BUSINESS STRATEGY
As such , businesses need the skillsets in place to work with new or different technology – and the means by which to equip their employees with the necessary skills .
For example , Cox Automotive was forced to pivot towards becoming a more data-driven organisation when the pandemic made its usual methods of managing productivity impossible , as everyone worked from at home .
To combat this , the company adopted Pluralsight Flow to help monitor workflow blockages and understand how teams were working across the organisation . The data-driven programme helped maintain productivity while working from home . In turn , leaders could focus on capability building and remain confident in their teams .
Being able to collect and analyse data about employees ’ skills – and skills gaps – also helped Cox Automotive to improve its learning and development programmes . Pluralsight ’ s Skill IQ platform enabled the identification of skills gaps , and using this data , Cox Automotive was able to provide the right training for each employee , and effectively measure the business outcome it provided .
Businesses need to be able to adopt new ways of working , when necessary , while maintaining productivity . The ability to truly understand how employees are working , where bottlenecks exist in the process or where skills are lacking is key to this .
The value of context with intention
The notion of ‘ context with intention ’ involves sharing as much information with employees as possible and explaining the reason why decisions are being made . Since the beginning of the pandemic , leaders have focused on communicating clearly and regularly with teams .
As geographical obstacles have skewed our normal communications , it ’ s become essential to provide workforces with the backdrop to any decision . Having a clear understanding of the direction the business is taking , and sharing this with employees , allows them to feel personally invested in the business progression . Ultimately , this will drive engagement , retention and respect . However , it ’ s a two-way street – understanding the backdrop of employees ’ personal situations is critical , particularly at a time when the personal and professional lines have become increasingly blurred .
Understanding the value of context with intention starts with empathy . Listening , being fully present and taking a personal interest in your employees is the fundamental grounding to a successful team . Managing this across virtual spaces is never easy and translating empathy across online platforms can be challenging . Creating extra space for the ‘ corridor conversations ’ that we used to have walking in and out of meetings or making a cup of tea help to overcome this and making the additional effort to embed casual conversations into the working day , whether at the start or end of a conference call , will encourage the work / life balance that is needed for employees to maintain their own wellbeing .
Looking ahead
The past year and a half has dramatically altered many aspects of the business world , mostly for good . As a leader , a top priority has emerged – being ready to intercept , pivot and adapt to changing environments . Continuing to look towards the future and embrace new technology , putting the skills in place to adapt quickly and keeping employees motivated will all be key for businesses to remain competitive . As a leader , showing from the top that you are embracing a culture of learning and development , while remaining transparent with teams , will help embed this approach in everyone . x
Sean Farrington , Pluralsight EVP EMEA
ORGANISATIONS THAT KEEP A KEEN EYE ON THE HORIZON AND ANTICIPATE HOW TECHNOLOGY WILL CHANGE WAYS OF WORKING WILL BE BETTER PLACED TO MAINTAIN THEIR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE .
www . intelligentcxo . com
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