​A few months back, I introduced a topic that is ‘hot’ in the current HR dialogue: the need to futureproof your workforce for the digital age, and in particular, the need to upskill staff.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be diving deep into upskilling for the future, the barriers businesses currently face, and what Ireland’s organisations, large and small, need to be focusing on in the short and long term if they are to succeed in the future digital age.
 
Digital Transformation: What Exactly Is It?

One of those phrases that sounds informative yet says very little, it can be easily summed up as a process of digitising all methods and applications for working within a business. From placing all systems onto a cloud, to swapping out the monitors for laptops which enables remote working, and everything in between.

While it can be said that many businesses throughout Ireland have certainly started on a path of Digital Transformation, by no means has this been successful. Rather, the very thing that it is meant to be helping is the same thing hindering its success – people.
 
People – The Failure of Digital Transformation

Technology, no matter what it is, can only be as good, as helpful, as effective, as the people using it. In 2020, Ireland’s workforce is bigger in demographics than ever before, with more generations than ever before working alongside each other. With different age comes different experiences, different abilities and different attitudes to this ever growing digital revolution in Ireland’s workplaces.

Many Irish businesses have plugged their resources into providing the latest technology to their workforce in an attempt to keep them engaged and to keep the organisation ahead of competitors. But what is the use of this tech if no one knows how exactly how to use it? Have any businesses actually asked their workers if they are comfortable with this introduction?

Failure to consult workers has most likely resulted in poor attitudes towards this technological drive, regardless of age. Instead of making jobs easier and work more efficient, the view in your organisation may incline towards technology as a hindrance and as a threat to work as we know it.
 
But What Can You Do to Reverse These Attitudes?
As the saying goes, often it can be a case of ‘What is done is done’. By introducing a rapid flurry of new technology without instruction or explanation, your workforce may feel that their jobs are at risk or may feel overwhelmed by the pressure of ensuring that they can use this tech efficiently. Not only could this impact your talent retention or workforce morale, but it puts your business at high risk of a cyber security breach. What if something that is meant to be secured within a cloud is shared to the public by a staff member? Or a staff member uploads content that could harm your hardware?

Do not threat – get your Digital Transformation on course for success and avoiding failure via human error with these simple steps:

• Communicate from The Inside Out

In an increasing competitive market, much of your budget and your time could often to be allocated to your external communications; PR, marketing & advertising.

But internal communications should come first – your staff should come first. Futureproofing your workforce can only be successful if you communicate all changes with said workforce appropriately. Whether this is through simple explanation via email, group workshops or 1-to-1's, however appropriate, elevate your HR team and communicate with all staff at all levels, and at all points of your Digital Transformation.

This will help to reduce staff fears and improve attitudes to technological change. Thorough explanation will provide context to staff and help to increase understanding, keeping staff onside and morale high.

• Show Some TLC – Train, Learn, Commit

​Staff should come first – any HR team would push this message. But don’t beat around the bush – put this attitude into action with a bit of TLC.

If you introduce a new programme, a new method or working or new equipment – train your staff! A futureproofed workforce will only gain success if they know what they are doing and why. Provide in depth training to ensure all workers can use new technology efficiently. This will highlight your commitment to their learning and development and guarantee that this new technology is used correctly for its intended purposes – to develop your business, improve efficiency, increase productivity and provide staff, not machines, new opportunities.

• Give A Little, Get A Lot

​It is not enough to just provide initial training or communicating briefly at the beginning of this Digital Transformation. It is much more a case of ‘giving a little and getting a lot’.

Ensure you have the necessary resources in terms of money, time and staffing to ensure that all workers are constantly refreshed on any new programmes, applications or wider technology within the workplace.

Host regular workshops to facilitate staff discussion on the effectiveness of new tech developments – this gives you an opportunity to get real feedback from the foundations upwards on what digital solutions are working and what is not. This will also give management and HR the opportunity to assess whether your people are using technology appropriately and whether there is any risk of more ‘human error’ occurring.

By consistently giving a little, onboarding your workers into a digitised, futureproofed organisation will and give a lot in the long term.

​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.