HR professionals are no strangers to reexamining workforce planning. The pandemic has caused businesses worldwide to pause and consider what is working and what isn’t, in order to improve employee retention and attract more talent to fill roles.

In the midst of the Covid-19 chaos, business process automation stepped in to save the day. Once a technology only available to enterprise companies, process automation now become commonplace for all sizes of business due to the demands of the pandemic.

Now, the future of HR jobs depends on businesses being able to successfully implement a digital process automation solution, and employees being able to successfully use the platforms.

How can HR teams help plan for the future of work?

Work of the future now looks drastically different than it did a few years ago. Workforce planning by Gartner found that leading HR teams must actively help their organizations prepare for the future of work. What exactly is the future of work? Gartner cites “technology-driven workflows” as a crucial part of the new normal for businesses going forward.

HR leaders ideally should:

• Advise executives on the future roles and skills the company will need

• Leverage new employment models

• Change how organizational processes are managed

The decentralization of process automation solutions means that this isn’t just advice for large enterprises anymore, even small and medium businesses can take advantage of this technology.

Plan for future talent needs

One of the first steps HR professionals can take is to anticipate the future needs of talent by integrating automation technology early. Starting early will help ease the transition for existing employees, while also attracting in-demand new talent.

Automation might not feel like a need at first, but by 2025 automation will be pretty much commonplace. Future talent will be looking for a company that empowers them to do the creative, decision-making work they were hired to do. If a role consists of too many small tasks that could easily be automated, it’s an instant turn-off.

Implementing automation now, rather than at the last minute, ensures that your organization can iron out the creases to set up for future success.

Focus on the benefits

Change can be difficult, so when faced with a decision of whether to implement the change or not, it’s best to look at the benefit to the employee and the business.

Employees gain in-demand skills when they are able to use automation platforms comfortably. Upskilling in this way expands their skill set for the future. Employees will also be surprisingly onboard since automation helps to reduce overwork by automating the tasks they don’t want to do.

For the business, automation technology helps the company as a whole to function better. Platforms that offer workflow management and automation in one mean that overviews of workflow status’ are never lost. Automation also ensures that resources are spent wisely, especially with remote workers. With added transparency, it’s easy to reallocate resources to make the most of the workforce you have.

As for attracting talent, the best talent wants to work in an environment that functions smoothly and has access to the most up-to-date tools. Future employees will actively look for this infrastructure, so if your company has already implemented and run an automation solution successfully, then you have a leg-up over competitors.

Restructure employment models

Working from home might not feel like a need for a business, but it’s a different story for the employee. In a Harvard study, 76% of workers polled said that in the near future, they expect to be able to prioritize lifestyle over proximity to work. Employees are now looking for roles where remote work is normalized so they can have a positive work-life balance.

Digitizing workflows in the cloud is the missing puzzle piece that will help your organization to make hybrid work a viable option. Working outside the office-bound 9-5 model can seem difficult for businesses to implement, especially when you consider gig work, but ultimately hybrid work can be achieved with digital infrastructure. Putting your workflows, processes, and tasks in the cloud will not only help your company digitally transform but will empower remote workers to do their best work wherever they are.

Businesses need to start thinking about their digital infrastructure and rethinking how they plan and communicate across every department. Cloud-based workflow management systems, for example, help businesses make permanent remote working a reality. Employees will also appreciate the ability to do the same quality work with just as much ease from home, rather than having to commute.

Go for sustainable digital change

Restructuring and becoming digital-first can be a tough process, but with the right tools, change can be a frictionless process. FireStart makes it possible to orchestrate and automate your processes in the cloud, making digital-first a reality.

When processes, workflows, tasks, and responsibilities are digitized in the cloud, it gives your organization far more flexibility. Employees can remotely check which task they need to complete next, easily see where the current workflow is at, and communicate with their colleagues in-platform. This greatly reduces the number of video calls and emails sent, making digital collaboration more streamlined.