Conference Contribution Details
Mandatory Fields
Sarah Kieran, Lorraine Ryan, Juliet MacMahon and Sarah MacCurtain
Dutch HRM Network
The Digitisation of Work and the Emergence of the Service Professional.
University of Tilburg
Non Refereed Paper/Abstract Presented at Conference
2019
()
0
Optional Fields
Ever-advancing technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotic process automation not only affect the process of work but also the people tasked with the work. While there is a growing body of evidence on the impact of new technologies in manufacturing environments, its impact on knowledge-based customer service work is less clear. This exploratory research was undertaken in the Global Business Service functions of two large multinational organisations in the Financial Services and ICT sectors. Leader interviews and employee focus groups sought to explore the context of such digitisation and identify its impact on the nature of work and the skills required to fulfil that work. Findings suggest the impact of such transformation is far-reaching. From a leadership perspective, there are mixed views as to whether digitisation increases or decreases the complexity and desirability of the work and therefore contradictory evidence as to the profile of the people who should undertake it. From an employee perspective, there are much clearer indications that, while the skills required remain largely the same, the level and pace at which they must be applied has increased exponentially in recent years to the point that the role itself has been transformed. These findings have significant implications for HRM; from the recruitment of more diverse employee profiles, the development of more iterative learning pathways, the leveraging of these same technologies to provide more flexible work practices, and the broader engagement of employees in the process of digital transformation.