Transformation and change are omnipresent in the world of work right now, and with a labour market short on AI skills, businesses will likely turn to their existing employees to upskill in order to use this new technology – the same people who are already being stretched to the point of burnout.
Ongoing redundancies and altered migration laws mean businesses are operating with streamlined workforces in a tight labour market. And with the cost-of-living crisis still threatening bottom lines, business leaders are prioritising efficiency and productivity to meet organisational and financial goals.
On the surface, the integration of new technology and AI could be a key, positive change for many businesses. The automation of certain tasks and operations should in theory offer some respite for employees contending with increased workloads. However, ManpowerGroup’s 2024 Talent Shortage Survey found that 80% of UK businesses are struggling to find talent with the skills they need; and when looking specifically at jobs requiring AI skills, finding qualified workers is a top three challenge. So, with a labour market short on AI skills, businesses will likely turn to their existing employees to upskill in order to use this new technology – the same people who are already being stretched to the point of burnout.
And to make matters more challenging, some employees simply won’t want to grow their skillset, even if they have the technical ability to do so. Not everyone is looking to build a career and be in a constant state of professional development; many are instead happy to remain in their current role, do their job well and get paid at the end of the month. In turn, business leaders will need to identify the right individuals for investment – a process that will take time.
Supporting your people through the integration of new technology
Engage employees as implementers of the change
A key step for any business looking to create efficiencies through the adoption of technology is to open a line of clear and ongoing line of communication with their workforce. One town hall meeting isn’t enough. If leaders communicate major decisions without proper consultation and room for feedback, they’ll only be fueling employee resistance and anxiety – and won’t have all the information needed to make a well-informed decision. 42% of employees believe their company lacks a clear understanding of which systems should be fully automated and which require human intervention; and so it’ll be the responsibility of business leaders to not only listen to what their workforce has to say, but to actively engage their people in creating change.
After all, employees will possess a better understanding of which aspects of their roles can or should be automated and will be the ones on-the-ground, using this new technology on a daily basis. Bring these people and their diverse thoughts together, encourage collaboration and position them as implementers of change. When faced with organisational transformation, people want to feel a sense of agency, to know their opinions are valued and that key decisions that affect them directly aren’t being made without their input. Only through enabling continuous involvement from employees and factoring any learnings into the decision-making process will businesses be able to keep employees on-side and engaged.
Equip people to succeed
Once leaders understand who and what in their business will be affected by the introduction of new technology, they’ll want to provide upskilling initiatives for those being directly impacted. That being said, not everybody will want to upskill, which is why taking the time to generate robust data to really understand their workforce will be key.
Success profiles outlining the key skills and personal attributes required to succeed in-role will need to be established first. Leaders can then assess their existing workforce against these profiles using a combination of activities, including psychometric testing and competency-based questioning, to see which people possess a natural ability to thrive, as well as those who have a desire to develop themselves. Only then will leaders be able to establish alignment between the business and its talent – in terms of both ability and mindset – as well as the gaps that need bridging. Without implementing these assessment practices and generating comprehensive data, leaders run the risk of making ill-informed development decisions with low to no ROI.
Make time for development
Even with everything else in place, leaders will still need to approach learning and development with a highly practical mindset, where learning and performance sit alongside each other, not in competition. Traditional workplace learning formats are being replaced by in-flow learning practices, whereby employees learn ‘in the flow of work’ instead of spending lengthy periods of time away in classrooms or logged on to online courses.
In theory, in-flow learning makes perfect business sense: employees are always available and can learn on the go. But in reality, learning takes time – a precious commodity for people faced with new technology and increasingly demanding workloads. It’s not fair or realistic to expect employees to meet all their KPIs and proactively engage with upskilling initiatives at the same time. Only so many plates can be spun before something shatters on the floor – and its usually employee wellbeing that takes the hit. Therefore, leaders need to provide employees with dedicated learning time and create a culture where people feel encouraged to step away from their day-to-day responsibilities to focus solely on their development – even if it’s just 15 minutes a day. Employees are then far more likely to engage in learning activities, instead of viewing them as just another task and stressor to manage.
Only through taking the necessary steps will organisations truly be able to support employees being impacted by a technological transformation – maintaining productivity and performance, without sacrificing their wellbeing.
