While the likes of artificial intelligence and robotics can help improve business performance, employers should also consider how the roles of existing workers may change.

Over the last few years there has been a considerable amount of focus on the benefits businesses of all types and sizes may be able to gain from technology.

Developments such as automation, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have the potential to help businesses run more effectively and efficiently in sectors ranging from manufacturing and transport to healthcare and financial services.

One of the key opportunities for employers looking to make the transition to a more streamlined, digitally enhanced organisation relates to identifying new roles and engaging the existing workforce. How can employers and their staff make the most of the digital revolution?

“In any sort of business, it’s important to try to predict what new jobs could be created as a result of moving to digital products or other types of technology,” says Darren Mackenzie, employment law consultant at the Royal Bank of Scotland’s Mentor advisory service. “For example, do you need more web designers or engineers – or people who can analyse data?”

Consider retraining or upskilling workers whose roles may need to adapt as a result of the introduction of new digital processes, so that they can be engaged in the new digital journey. “The opportunity here is to engage employees early, in order to motivate them in the best way,” adds Mackenzie.

Upskilling for success

The next step might be to identify exactly what skills gaps are going to exist and what kind of training is going to be required to help employees adapt – as well as who’s going to provide that training. “It’s an employer’s responsibility to help their employees adapt to change and work through it, because many people can find change challenging for all sorts of reasons,” says Mackenzie.

Communicate and engage

A key element of getting this kind of buy-in from employees is being able to communicate with them and engage them in an effective way. “It’s good practice to make employees aware of the company’s long-term direction,” Mackenzie explains. “Upskilling employees well in advance of any changes being made can help to create a smooth transition to a digitally enhanced organisation.

“To plant the seeds – to give an employee an indication of what the future direction of the organisation might be – can be beneficial, but it’s difficult to be definitive. It is really a question of trying to get that happy balance,” he says.

“Best practice to help an employer successfully manage through this digitial revlotion is for them to keep an open mind and always look to see what could be done to marry current people and skills to future roles – this means exploring all the alternatives by upskilling their employees.”

Case study: ‘We took our staff with us’

B-Loony, a supplier of printed promotional balloons, has in recent years invested considerable sums in AI and robotics to streamline its processes. But, according to operations director James Clephan, this has not resulted in a smaller workforce.

“We increasingly deal with a number of global clients and are expected to fulfil large-scale orders quickly and efficiently as part of that,” he explains. “Three years ago, we took the decision to invest in our first collaborative robot to work alongside members of our existing team in order to increase productivity as the business expanded. It was important for us that we kept the staff engaged in the process and took them with us as we used technology to carry out some of the more repetitive, time-consuming tasks, which include sewing promotional bunting and making burger flags.”

He adds: “It was never our intention to lose staff as part of this process – in fact we’ve increased our numbers and now have eight robots working alongside an expanded team on a 24-hour shift basis. Using robots has allowed us to increase productivity by around 50%.”

Clephan says that staff have been kept fully engaged throughout. “We used staff ambassadors to help to communicate our plans: we see our staff as a vital part of the business and are not looking to replace them – in fact we’ve taken the opportunity to upskill members of the team to manage the robots and oversee their work.”

How to prepare for a digitally enhanced organisation

Mentor’s Darren Mackenzie recommends taking the following steps:

1 Identify new roles: what new jobs (for example, web designers or data analysts) could be created as a result of digitisation?

2 Share your vision: communicate to employees your long term-plans for the company, to ensure you take them with you on that journey.

3 Engage staff early: motivating employees by showing them the opportunities presented will help combat any resistance to change.

4 Upskill your workforce: identify skills gaps and the training required to help employees meet the new demands of digital.

5 Keep an open mind: it’s impossible to know the future, so you’ll need to strike a balance between communicating long-term vision and remaining flexible as things change.

RBS Mentor offers expert business advice on employment law and HR, health and safety, and environmental management.
www.rbsmentor.co.uk