Technology Workplace Balance - Frontline Innovators - Episode #1

On this episode of Frontline Innovators, we discuss new technology and automation in today’s desk-less frontline workforce. How are these innovations affecting workflow? Are they helping or hurting? What can be done to make application more adaptive for the workers?

Jennifer McComas, CTO, Energy and Utilities Industry Squad at IBM, shares her experience with frontline workers and the implementation of new technology solutions.

Takeaways 

• The pace of technology is one of the biggest challenges facing the frontline workforce. Although automation is intended to be helpful for the frontline, it becomes a hindrance for workers who are not accustomed to learning new technologies.
• Oftentimes we use technology as a solution rather than reflecting on what the business objectives are and then looking at technology, if at all, to address the issue.
• Implement technology with people, not to people, by starting a discussion with the frontline workers. Ask them what they are doing, what could be improved and their tolerance to adopting a technology solution.
• Two common misconceptions behind artificial intelligence and automation are that 1) folks do not understand the algorithm behind the scenes and 2) they are not involved in the training process of the model.
• “Automation and automated processes are the ultimate way to capture the important knowledge that was used to do [frontline work] in a way that can not only support the new worker that is coming along, but also creates a sustainable record of what that process is and why.” ~Jennifer
• “There is never going to be a shortage of challenges or opportunities. Whether you are a desk-less, frontline, or knowledge worker we all need to be comfortable with change.” ~Jennifer

Links

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmccomas/
• Website: https://www.ibm.com/us-en?ar=1
• Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ibm/