FMJ Facilities Management magazine providing industry-specific intelligence to FM and property professionals
Michael Baker, VP Group Sales and Account Management EMEA at Cornerstone(i) on how AI can take your staff learning and development to the next level
With increased digitalisation comes an increased need for adaptation. As the world moves online, businesses need to ensure they keep pace, or they risk being left behind in a paper-filled frenzy. Artificial intelligence (AI) has been slowly making its way into all sectors of the business world. From enabling companies to measure Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors, to allowing banks to detect fraud more efficiently.
This infiltration of AI is also making its way into learning and development, allowing companies to further invest in their greatest asset – their people. Reskilling and upskilling employees allows companies to be more flexible, adaptable and efficient, however the standard ‘classroom technique’ is, quite frankly, outdated in today’s working world. Employees crave a learning experience that is personalised and in line with their own career aspirations, and AI provides just that; a hyper-personalised people development platform that can tailor individual learning journeys within an organisation.
INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCE
Manually curating individual training programmes for each employee is no longer a feasible task for humans alone. Collating this information from each employee and keeping their individual programmes up to date with the latest materials is simply too mammoth a task. Luckily, artificial intelligence and machine learning exist to ease this burden. Placing trust in tech by leveraging an AI-powered platform would not only remove this pressure but would also put employees’ growth and development into their own hands. Rather than waiting for the next round of training sessions or having to continually request to be placed in specific training programmes, employees will have all the growth and development materials they need, anytime, anywhere, at the click of a button.
Employees can create their own profiles on the platform, detailing the skills and competencies they have as well as those they wish to gain. Then, AI can help to match specific learning materials to the individual, enabling them to grow and develop in their desired areas. No longer are job roles defined by a given skillset, rather they can become fluid according to the skills of the person in the role. Not only does this empower employees with accountability for their career development, it also gives employers a clearer insight into the wider skillset of their company. Leaders will be able to clearly spot any skills gaps as well as identify the appropriate people to fill them.
THE MORE SKILLS THE MERRIER
This digitalised, AI-powered approach to learning and development lends itself perfectly to roles which encompass numerous skills, such as those within the facilities management sector. This sector is known for requiring a number of different competencies, such as property strategy, building maintenance and supervising teams, making training difficult to standardise. Leaders also face the challenge of training employees whilst on a client site, which can mean balancing the training of the individual with the needs of the client. But, if FM leverages AI, it would mean that the relevant training materials are available on all devices, allowing employees to have the flexibility to learn and grow according to their own schedules and be able to build on their skills wherever they are.
Placing employees’ growth and development into their own hands can result in many benefits for the wider business. Employees will feel more empowered with their newfound control over their career and personal goals, resulting in a more motivated and productive workforce. With the potential for career advancement clearly in sight, this encourages internal mobility and eradicates the notion that career development can only be achieved by moving to a new company. Essentially, businesses will be able to train and retain the best talent. This will not only result in huge cost savings from external recruitment but will also allow companies to stay more competitive in the dynamic working world of today.
TIME TO REAP THE REWARDS
AI solutions are cross-functional, and the interpretations they provide can also be used to gain understandings about the wider business. The algorithms used by the platform can uncover patterns, for example, real-time market trends around key skills. This knowledge could then be used to make wider decisions on how to improve departments within the business. Essentially, your company could be sitting on a wealth of untapped skills and introducing a digital career platform would reveal where these skills have been hidden, and where they would be best placed. Furthermore, digitalising processes can give deeper insights into how employees are feeling. A survey conducted and analysed electronically will not only be done faster, but it will be able to draw far more specific insights, than if analysed by humans alone. This will allow leaders to target areas for improvement, making employees feel truly heard.
Businesses who don’t digitalise processes simply will not be able to stay competitive. Leveraging an AI-powered platform would revolutionise the way your team’s function. Letting tech do the heavy lifting will streamline processes, give deeper insights, as well as empower employees to take charge of their own employability.
