One of the hottest topics in business is the “Great Resignation“. Since July 2021, the number of people that have quit their job has risen to unprecedented levels. One sector that has been the most hardly hit is the customer service industry, a market that has historically struggled to retain employees.
As more employees leave, the remaining employees are forced to carry heavier workloads, work longer hours, and grow more frustrated at work. It sets up another wave of employees that will ultimately quit their job.
The pandemic has resulted in many people re-evaluating their career choices, work-life balance, and what is most important. Workers are also burned out when it comes to working for organizations that are understaffed or demonstrate inefficiencies.
As businesses recognize the pressure of the Great Resignation, organizations will have to shift from “business as usual” and transform to meet workers where they are. Organizations will have to rethink legacy processes, how to do the same (or more) with less and figure out how to give workers what they need to reduce the number of employees that could potentially “jump ship.”
Microsoft leads the way in transformation
Microsoft has been pioneers in the modern workplace for several decades, but the release of the Power Platform signaled a new an innovative approach to the tools that workers rely on to stay productive. The Power Platform puts the ability to build custom solutions in the hands of citizen developers. Tools like Microsoft Power BI, Power Automate and Power Apps are self-service tools that enable users to quickly build applications, automate processes, and interact with data on a dashboard. These are the tools that enable organizations to streamline processes and ultimately transform the business.
Better processes, happier employees
Automating workflows can have a significant impact on your business. We have helped customers leverage tools like Power Automate to transform legacy processes. Here are some of the most significant benefits of automating a business process using Power Automate:
- Automatic notifications
- Send notifications automatically when a document needs to be reviewed or approved
- Improved visibility
- Instant visibility to where documents are in the process and who needs to review or approve.
- Better collaboration
- Enables the entire team of reviewers and approvers to see feedback and input.
- 100% digital routing of critical documents
- Processes are all completed electronically, including signing and forwarding documents.
These solutions not only improve the employee experience, but oftentimes result in improved customer service. These solutions also provide workers with more time to focus on more important work they are uniquely qualified to do.
Power Automate is considered a no-code/low-code solution and the power to automate and transform can be done faster without having to lean on technical resources that simply do not have time to tackle departmental level needs when they are being consumed by enterprise-level I.T. needs.
Investing in automation is an investment in your people
Automation and optimization of critical business processes can help organizations that are short-staffed or recognize that current staff is overwhelmed or impacted by sluggish manual processes. The Kiefer team has a proven approach to workflow automation and business transformation. Our team works closely with your organization to help you understand the benefits of automation and optimization. Next, we conduct discovery, map processes and identify opportunities for improvement. Our proven methodology has helped organizations in establishing a culture that embraces digital transformation.
Microsoft’s perspective on the “Great Resignation”
Microsoft published the Work Trend Index and revealed that 41% of employees are considering leaving their current employer this year and 46% say they’re likely to move because they can now work remotely.
Two things that Microsoft encourages employers to do is equip all workers with the tools they need to contribute — whether they’re working from home, in the office, or on the go. Physical office space must be compelling enough to entice workers to commute in, and include a mix of collaboration and focus areas.
In addition, Microsoft says that organizations should create a better future of work and address the impact of digital exhaustion. Microsoft encourages leaders at all levels to be aware of this issue.
These insights promote the idea that technology and digital transformation can deliver the experiences that workers desire. Kiefer Consulting can help you in leveraging these tools and help you in deploying the applications that support remote and hybrid work. Contact us to learn more.