​A recent survey by ADP revealed a one in three UK staff believe their job will be automated in the next decade and a tenth expect to be replaced by robots within the next two years. Despite this, 49 percent feel their employer isn’t equipping them with the skills to succeed in the digital age.  
 
It’s an issue that’s mirrored here in Ireland. In addition to the influx of global tech companies, more traditional businesses are also progressing towards more tech enabled practices and processes. However, when you look closely at their digital transformation strategies, the human element is very often overlooked. A 2019 study by IT firm Econocom, showed that almost a quarter (23%) of failed digital transformation projects were the result of a lack of skills.
 
Despite this, businesses across Ireland continue to highlight the ‘talent crunch’ – acquiring and retaining the right talent, with the right skills – as one of the greatest challenges they face. Time and again the issue takes centre stage at conferences, filling up column inches in the papers.
 
It begs the question, if organisations are struggling to source the skills they need externally, why don’t they invest in reskilling and upskilling those whose jobs are most exposed to automation? While the terms have different meanings, for the purposes of this article they will be used interchangeably , under the broad definition that investment is being made to develop their skills for the digital era.
 
Here are some helpful tips to future-proofing your workforce and filling your current and future skills gaps.
 

1. Align your people and business strategies

Very often leadership teams are so focused on developing and executing the business strategy, that they forget to factor-in the people who will deliver it. As a result talent acquisition tends to be a reactive exercise, where roles must be filled urgently as the need for specific skills or greater resource becomes apparent.
 
By taking time at the outset to understand the skills you need today and in the future to deliver the those business plans, you will be better equipped to spot the current gaps and implement a more structured approach to talent management.
 
Remember, while automation technology may make a number of labour intensive activities redundant, it also creates new job opportunities. The technology needs to be managed and maintained. Depending on the industry, there may be compliance requirements that necessitate human oversight. These and any other factors need to be addressed in the planning phase.
 

1. Assess and identify those who are ‘upskillable’

Despite our very best intentions, some people may not be suitable for reskilling and technology focused training. However, as employers it is our duty to assess, without bias, the workforce and identify those with the right aptitude and attributes, to succeed, whether it be as coders, testers, IT support, and so forth.
 
There are countless types of assessments available online. Which ones you choose will depend heavily on the skills you’re seeking and the traits you’re looking for.
 

1. Map out a clear development plan

Once you’ve identified the most suitable candidates, it’s important to take the time to sit down with them individually and create a clear, personalised development plan with them. This promotes on-boarding and engagement, by helping them see the long-term career opportunities that await them, while at the same time, allowing you to forecast their suitability for specific business tasks.
 
Such an approach also helps avoid a common training and development mistake – the one-off workshop. The vast majority of people require multiple touch points, involving different sensory stimulus to learn effectively. As such, it has been shown that the best training programmes are comprised of engaging online and in-person elements, where the majority of the course content has practical, real-world applications. Like a pilot learning to fly, giving them a safe simulation to build their skills and confidence, will best equip them for deployment within your organisation.
 
Learning and development is an incredibly complex area of HR, and it’s no surprise that an increasing number of businesses are appointing dedicated L&D managers. Over the coming weeks and months I plan to expand on a number of the points made in this article, in the hope that it will provide a useful resource for those interested in getting the very best from the employees.

We are all aware of the current difficulties facing Human Resource departments. From talent acquisition and retention, to workplace discrimination and skills shortages - companies are constantly looking for new ways to tackle the minefield of issues in HR. One way that some companies are innovatively trying to overcome these problems is through a rebranding of HR itself.
 
You may have heard of this approach thanks to the tech giant, Google, which, rather than calling the department ‘Human Resources,’ renamed it ‘People Operations’ back in 2006. So, is this nothing more than a name change for HR? Or are there different aspects of People Operations that can help companies and HR departments address the modern day challenges of the digital age?
 
Here at the HR Department, we want to demonstrate three lessons HR can learn from People Operations, with the aim of advancing HR’s performance and efficiency in business.

1. People, People, People

Sorry to sound repetitive, but it’s hard to understate the people-centric approach adopted by People Operations departments. HR needs to shrug the stereotypical image of being bogged down in paperwork and payroll, and prove that at the heart of HR is the employee.
 
This means creating genuine connections with workers and putting their needs first. Understanding what makes employees’ tick is paramount in People Operations departments and is certainly something HR needs to focus on. In doing this, companies can harness a strong company culture where the values of its workers are on display and, in turn, build an employer brand that portrays the business as an attractive place to work.

People Operations also tends to be a more flexible and cross-functional department compared to traditional HR. It’s important to realise that HR functions, such as hiring, managing payroll, training or dealing with maternity leave, are all interlinked and demand a collaborative approach if businesses are to maximise productivity. In that sense, HR professionals should not fall victim to tunnel vision, ensuring they communicate regularly with each other and all departments.
 
2. Connect with Leadership

HR, in the past, has been seen as subservient to management within business. However, times are changing, particularly as companies recognise the central role that HR plays in employer branding and talent acquisition. People Operations departments tend to have a more strategic role in business and are therefore better connected with an organisation’s leadership – something HR departments can greatly benefit from. Having an HR presence at leadership level helps to make sure that an organisation has a unified corporate vision while ensuring prospective and current employees both understand, and buy into, the company culture.

3. Focus on Data

Finally, People Operations departments place more of an emphasis on data than traditional HR. As I wrote in a recent blog post on big data in HR, the truth is that data is key to providing insights into employees and assessing workforce sentiments with the aim of improving the environment in the workplace. Of course, data isn’t only useful for measuring employee satisfaction, it also has the ability to streamline payroll and timesheets, and improve employee performance analysis.
 
This also means that HR departments, rather than fearing automation, should see it as a way of generating useful data that contributes to the smooth and effective running of HR. Additionally, what sets People Operations apart from traditional HR is that data is constantly analysed and monitored on an ongoing basis, rather than waiting for an annual review – again, definitely something HR can learn from. In reality, HR departments need to embrace data, as People Operations departments have, in order to figure out the optimal way for a company to operate on a day-to-day basis.
 
Of course, this isn’t a call for HR departments to upend their traditional approaches altogether. Equally, it’s not being claimed that a people-centric, leadership connected, data focused approach is suitable for all companies. Instead, HR professionals should pick and choose the approaches which best fit with their company and its management style. Human Resources, People Operations, call it what you like, but the goal for this department will always be to contribute to the overall smooth running of a business and make it as productive and profitable as possible, all the while keeping employees happy. No mean feat, but one that we must strive for, whatever approach we take.

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The HR Department has partnered with cloud based HRLocker to help SMEs across Ireland save time and money, while boosting productivity and employee engagement. 

The partnership will combine our traditional human resources consultancy with online, automated, administrative applications, providing businesses of all sizes with a full, affordable HR function, without the need for a dedicated HR manager.

Last year we conducted a survey of 400 Irish SMEs that found almost half (45%) of all Irish SMEs have no dedicated HR function. However, as the economy grows and businesses take on new staff, administrative pressures and employee issues are likely to increase. Considering that SME owners already spend between seven and 25 percent of their time buried under employee-related paper work, the impact of this could be significant.

By automating and managing all their HR administration online, from employee absence management and timesheets to recruitment and performance management to employee records and HR reporting, HRLocker helps employers significantly reduce the time and money spent on tedious administration so they can focus on growing their business. Additionally, as it is an online, cloud-based service, there are no expensive software costs or hardware legacy issues.

Meanwhile, The HR Department will continue to deliver outsourced consultative services to business owners, from employee wellness and personal development programmes to contracts and grievances, which can be married with HRLocker’s admin applications to streamline all HR activities and identify any employee challenges before they escalate.

Human resources continues to be a major issue for Irish businesses. In 2014, 4,162 cases were we referred to the employment appeals tribunal, and this year more than 260 cases have already been appealed.

David Bell, Managing Director of The HR Department, adds, “Many of the cases that go before the employment appeals tribunal could be prevented if businesses placed more emphasis on their human resources. In fact, employers that automate their HR find it easier to be compliant with NERA’s requirements. This partnership makes HR management a straight forward process that any small business can manage. HRLocker’s impressive client portfolio is testimony to its quality and we’re delighted to make it available to our customers.”
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To demonstrate just how effective HRLocker is, business owners can try it out absolutely free for 14 days by visiting http://login.hrlocker.com/account/register/1006