Technologies that empower workers to do their jobs more effectively will be crucial in the battle for greater productivity and employee satisfaction, according to Kronos.
Organisations operating within the services sector are currently facing a series of challenges, with some being longstanding and familiar, and others brought by more recent geopolitical and technological developments. Key issues such as Brexit, skills shortages and consistently sluggish productivity are squeezing profitability and contributing towards an atmosphere of uncertainty for the likes of facilities management providers and healthcare organisations.
However, a greater focus on the deployment of technology in the workplace will offer these businesses the opportunity to completely reshape their working practices and revolutionise key operations.
Despite these evident challenges, the services sector has not yet fully embraced these technologies, meaning many have not yet taken full advantage of the power of comprehensive digital transformation. New technologies such as robotics and autonomous vehicles may be coming to the fore, but organisations also need to do more to acknowledge the availability of other solutions that are designed to help maximise the output of human workers, such as workforce management tools.
On this changing landscape, Gavin England, EMEA Industry Marketing Manager at Kronos, said: “The services industry is up against it when it comes to delivering in the face of current market pressures. Skills shortages mean that businesses are struggling to efficiently move goods and fulfil orders, and the potential impact of Brexit means that there needs to be a major focus on improving operational efficiencies and streamlining core processes, while keeping staff morale high.
“The pressure to increase bottom-line profitability in the face of such challenges is very real, and one of the most effective ways that this can be done is by empowering managers and employees to do their jobs more effectively with the resources they currently have.”
By placing greater emphasis on the adoption of the most innovative workforce management technologies, England believes that productivity woes can be tackled, and businesses operating in the services sector can offset the impact of factors that are beyond their control.
He added: “The next generation of workforce management technologies are designed with modern workplace challenges in mind, aiming to strip out inefficiencies, automate cumbersome processes, and generally make life easier for managers and other employees. Big data in the workforce, for example, is being leveraged to better understand the needs of employees and structure work accordingly. These tools should be implemented as part of a wider strategy to empower employees and ensure that they feel valued in the work they are doing.”
England concluded: “In a sector in which high turnover of staff and constant shortages of labour are pressing issues, increasing productivity while guaranteeing employee fulfilment and happiness is paramount. Those businesses that lead a proactive approach in tackling these issues will build the most productive working environments, as they will be able to attract and maintain the best talent while ensuring maximum output.”
To discover more about the key issues impacting the services sector workforce and how technology is alleviating these issues, download Kronos’ latest white paper: Empowering the Employee: How technology will play its part in creating a more efficient workforce in the services sector.
