The Regional Center for Workforce Transformation defines workforce transformation as an organisational culture improvement initiative, requiring understanding of and participation in continuous quality improvement at every level of an organisation. The reference to “understanding” in this definition speaks to a data-driven, insight-based approach to continuous improvement.

When Bill Smith and Bob Galvin helped Motorola save $16 billion in costs and win the  prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 1988, the global manufacturing industry was changed forever. The disciplined approach to data collection and analysis that form a core part of the lean six sigma approach played a critical role in the resultant  transformation for Motorola. Lean six sigma and other data-driven improvement methodologies have continued to define and transform business operations to date. The HR profession however, has struggled to effectively tap into the transformative power of data.

According to the KPMG 2019 ‘Future of HR Survey’, HR executives in East Africa ranked  performance management, attraction of employees, learning and reskilling, and staff retention as the areas where they think they currently add the most value to the organisation. However, analytics, creating multiple employee value propositions and strategic work force planning were listed among the areas they felt they were adding the least value.

Click here to read more about the survey.