We invited a cross-section of organisations, all facing into optimisation opportunities. The event provided an opportunity for strategy directors, chief human resources officers, chief transformation officers and other leaders to meet industry peers and exchange insights on enhancing efficiency, optimisation, and productivity from financial, operational, and cultural perspectives.
I was joined by guest speaker Jodie Balfe, Principal at international private equity firm Cinven, and my colleagues, Mark O’Sullivan and Katie Nightingale, with three questions posed to attendees:
2. What strategies have been most effective in balancing efficiency and colleague retention in periods of growth?
3. How have data and analytics been used to optimise workforce management and improve productivity?
Technology’s impact is ubiquitous: it affects every sector and function within organisations – with employees in the front line of navigating this change.
Enhancing sales teams
The enhancement of sales teams through technology was highlighted as a key aspect. By providing front-end tools and increasing the use of digital support, organisations can free up valuable time for their sales employees. This allows them to engage more effectively with clients and focus on value-added activities.
The conversation also turned to process improvement via technology, particularly the importance of re-evaluating operating models to identify automation opportunities that facilitate better decision-making. It was noted that often the challenge here lies less in identifying tech opportunities and more in embedding the technology changes within the organisational culture.
Driving change and getting buy-in
To overcome the challenges of technology transformation, attendees suggested several strategies:
Aligning technology with strategy
The discussion underscored the importance of aligning technology changes with top-level strategy. Engaging employees throughout the adoption process was seen as vital to bridge the gap between those who implement technology and those who use it. In doing so, organisations can better manage expectations around AI and digital transformation.
As businesses grow, balancing efficiency with employee retention becomes paramount.
Core values and strategic alignment
Attendees stressed the importance of organisations understanding their core values and priorities. Leadership must align on the changes being made, the reasons for change, and the potential benefits. This alignment needs to permeate the organisational culture and prompt necessary shifts in behaviour – achieved through shifts in goal setting, recognition programmes, and the constant tethering back of communications and engagement to the organisation’s strategic direction.
Scenario planning in HR
Scenario planning from an HR perspective was seen as an important factor. Organisations need to be prepared with retention strategies that consider whether to buy, build, or borrow resources as they transform.
Leadership should also showcase progress to their teams, providing real-life success stories to answer the critical question: “How will this change impact me?” By offering visibility into the end-to-end process of change, organisations can foster a sense of belonging and purpose among employees.
The final discussion topic addressed the role of data and analytics in optimising workforce management.
Leveraging data for compliance and efficiency
The use cases for data and analytics were deemed invaluable with a number of key benefits:
Ensuring value addition
Importantly, the discussion highlighted the need for any data and analytics initiative to add value. There is little benefit to having a beautifully curated data lake if no one uses the data or acts upon the insights. To become a truly data-driven organisation usually involves some level of culture change, which is dependent on the ease of access to the data, its accuracy and ease of understanding.
Organisations each have to navigate their own productivity and efficiency pathways and deal with the outlined complexities of technology adoption, colleague retention, and data and analytics. The key to success lies in aligning strategy with culture and being absolutely clear on business requirements – not letting the solution dictate the need.
By embracing these principles, you can not only enhance productivity in your organisation but also cultivate a workforce that is engaged and resilient in the face of change. The importance of clear strategic alignment, effective communication, and data-driven decision-making will continue to shape the future of work. It’s important to ensure you stay vigilant and adaptable, continually revisiting your strategies to ensure you’re well-equipped for the challenges that lie ahead in this dynamic landscape.
For more insight and guidance, get in touch with Carolyn Hicks.
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