiently – in a way that compliments their lifestyles.
Likewise, for some roles, such as field technicians, sales personnel, and consultants, remote access to systems is integral to the job. Executives and managers also tend to travel to branch offices and to customer sites, needing remote access to data for decision-making anywhere, anytime. Even employees who are typically in an office may choose to perform discretionary tasks, like completing an expense report or taking a training course, from the comfort of home. Organizations can support such flexibility by offering mobile-friendly solutions. In this era, when the demand for skilled workers is escalating, mobility will help recruit and retain workers, especially Millennials who place a high value on remote access and a flexible workplace.
Social Platforms – Like mobile solutions, social media platforms play an integral role in catering to today’s employee and ultimately an efficient workforce. Social platforms allow for controlled collaboration between personnel – giving way to a better quality of work. However, employees must know the difference between when social platforms are useful and when they are simply distracting. Usage should follow the principle: “Social with a business purpose”. By providing a tool which supports goal-oriented collaboration and idea sharing, personnel will not be tempted to resort to consumer tools for creating work groups and planning team projects or activities.
Adopting an integrated platform to digitize the workforce management process will prove to be extremely beneficial for an organization. A company-wide, integrated digital platform will provide a solution that is not overly complex, fragmented, or prone to gaps in visibility. By using modern workforce management functionality, the origination can make major strides in the use of data for analytics and predictive applications, such as resource scheduling. Real-time access to data will also facilitate better decision-making, providing managers with the insights they need. Alerts can inform managers about critical issues, such as staffing gaps or when regulation or compliance issues may have been breached. These workforce management tools will enhance the overall employee experience while also controlling labor costs and reducing and planning for the amount of resources actually needed. Opportunities for advancement and growth can be identified, giving personnel feedback as well as attainable goals.
Digitizing workforce management can transform the organization and provide a solid foundation for future digital initiatives affecting the entire organization. Focusing on employees first will help successfully drive a larger digital initiative in order to enact change and support process improvement.
Also Read: 4 HR Digital Transformation Trends for SMBs in 2019
