Time and Attendance Blog, Workforce Management Software

Annual Performance Reviews Are Outdated, But Are Old-Fashioned Companies Listening?

Paying attention to change is a mindset. Some companies adapt, while others simply can’t let go of the past, even if their inaction to change is causing disruption in their organization. We have written about the annual performance review, in the past, and its relevance or lack thereof, in today’s rapidly change workforce that encompasses; cloud computing, AI, Robotics, and a Millennial and GenZ workforce. In particular, this cohort of Millennial and GenZ employees, simply have no patience, for year-end reviews with their managers, and would instead, prefer daily or weekly feedback.

In an article, written by Valerie-Bolden Barrett for HR Dive, titled Workers overwhelmingly prefer regular check-ins to yearlies, based on a study, it revealed the following:

“An overwhelming number of employees (84%) said regular check-ins with their managers are important to them, according to a poll of 1,000 workers from Appraisd, a U.K.-based performance management software company. The percentage of employees favoring check-ins was even greater among younger age groups; 90% of Gen Zers said regular face-to-face meetings with their manager are important and 40% described them as very important.

Workers reported different check-in frequencies with their managers. One-third of respondents meet with their manager once a month; 12% meet every two weeks; another 12% never meet with their managers at all; and 8% meet fewer than every six months. Large organizations were more likely to have regular check-ins than midsize or small companies, and the number of employees that never had check-ins increased to 17% in small companies, Appraisd said.

According to Appraisd, the annual review is still used in 36% of the respondents’ workplaces. Four percent reported that reviews are conducted less than once a year and 8% said that they’ve never had a review with their current employer”.

Bottomline: The annual performance review is on life support and will eventually become a thing of the past. Millennials and GenZ, will slowly seal its fate.

To learn about ATS and its suite of workforce management solutions, go to our website. You can download a demo or register for one of our bi-weekly webinars. To reach an account executive by phone call, 866.294.2467.

AI, Cloud Computing, GenZ, Millennials, Robotics

Are You Ready For The Future Of Work?

Here is an example of the how the future of work has changed. Cold calling used to be the way to reach new customers. Try that in 2018 and you are likely to get lots of voice mails. In fact, cold calling has been dead for many years and some companies have acknowledged this and made changes in how their reps reach new customers. There are however, a small minority of companies, who refuse to accept this practice is passé and so, they stubbornly ask their sales people to dialing those numbers in the hope that they might reach some customers, who are waiting by their phone to get a call from a sales rep. Change, sometimes has to be disruptive, for it to be accepted and the use of robotics and the pace of automation will continue to increase, despite resistance to it, by those in the minority who hang on to past practices.

Are You Ready For The Future Of Work?

Christy Petty’s article for Gartner 6 Future Work Trends sheds some light on the how the way in which we approach work has and will continue to change

Some of these work trends include:

“Digital dexterity is monitored and measured: The growing recognition of the importance of digital dexterity creates a demand for measurement, which aligns with analytics becoming more pervasive in the enterprise. f Social science-based surveys and observations are increasingly accepted to collect relevant digital dexterity data, which can be combined with machine-generated IT, HR and business data to measure workforce digital dexterity.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) will prevail: The conversion of rich input patterns into data that can be readily processed by conventional software is at the heart of today’s AI hype. AI will have a profound impact on how work is assigned, completed and evaluated. Cain suggests that although AI will provide a number of workplace trends in the coming years, workers are experiencing the impact of robobosses and smart workplaces right now.

Robobosses on the rise: While employees will not report to an AI construct, the implementation of robobosses will lead to more automated management duties and more online worker activities. There is opportunity for greater tracking of worker activities and performance. This data can be run against a series of algorithms that can programmatically offer assistance in improving performance or meeting goals.

The gig economy will thrive: Organizations will increasingly learn and borrow from freelance management and gig economy platforms, which dynamically match short-term work requirements directly with workers who have the relevant knowledge, experience, skills, competencies and availability. This will mean moving away from traditional structures to more fluid arrangements.

Employees get work through employment marketplaces: Freelancer marketplaces make it easier for employers to tap into a set of contractors for short-term work commitments. In parallel, professional social networking platforms and recruiting technology providers have been investing heavily in matching algorithms to pair up talent supply and demand.

Jobs get deconstructed: Traditionally, organizations have invested in mapping out clear career paths for employees. While workers need a purpose-focused direction, a portfolio of experiences builds knowledge and skills and allows for the practice and improvement of competencies. Employees will increasingly find the accumulation of experiences to be more realistic than a carefully plotted-out career path”.

Some things were somewhat predictable like cloud computing as it slowly began to edge onsite Server installed applications. But who could predict Apple’s dominance in mobility computing or Google’s search engine literally taking over the world, leaving competitors in its dust? The future of work and its trends will not affect all organizations equally, so it’s important for senior executives to understand where their organization is right now, where it’s going, and how they plan to embrace change as it happens.

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Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing, Gartner, Google, Robotics

Embrace The Cloud And The Digital Revolution Or Go Home

Market Intelligence leader International Data Corporation (IDC) is on the forefront of the cloud and the digital revolution and their evidence-based predictions and analytic reports are much sought-after items. Here are some predictions based on the ever increasing use of mobile devices, the cloud and the non-stop pace of the digital revolution that shaking and shaping today’s business landscape.

Growth of mobile connectivity and today’s workforce

“The U.S. mobile worker population will grow at a steady rate over the next five years, increasing from 96.2 million in 2015 to 105.4 million mobile workers in 2020. By the end of the forecast period, IDC expects mobile workers will account for nearly three quarters (72.3%) of the total U.S. workforce.

Embrace The Cloud And The Digital Revolution Or Go Home

Key drivers behind the growth in the U.S. mobile worker population include the increasing affordability of smartphones and tablets combined with the growing acceptance of corporate bring your own device (BYOD) programs. In addition, innovations in mobile technology such as biometric readers, wearables, voice control, near-field communications (NFC), and augmented reality are enabling workers in completely new ways, increasing productivity by enhancing communications and business workflows. In a recent IDC survey, 69.1% of enterprise mobility stakeholders polled saw a reduction in opex or capex costs as a result of implementing BYOD programs.”

There are many reasons why smart business leaders are adopting cloud-based solutions to propel their organizations. Many of them believe in the future of the cloud computing technology. And,the report by Eileen Smith of IDC reads, in part;

“Fueled by 3rd Platform technologies like mobile, social business, cloud, and Big Data and analytics (BDA), a new era is upon us where technologies and processes that businesses deploy are so tightly linked to their customers and markets that the boundary between the internal operations of the enterprise and its external ecosystem is rapidly disappearing. Business leaders are challenged to move their enterprises to the next level, that of digital business transformation, employing digital technologies like IoT, robotics, and artificial intelligence to create new ways of operating and growing businesses. IDC’s Worldwide Semiannual Digital Transformation Spending Guide sizes the technology and business dollars related to this transformation of business processes. Delivered via IDC’s Customer Insights query tool, users can easily extract meaningful information about technology markets and industries”.

Are you still in doubt about the power of the cloud? Go to our website and download free white papers on the benefit of adopting a cloud time and attendance solution. You can also read customer testimonials on the site and, to reach an account executive by phone call; 866.294.2467.

Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, BigData, Cloud Computing, International Data Corporation (IDC), Internet of Things (IoT), Robotics, Smartphones, Time and Attendance

The Ongoing Debate About Working Remotely Rears It’s Head Again

May 30th, 2017 | Posted by ATS in Cloud Computing | Productivity | Time and Attendance Blog, Workforce Management Software - (Comments Off)

The debate about employees working remotely won’t stop anytime soon. The most famous debate was back in 2013, when incoming CEO of Yahoo, Marissa Mayer, informed employees that the practice of working from home would no longer be an option.

Fast forward to 2017 when it was revealed that IBM, purveyor of its employees working remotely, plans to follow in the footsteps of Yahoo’s! work from home policy. An excerpt from an article ‘So Much for IBM’s Bright Idea on Working Remotely’ reads, in part;

The Ongoing Debate About Working Remotely Rears It’s Head Again

“Tech companies are supposed to be the leaders. So it’s surprising that two of the largest, IBM and Apple, are moving backward, preparing for office life in the decades ahead to look a lot like 2005. They are likely to be wrong.

IBM is ending its liberal policy that encouraged remote work, now forcing employees back into offices to facilitate collaboration. Meanwhile, Apple is preparing to open its vast new $5 billion corporate campus in Silicon Valley.

For midlife millennials, flexible work arrangements and remote work — the kinds of work IBM is abandoning — are what workers will want. And rather than being a desirable attraction, Apple’s shiny new headquarters located in a region with million-dollar home prices may be an albatross for the company, if even well-paid workers cannot afford to live near the office”.

Only time will tell if this is a PR stunt designed to boost productivity or if it is something else entirely. Either way, romanticizing about a by-gone era will be seen for what it is, just an attempt to embrace the traditional way of going to work, that is no longer relevant in world of Cloud Computing, robotics, Internet of Things (IoT) and advance technology.

To learn more of our blogs go to our website where you can also demonstration of ATS time and attendance solution. And to reach us by phone call; 866.294.2467.

Apple, Cloud Computing, IBM, Internet of Things (IoT), Robotics, Silicon Valley, Yahoo

When Executed Properly, Business Automation Can Spur Growth

Many of today’s business leaders have to cut through the noise surrounding business automation, and at times, have to rely on experts to guide them. Trouble is, some of the experts are either ill informed and/or stuck in the dark ages. And, in today’s competitive environment of; artificial intelligence, cloud computing, robotics and workforce analytics businesses would be wise to jump on the band wagon. The benefits to automating your business means, you will streamline payroll costs and improve workforce productivity. Which business executive is going to pass up this opportunity when it’s presented in those terms?

In his article How to Automate Your Business for Fast Growth on Inc.com Jeff Haden lays out an 8 step guide to automation that even the most cautious, business executive will find useful. In no particular order, you will below, a list of three out of the eight business automation steps listed in the article:

Start small and focus on one business function: Pick a function with a solid ROI. Then pick another function. Once you get a few wins under your belt, your employees will be asking you to automate certain functions. You won’t have to push your employees; they’ll pull you in.
Automate the easiest processes first: Pick rote tasks where there is no human value-add. Automation lets you avoid human error while saving time in execution.
Pick a technology partner: If you reach the point where you want to bring in a vendor, the key is to look out a few years and ensure your partner has the right level of scope, innovation, and technology, and can scale with you.

When Executed Properly, Business Automation Can Spur Growth

Business leaders are responsible for deciding how their company is run, and, by this definition are held accountable by their stakeholders. The difference, between a company that remains stagnant and one that’s enjoying improved productivity and growth, has to do with the automation of business processes.

To learn more about ATS business workforce management solution, go to our website. And, to reach an account executive, call: 866.294.2467.

Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing, Robotics, Workforce Analytics, Workforce Management Solution

Digital Era Is Here To Stay, You Can Either Adapt Or Get Run Over

Ready or not, the digital era is here to stay. And, that include; robotics, Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, and artificial intelligence to name a few. Many organizations have taken an early lead by adopting applications like ATS TimeWork OnDemand and the complementary features like big data that comes with it- to better understand their company’s financial performance and improve decision making.

The rise of cloud computing, artificial intelligence and everything digital has literally upended the traditional way of deploying software applications. For example, organizations had to deploy the solution on a Server, and multiple desktops, go through multiple tests phases and after several months finally go-live. Today’s digital transformation era means there is no software to install or the requirement of an army of IT professionals to manage the application. Instead, companies can expect the deployment of a time and attendance solution to be up and running in a third of the time it would take to deploy a traditional software application.

Digital Era Is Here To Stay, You Can Either Adapt Or Get Run Over

In the early years of cloud computing companies could afford to wait to see if it would take off. This is no longer an option because, in reality, the digital era and everything that encompasses it, has not only taken off-it has left many doubters in its dust.

ATS TimeWork OnDemand, is a dream come true for business executives. It provides business leaders with access to the most critical time and attendance business information from any device, with real-time analytic reporting and 21^st century dashboard functionality, to proactively identify and act on problems, and stay on track.

Today’s generation of workers are impatient and will snub their nose at any application that does not provide a clear path for data integration or is rooted in a dos-based era. In short, they have embraced the digital era and have no desire to look back or cling onto off-the shelf and outdated applications that restrict business growth.

To learn about ATS TimeWork OnDemand, contact a representative at 866.294.2467. And, to participate in one of our webinars or to download a demonstration, go to our website.

Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Cloud Computing, Internet of Things (IoT), Robotics, Time and Attendance, TimeWork OnDemand

Is The Demise Of Manufacturing A Reality Or Overblown Rhetoric

Depending on who you talk to, manufacturing has been on the decline for the last 15 years and counting and there is no end in sight. But despite the doom and gloom, The Institute for Supply Management’s report, which is highlighted by Industry Week, begs to differ. And, many of today’s manufacturing companies, especially the ones who came out of the 2009 recession, albeit leaner, in terms of workforce and production process are likely breathing a sigh of relief at this piece of news. Michelle Jamrisko article for Bloomberg on state of manufacturing, states in part;

“Manufacturing expanded in December at the fastest pace in two years, reflecting firmer output and the biggest pickup in orders growth since August 2009. The Institute for Supply Management said Tuesday that its index increased to 54.7, the fourth straight advance, from 53.2 a month earlier. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey called for 53.8. Readings above 50 indicate growth. The ISM’s measure of orders surged 7.2 points, while its gauge of prices paid for materials climbed to the highest level since June 2011.”

Is The Demise Of Manufacturing A Reality Or Overblown Rhetoric

The world of manufacturing is constantly evolving as it has had to keep pace with stiffer competitor and tighter margins. And, so in order to increase profits, many of today’s successful manufacturers have had to embraced cloud computing, robotics and business intelligence thus enabling them, to streamline production flows – and ultimately reduce their costs.

So, as the manufacturing sector continues to evolve here are three trends that will continue to dominate that industry in 2017:

Cloud Computing
Major new technologies especially ones built on the cloud will be take precedence over on premise applications by manufacturers. Deploying a cloud-based solution provides a rapid return on investment, and streamlines payroll costs across an entire supply chain.

Predictive Analytics for Real-Time Decision-Making
Today, unlike several years ago, manufacturers have access to a wide array of analytic and Big Data tools at the push of a button– that can be hugely valuable for business decision-making and process enhancements when used correctly. From budgeting and forecasting to employee production scheduling and benefit accruals – these tools, allow manufacturers to harness data properly and with ease and efficiency.

New Technology and Innovation
Traditional, version-based time and attendance solutions prohibited organizations and their users from sharing freely and collaborating, because the data always resided on a Server and it was incapable of integrating to other applications-thus, creating nightmares for users. Workforce management software built for the cloud is the network of the future. Open-mind manufacturers will continue to move away from Server-based software solutions and instead opt for cloud computing solutions—which is the future of software deployment.

ATS Workforce Management for Manufacturing is industry-built and helps drive business outcomes by engaging your employees, streamlining payroll costs, increasing productivity, and minimizing compliance risk. With ATS Workforce Management for Manufacturing, your business has access to a proven cloud platform that is secure, scalable, and mobile — allowing you to do business when or where you choose to access its power.

To learn about ATS Workforce Management for Manufacturing, go to our website, you can also download a demonstration and see why many of today’s fortune 500 companies choose ATS.

Big Data, Business Intelligence, Cloud Computing, Manufacturing, Robotics, Time and Attendance, Workforce Management Software

Technology Will Continue To Dominate The Future Of Work

The continued rise of technology including; Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, cloud-computing technologies, and artificial intelligence has made the seemingly impossible from years ago now possible. An article by Charles Krome for TLNT HR titled ‘What Happens When Employees Work Out of Their Car?’ raise the eye browse, rightfully so, of many safety experts.

The article reads in part, “It was bound to happen, leveraging the Microsoft Exchange mail and calendar services, In Car Office “knows” about upcoming conference calls, for example, and if you’re in the vehicle, it can automatically dial you in at the appropriate time. Similarly, if other calls are on your calendar, the system also can recognize this and remind you a few minutes before. Or if you’re headed for a face-to-face meeting, the system can automatically set the destination in the car’s navigation system.”

Technology Will Continue To Dominate The Future Of Work

Chances are we are not too far away from this type of technology being deployed by some companies, and of importance is the safety, liability and work-life-balance comes that will feature into this type of technology. The article addresses those concerns with this:

“First off, helping to maintain a safe workplace can be a vital role for HR professionals, so if your employees’ vehicles become part of that workplace, they could become part of your responsibilities, too. Expecting people to be on the clock when they’re in their cars, however, would require resetting that balance — and perhaps rebalancing the company’s books. While it’s too early to know how this would play out, if the time folks spend in their in-car offices is considered “work time,” it could have a financial impact for employers who pay on an hourly basis.”

Will the in-car office ever come to fruition? Only time will tell. The introduction of biometrics some years ago at airports, and in workplaces, coupled with cloud computing technologies were seen as an intrusive tools that did not belong. Today, many companies are deploying cloud-based time and attendance solutions, in large part, to the inherent benefits of boosting workplace productivity and streamlining payroll costs. And, as for biometrics, at airports, they have become so common that consumers go through them without thinking twice.

Artificial Intelligence, Biometrics, Cloud Computing, Robotics, Time and Attendance

Manufacturing Companies are Embracing AI, Robotics and Other Advanced Technologies

May 31st, 2016 | Posted by Apex Time Solutions in Business Intelligence | Software-as-a-Service (saas) Workforce Management Software | Time and Attendance Blog, Workforce Management Software | Time and Attendance Software | Workforce Management Solutions - (Comments Off)

A recent survey of global manufacturing companies found that 25 % of them say they have invested in artificial intelligence and cognitive computing technologies as well as in 3D printing and additive manufacturing technologies.

This survey, conducted by auditing firm KPMG, reported that another 39% of manufacturing executives polled, said that over the next two years, they plan to devote a significant amount of R&D resources towards robotic technologies. Considering the competitive landscape that today’s manufacturing companies are faced with, it’s no surprise that many of them are migrating to cloud-computing technologies, as they grapple with tight profits margins and the confluence of emerging new technologies.

Manufacturing Companies are Embracing AI, Robotics and Other Advanced Technologies

And, according to Doug Gates, KPMG’s Global Chair of Industrial Manufacturing; “Manufacturers recognize a failure to evolve will leave their organization in a non-competitive position.” When you consider the upheaval that many of these companies went through after the 2008 recession, it’s no wonder many of them are adopting advanced technology.

Another part of KPMG’s Doug Gates, analysis states, in part, “The need to become more digital has never been greater and investments in new technologies are a way to enhance agility, flexibility and speed to market when launching new products and services-critical elements for manufacturing companies to win in the marketplace.”

If your manufacturing company is still deciding whether to deploy a cloud-based workforce management solution and/or other advanced technology, it’s never too late. To reach an ATS account executive by phone call, 866.294.2467 and to download a demonstration of our manufacturing workforce management solution, go to our website.

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Artificial Intelligence, Industrial Manufacturing, KPMG, Robotics, Workforce Management Solutions

Manufacturing Companies are Embracing AI, Robotics and Other Advanced Technologies

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