18 minute read
r ap I d-F I re
teN questioNs Rapid-Fire
iNterview
Dan Ternes
Chief Technology Officer, Blue Prism APAC By Sudeshna Mitra
1
How do you see the future of jobs?
Job roles will undergo wholesale changes – how we work, where we work, what our deliverables are, who our colleagues are, what our responsibilities are
2
Impact of automation on these changes?
Enormous – and largely positive at a corporate level and also at an individual level
3
Your thoughts on automation's reputation as a job destroyer?
Wrongly tarnished. It will displace, yes, but also create new roles – the key is realising that automation augments human expertise rather than eliminates its need
4
So the positive impact?
Building a cohesive and productive workforce that positively impacts bottom lines
5
Top challenges of tech implementation? Future-proofing your organisation is an exercise that starts today, not in a few years’ time
redesigning structures and practices and upskilling employees to operate effectively within these new structures – a years-long programme
6
Top benefits of tech implementation?
Competitive differentiators: enhanced customer experience, new, improved products and services, top-line revenue growth
7
Role of learning and skilling in tech implementation?
Preparing a workforce for the future of work; ensuring that organisations and their employees keep pace with the rapid rate of changes in the industry
8
How will productivity look in the future of work?
The collective output generated by the collaboration between human workers and technology, as well as the value added by the augmented workforce
9
How to actually measure such output?
Qualitative rather than quantitative – much of the “raw output” will be automated and humans will fulfil higher value activities
10
Suggestions for organisations?
The future of work will bear little resemblance to that of the recent past so employers and employees should prepare accordingly
Annick de VAnssAy on how orgAnisAtions Are shAping the future of work
oNe oF the most visible diFFereNCes employers CAN demoNstrAte to tAleNt ANd prospeCtive ClieNts is to improve the physiCAl experieNCe oF the workplACe ANd mAke it A destiNAtioN thAt embrACes hybrid workiNg, CollAborAtioN ANd soCiAlisAtioN. aNNICk DE VaNSSaY, group ChieF humAN resourCes oFFiCer oF sodexo By Mastufa Ahmed
The most valuable resource for a company is its workforce, and its continued success depends on healthy, motivated employees. This makes it imperative for leaders to make sure that employees feel appreciated and engaged both within and outside of the office. In an interaction with People Matters, Annick de Vanssay, the Group Chief Human Resources Officer of Sodexo, talks about how it is crucial for organisations to create a supportive and connective working environment at work that enhances personal engagement and well-being, and how HR technologies are taking centre stage in addressing workplace challenges.
Annick de Vanssay, who has held the position of Group CHRO since August 2021 on an interim basis, was officially appointed on April 1st 2022. She leads the global HR function at Sodexo and represents HR on the Executive Committee.
The wave of people leaving their jobs over the past few years is showing no signs of slowing down. What can organisations do to stem the tide of mass exodus and how should they rethink talent management?
COVID-19 has made work more flexible for some, but it has also taken a mental toll on many employees as they grapple with longer working hours, social isolation and job insecurity, The global prevalence of anxiety and depression has increased by 25% according to the World Health Organisation. In a recent study by the Singapore Institute of Mental Health (IMH), 13% of over 1,000 participants reported symptoms of anxiety or depression during the pandemic.
As the pandemic pushed employees into reconsidering their career priorities, it has fueled the great resignation wave globally. Besides placing greater importance on work-life balance, another often cited reason why employees are
leaving their jobs was due to work burnout and mental fatigue. Being disconnected from colleagues and friends due to remoteworking arrangements also contributed to the tide of mass exodus.
A company’s most precious resource is its people. Fulfilled, motivated people are the key to a company’s ongoing success, and we need to ensure that employees feel valued and engaged both within and beyond the workplace. As such, organisations need to shift their priorities and develop a workplace environment that is wellsuitable and supported for hybrid working, focus on connecting with employees and improve personal engagements, as well as improving workplace environment to better support the mental wellbeing of employees.
At Sodexo, we provide wellbeing services that support our diverse employees’ priorities and challenges. These include our professional Employee Assistance Programme, “Sodexo Supports Me”, that provides free, 24-7 confidential counselling to employees and their families when they need it. Our well-being programme also gives our employees access to webinars conducted by professionals to provide our teams with the tools and resources to cope with the various challenges of our new normal.
While organisations have different criteria and search parameters for new hires, together with the shortage of talents, organisations need to start realising that their primary asset is tapping the potentials of existing employees. Upskilling and empowering the current workforce are crucial for organisations to success and fight the war for talents.
Human resource technologies — which may cover everything from background checks to benefits to well-being — are progressing at a breakneck pace. What are your thoughts on the current state of HR technology?
HR technologies have grown in importance and taken centre stage when it comes to addressing workplace challenges due to the pandemic, with many HR professionals being forced to adapt quickly, using technology to better serve and support remote workers.
Despite the growing importance of HR technology, many organisations still struggle with utilising it effectively and developing a robust and useful HR technology solution remains a challenge. According to a recent study by the HR Research Institute, while almost two-thirds (63%) of respondents say their HR tech supports the organisation’s business goals and strategies well or extremely well, 37% say their tech support goals and strategies only moderately well or worse. Roughly a quarter (27%) complain their HR tech stack doesn’t have enough of the solutions or features they need.
For organisations to fully utilise the benefits of HR technology, it is important that adequate support and training are provided for a smooth implementation, together with in-house technical expertise.
HR technology ultimately complements the workforce, and thus having the right support plays a key role in maintaining and keeping things going in the workplace. experience to successfully attract the best talent. One of the most visible differences employers can demonstrate to talent and prospective clients is to improve the physical experience of the workplace and make it a destination that embraces hybrid working, collaboration and socialisation.
To create a more equitable experience for those working remotely, and adapt their skills and knowledge to a constantly changing marketplace. In fact, our in-house research finds that 68% of senior executives believe collaborative workspaces in particular will be more important for employees when a widespread return to the office becomes possible.
It is also important to look at creating a sense of purpose when implementing hybrid workplaces. For instance, remote employees can reduce their personal carbon footprint when commuting decreases. At the same time, to create a more sustainable workplace, smart technology can be used to decrease energy usage.
Technology has emerged as the great enabler, driving business continuity and new ways of working. As such, more business leaders and human resources are involved in this digital revolution to ensure a seamless transition for employees in onboarding these tools and avoiding user fatigue, especially as our reliance on technology is only increasing.
How are companies adopting next-generation work tech solutions in the return-to-work phase, with shifting business needs? Which areas of businesses are organisations deploying the tech the most?
As the world starts to ease back into their normal life pre-pandemic, employees are also adjusting to the return of workplace. This transition period allows organisations to rethink and offers a chance to design a more harmonious workplace environment.
Employers must continue to pay attention to workplace we also need to focus on employee well-being, to reduce the risks of burnout and fatigue, and allow the autonomy to experiment with new working practices. This is enabled by technical tools and infrastructure to facilitate digital collaboration and communication.
More organisations are adapting physical workspaces and improving the remote working experience to fully embrace hybrid working. This will enable employees to take on different roles, work collaboratively across teams,
When you look back at work tech solutions that you have deployed over the last two years, what’s working for you in the hybrid world and what needs to change?
With a shift to hybrid
and remote working over the last two years, productivity applications such as Microsoft Teams and engagement tools such as Kahoot! have been fundamental to supporting our business. Smart glasses that we’ve deployed in places such as Australia also enable us to stay connected with the frontline teams and conduct virtual safety walks.
Specific to HR, we have also increased the number of virtual reality training solutions and mobile on-boarding tools. This allows us to reach a wide spectrum of employees more effectively.
Finally, we are embarking on a substantial overhaul of our HRIS to future proof our business.
How do you see the investment in the HR tech space? What do you look for before investing in HR solutions?
The pandemic has forced an adoption of technology which has touched every corner of the workplace and changed the way we engage, hire and support our employees. For HR executives, the push to leverage technology tools and platforms were already in place – from recruiting and talent acquisitions, to managing employees’ benefits. However, the pandemic has accelerated the way HR tech is being used in the workplace during the past two years.
Today, the key to attract and retain talent is through a digital environment that provides flexible working arrangements. We will see more organisations plan to decrease their spend on traditional HR technology, and increase investments in more forward-thinking HR technology, such as hybrid-working tools and infrastructures, as well as diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) technology to cater to the demands and needs of employees in a post-pandemic workforce.
At Sodexo, we work with a large network of startups from around the world to pilot the latest solutions at our sites. By piloting emerging technologies, we get to test their potential impact of new solutions on the client and consumer experience. This way, we are able to make informed investment and deployment decisions and bring the best possible products and services to market.
One of the ways we partner with start-ups is through our Sodexo Accelerators Programme. The programme connects us with local start-ups in the regions and countries we operate to bring new
innovative solutions to meet our business challenges.
HR technology offers a great way to support workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Do you see a change in how corporations are leveraging work tech to fill those gaps the pandemic brought to the fore?
Once regarded as “nice to have but not critical”, DE&I technology has taken on new importance amidst the pandemic as it has proven and demonstrated its ability to improve overall company’s financial performance.
HR and leaders can leverage modern D&EI technology and tool to spot trends in DE&I practices helping ensure that the initiatives they have in the planning would work and resonates well with employees before implementing it in the workplace. There is also a new focus now for organisations to create transparency around pay equity analytics, removing unconscious bias from hiring using such tools.
The pandemic has changed the workforce entirely and across the globe, we are witnessing serious talent shortage. To overcome this challenge, HR tech allows organisations to hire workers from anywhere around the world remotely, without having the need to relocate, facilitate easy onboarding by digitalising management tasks. Such tools are also used to streamline recruitment processes, and more importantly, aimed at tackling discrimination by helping to take a lot of human bias out of interviewing. increase productivity and flexibility, more organisations recognise that redesigning job requirements will ensure operational effectiveness and sustainability in the long run.
The transition towards a hybrid workforce in the next two years will come with more ABW due to
How do you see the adoption of HR tech two years down the line? What are your priorities and new focus areas as we come out of this pandemic with respect to the adoption of HR technology?
In the last two years, we have witnessed the rise of Activity Based Working (ABW) — a concept where employees are provided with a variety of unassigned work settings to support them in their varied activities for the day – due to the pandemic. As a result of lockdown measures imposed across the globe, organisations were forced to implement work from home strategies which have now evolved into hybrid work policies.
With ABW proven to the demand for flexible working spaces. We expect that more organisations will look at ways to redesign and reinvent their office spaces to be more collaborative, enabled by smart HR technologies, as well as implement strategic measures and tailor their hybrid work arrangements to cater to their business needs whilst scaling down their real estate.
At Sodexo, our employees’ well-being has always been our top priority. Now that the latest COVID wave is beginning to crest in different countries, HR leaders and employers will continue to plan on ways to tackle the great return to the office. Our focus will be on strengthening mental health support in the workplace.
How to find, keep, and develop talent in the energy sector
For the evolving energy sector, driven by ongoing trends such as digitalisation and sustainability, it is imperative that companies invest in technology and try new strategies to fill the talent shortage when looking at the future of work
By Mamta Sharma
The energy sector is going through a massive transformation.
According to the International Energy Agency, fossil fuels – coal, gas, and oil, the traditional fuels for power generation – will be supplanted by renewable energy, derived from natural sources that are constantly replenished, as soon as 2026. This development is part of the collective efforts of countries to reduce carbon emissions, and also reflects the desire of consumers and corporations to be more responsible for the world we live in.
The evolution of this industry includes shaping the future of work and providing exciting opportunities for people joining the sector to embark on a truly exhilarating journey of change.
Joey Kwek, head of division, human resources and corporate services, Senoko Energy, one of Singapore's largest power generation companies (providing about one-fifth of the nation’s electricity needs), says the pandemic has also accelerated the energy tran-
sition and pushed the industry to embrace digitalisation and remote technologies in the form of robotics, automation, and machine learning, which has resulted in a demand shift for various skill sets.
The types of jobs required in the energy sector are increasingly diversifying into digital and IT spheres, and it is imperative that companies fill the talent shortage when looking at the future of work, or else it could become a roadblock, hindering progress in an era of accelerating the energy transition.
While many industries have moved seamlessly into remote working, the energy sector continues to retain much of its on-site workers due to the nature of the industry. “However, flexible working arrangements in the form of remote working are becoming increasingly important for talent retention, and the energy sector will have to adapt accordingly to ensure that we can attract the right talent,” says Kwek.
In an exclusive interaction with People Matters, Kwek talks about the challenges of talent attraction and retention in the energy industry and what the future workplace and workforce will look like for it.
What does the future of work look like in the energy sector?
The new generation of employees look for greater flexibility and mobility. Hence, there’s an increasing need for companies in the energy sector to take on a flexible approach to the talent model and tap into a broader talent ecosystem. As we prepare for the future of work, it is also about transforming and growing employees by equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and experience that are most valuable for their roles
There is also an increasing pivot towards remote working or hybrid working model for the energy sector which will require equipping employees with new digital tools and aligning expectations across the organisation. This trend was especially prominent during the pandemic, resulting in remote working becoming the new norm. Hence, the right initiatives need to be in place to protect the well-being of employees and maintain efficiency.
There will always be a need for on-site workers in the energy sector, so leaders will have to know how to create a sense of direction around the work, energise employees and empower their teams to maintain productivity.
The new generation of employees also looks for meaning in their work and if there is an impact on what they do. For the energy sector, it is constantly innovating to produce and supply energy through sustainable means.
What are the major challenges faced by the energy sector in recruiting, retaining, and developing talent?
The energy sector can be difficult to understand for an outsider, making it less appealing for young graduates and professionals, especially in technical roles such as engineering. Jobs in our industry are often viewed as backend and not glamorous, which makes it a challenge for the industry to attract new talent.
With increasing competition for talent from other industries, the energy sector will need to invest in technology and try new strategies to overcome the challenges in talent recruitment and stay ahead of the curve. We will also need to implement initiatives to build a better understanding and appreciation of the sector to attract the right talent.
Developing existing talent through upskilling is more than just providing training. As we prepare for the future of work, it is also about transforming and growing employees by equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and experience that are most valuable for their roles.
Another challenge is that the new generation of employees, now more than ever, look for what their employers represent and if this resonates with their principles and personal beliefs.
In the case of power generation companies, with environmental consciousness rising among younger employees, it is imperative that we make concerted efforts to lower carbon emissions and contribute to a cleaner and greener world.
Whether it is understanding new technologies or helping employees have a better understanding of renewables, organisational leaders will need to lay the foundation and evaluate the results to prepare themselves for the changing world of work.
What has Senoko Energy done to build a meaningful workplace culture and prepare for the future of work?
At Senoko Energy, we value a culture of openness and dynamism. We believe in teamwork and have built a strong culture that encourages cooperation and collaboration across the organisation which is also crucial in the future of work.
In addition to maintaining transparent communications with employees on the company’s business performance, successes, and challenges as part of our efforts to build meaningful workplace culture, we also ensure that leaders foster two-way dialogue through various channels.
Such initiatives will become even more crucial in maintaining regular and transparent communications as we adapt to changing scenarios. We also collect feedback through formalised channels such as engagement surveys to ensure that the voices of our employees are heard.
We have also implemented a comprehensive Talent Management Programme geared towards nurturing young talents and bridging the gap between age groups within the organisation.
Called Management Competency & Capability Programme, qualified employees are selected through a rigorous process and provided tailormade learning programmes and development opportunities under the mentorship of our senior leaders to accelerate their growth.
Along with competitive remunerations based on merit, opportunities for personal and professional growth, and the focus on new energy solutions with an eye on the future.
During the pandemic, we actively advocated the contributions of power generation employees by highlighting their hard work and sacrifices that enabled us to have some semblance of normalcy, especially during periods of lockdown.
Lastly, we recently embarked on a cultural transformation journey aimed at preparing our employees for the future and to be part of the energy transition, which will entail significant changes in the energy sector. To thrive in the energy transition, our employees need to adopt a new mindset of taking charge, being innovative and embracing changes as opportunities for growth.
