Workforce management: understanding the future

With a rapidly changing workplace environment, it’s increasingly important to understand how to manage your workforce for the future to attract and retain the best talent. 

Download our guide to workforce management here. 

Globalisation. Economic uncertainty. Technological innovation. Demographic shifts. Growing skills shortage. Changing attitudes and motivations. All of these factors have contributed to changing the shape of the workforce which can no longer be defined by conventional notions of 9-to-5.  

What is workforce management? 

Workforce management encompasses all the activities needed to maintain a productive workforce, including forecasting labour requirements and creating and managing staff schedules.  

  

Modern workforce management software is devised to optimise the workforce. It also enables businesses to make informed decisions based on past requirements, whilst considering the options available to make flexible informed decisions about how to get work done in the future.  

 
Challenges for workforce management  

Today the workforce is a blend of traditional full-time employees, part-time employees, contingent workers, independent contractors, project consultants, freelancers, service providers and outsourced staff. The current ratio of traditional employees to non-traditional is around 70:30, which emphasises the new reality for business.  

The nature of work has changed and so has the workforce itself.  

Employees are now working flexible hours, working from home or taking meetings outside of office hours. Employees are demanding more flexibility and control over their daily schedule as they aim to improve work-life balance.  

For employers to be able to keep up with these changing trends and give their employees more freedom to choose when and where they work, there is the need to have suitable processes in place to successfully manage the ever-changing workforce.  

Optimising the workforce 

Improving your workforce is a never-ending goal for all businesses. A common theme is aiming to enhance the employee experience, which should result in improved efficiency. As the workplace has changed dramatically, workforce management software has adapted to meet the new demands, supporting the new demands for flexibility.  

Cloud computing, mobile technology and big data have combined to create advances in workforce management solutions. These improvements have changed the way users hire, schedule and support staff.  

Organisations that intend to maintain a competitive advantage through a high-performing workforce need to adapt to this changing environment and find solutions to help them to capitalise on these shifting dynamics.  

Why is it important? 

The quality of your workforce has a direct impact on your business, with a better, more engaged workforce likely to translate to increased productivity.  

Companies are putting an increased focus on their employees by engaging them and making them feel more valued within the organisation. Modern workforce management systems need to further enhance employees’ experiences and support greater flexibility.  

With the way we work constantly evolving, businesses need to be proactive to keep with these changing trends. According to the Gartner research, by 2023, at least 95% of sales of new workforce management applications will be deployed in the cloud.  

The market for management software is going through a period of transformation. To understand the challenges for workforce management, how best to optimise your workforce and prepare yourself for the future, download our free guide here.