According to IBM, there are three key elements to HR’s purpose, they are driving engagement, drive efficiency in the way HR operates and reskilling the workforce in the digital era.
Jon Lester, director of the service transformation and automation at IBM, a multinational information technology company said this at HRreview’s Engagement 2020 webinar that took place on 28/11/19.
The first is to drive engagement and create a great employee experience. Mr Lester explained how we have to invest in our people.
Mr Lester explained how the second element is to make HR as efficient as possible. He explained HR is an overhead and so HR departments should be aware that its cost affects profits.
Mr Lester does believe there has now been a shift from seeing HR as an asset instead of a cost.
The third and final one is to reskill the workforce for the digital era. Mr Lester said:
Technology is the biggest enabler for changing the way we work.
At IBM, Mr Lester explained how they are listening to their biggest asset, the workforce. They are sending around surveys and conducting polls in their offices to find out what staff want and need.
He went on to say that the US and Asia seem to be more engaged than the UK and that in general they think engagement is very cultural.
They are:
- Mentoring
- Knowing what’s needed
- Showing appreciation
- Developing your staff
- Building strong relationships
Darius is the editor of HRreview. He has previously worked as a finance reporter for the Daily Express. He studied his journalism masters at Press Association Training and graduated from the University of York with a degree in History.
