In the digital age, companies are more than ever looking for ways to drive the customer experience. New technologies, such as social media and mobility, mean that customers are expecting more from the brands they interact with – and this applies as much to the government as it does to private enterprise, if not more so. Increasingly, the Canadian public is looking to the government to provide the same quality of service they receive from retailers.
The stumbling block, of course, is that many organizations aren’t sure where to begin. The key is in galvanizing the workforce – the people who represent one’s brand – and HR must be equipped to recruit and develop the talent needed in this brave new world. To accomplish this, HR must become more involved in and indispensable to the organization.
The success of any organization requires a strong foundation. HR must focus on building new roles and identifying the support the people who fill these roles will need to perform well. It should also be concerned with retention. How can HR hold on to the skilled individuals the organization needs? What programs can be developed to encourage continued training and skills acquisition?
The use of data is another area that HR will have to moderate. With analytics, HR can evaluate when employees are needed most, setting work schedules that match customer demand. Analytics can also help HR understand how to retain employees, and it can highlight customer trends.
As for the use of emerging technologies, this is an area that HR should have more of a hand in as well. HR must assist in setting rules around how technology can be used in the workplace. For example, what information can be shared, and with whom? How can the organization recognize employees who make valuable, innovative contributions in a collaborative workplace?
For more information on how you can prepare for the workplace of the future, visit our digital library, where we have a number of whitepapers available for download.
