Balancing automation with human workers, the impact of chatbots on an employment brand and a widening talent mismatch are among the trends that will shape the recruitment market in 2019.
It will be a year that will see organisations position for growth. But with demand and supply issues intensifying, they’ll need to up the talent ante to achieve growth while striking the right balance between technological integration and human skills.
Here are our ten top talent trends for 2019:
1. The integration of the ‘human’ factor within successful automation deployment
‘Could a robot do my job?’ This was a common question asked in 2018 but with employers now focused on the optimal balance between human workers and robotic automation the question for 2019 becomes, ‘How will automation be integrated into my role?’ As Elon Musk admitted in 2018 on Twitter in response to delays in manufacturing Tesla’s Model 3 sedan, “excessive automation at Tesla was a mistake… Humans are underrated.” Organisations are learning from such mistakes and, in 2019, will look for the most effective, ethical and value-adding amalgamation of automation and staff beyond simply the most productive.
2. Taking employees on the AI change management journey
Once the decision is made to introduce robotic automation or artificial intelligence to drive operational efficiency, organisations will need to engage their employees within a robust and considered change management plan to mitigate risk of implication on morale. It’s important that this is done in a way that alleviates the perceived threat that many workers see such technology posing to their livelihood. Part of this involves talking about the rationale behind it, and explaining how it can help individuals perform their job and potentially develop their career through learning new skills.
3. The retention benefit of digital upskilling to be realised
With major brands such as Walmart already investing in the digital upskilling of their staff, expect constant learning to become mainstream in 2019. While upskilling existing staff provides an organisation with a pipeline of employees who can fill current skill gaps, an arguably greater benefit comes in the form of an employee benefit that staff actually want to receive and will stay for. According to our 2018-19 Hays Salary Guide, 62% of New Zealand workers want a job offering ongoing learning & development opportunities. This is behind only flexible work practices and career progression.
For more talent trends for 2019, read more here.