Computerworld

INSIGHT: Top 4 ways NZ businesses can compete on a global scale

For New Zealand companies to compete successfully on an international playing field they need to focus on productivity and unlocking the skills and knowledge that employees can bring to the organisation.

For New Zealand companies to compete successfully on an international playing field they need to focus on productivity and unlocking the skills and knowledge that employees can bring to the organisation.

“New Zealand has a growing, highly competitive and complex workforce management market,” says Leslie Tarnacki, VP and GM, WorkForce Software A/NZ.

“With 91 per cent of A/NZ businesses reporting a lack of skills in the workplace, effective skills allocation is critical. At the same time 64 per cent of employees have skills that are not being utilised. This suggests that many A/NZ businesses are failing to maximise the value their people can provide.”

As a result, Tarnacki suggests these four ways workforce management can help organisations maximise profitability and increase productivity:

1. Use accurate, real-time data to remain agile and cost effective

Tarnacki believes access to real-time data lets organisations see what skills are available in the organisation versus what resources are required at any given time.

“This means organisations can allocate, manage and forecast resource requirements more accurately, delivering a competitive advantage thanks to the ability to react quickly when changes are needed,” Tarnacki explains.

“Real-time data also helps organisations ensure the right people are working at the right cost, which drives the bottom line.

“Organisations can do this by understanding both historical and real-time demand for resources. Both under and over-resourcing shifts can cost money: finding the correct balance is key.”

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2. Match individual skills and personalities with tasks

Certain staff members are better at certain tasks, either by nature or by experience, according to Tarnacki.

“Using this information to ensure the right mix of people work on the most appropriate projects or shifts can help improve company performance,” Tarnacki adds.

“Matching employees’ personal preferences and skills to tasks also helps them feel useful and appreciated, leading to higher job satisfaction.”

3. Manage fatigue

According to Tarnacki, fatigue is a well-known cause of underperformance so managing it carefully can result in significantly improved employee performance and engagement.

“It also directly affects workplace health and safety levels, since fatigued employees are more likely to make mistakes or cause accidents,” Tarnacki adds.

4. Treat employees well

Maximising and harnessing the value of employees is vital to improve profits, adds Tarnacki.

“By seeing employees as people rather than as resources, organisations can improve employee satisfaction, which can in turn improve customer service,” Tarnacki adds.

“Happy staff are also less likely to skip work, reducing the cost of absenteeism.”

Research by Direct Health Solutions in 2013 showed that over 88 million days are lost to the economy because of absenteeism. This amounted to $27.5 billion per year in sick leave costs and lost productivity – an average of $2741 per employee per year.