HRM in the Business Environment

Executive Summary

This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the essential skills in the business context, including communication, interpersonal teamwork, and numeracy skills. In addition, the paper utilizes Kolb AND Gibb’s reflective cycles to engage in thoughtful self-audit and highlight areas of strengths and opportunities for advancement.

Twentyci’s transition from a warehouse support service to digitally-focused customer service to a digitally-focused customer intelligence provider presents a compelling case study of adapting work paradigms in response to external drivers. The PESTLE framework provides a structured approach for analyzing the factors influencing this shift and shedding light on the critical elements impacting the business. Therefore, this essay examines the political, economic, sociocultural, technological, legal, and environmental influences of Twentyci’s transformation. In addition, it will discuss the emergence of new work archetypes that will play pivotal roles in its digitalized operations. Furthermore, the paper will identify and justify two critical work archetypes, including the Data Guru and the Transformation consultant, as paramount for Twentyci’s successful transition. Finally, this essay will explore the necessary steps in talent management and workforce planning to support Twentyci’s transformation and guarantee long-term success in customer intelligence.

PESTLE ANALYSIS

Among the critical elements affecting Twentyci’s’ business include Political factors, environmental factors, economic factors, sociocultural factors, legal factors, and technological factors.

Political Factors

In the context of customer intelligence, political factors, including data protection regulations such as GDPR in the EU, significantly impacts Twentyci’s business operations. Therefore complying with these regulations becomes imperative in collecting, storing, and utilizing customer data. Conversely, non-compliance with the regulations could present legal penalties, ultimately damaging the company’s operations and hindering its digital transformation efforts (Aseri, 2020).

Economic Factors

Ideally, the post-Covid economic recovery in the UK has propelled businesses towards investing in data-driven customer intelligence to gain a competitive advantage. This economic demand has fostered a demand for work archetypes focused on data analysis and customer experience management. Therefore Twentyci stands to profit and capitalize on the opportunity presented by aligning its talent management strategies to attract skilled professionals capable of leveraging data to deliver valuable insights (Statista, 2022).

Sociocultural Factors

The societal shift towards digitalization and heightened value for personal experiences has created a need for customer intelligence and services. Therefore as many people continue to embrace the digital culture, new work archetypes will emerge in data science, customer experience design, and digital marketing. As such, Twentyci must take advantage of these emerging roles to remain competitive in the rapidly evolving landscape of customer intelligence (Berman & Bell,2011).

Technological Factors

The progress made in data analysis, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning have revolutionized how businesses function. Therefore, harnessing these technologies is paramount for Twentyci’s success in customer intelligence ( Tapscott,2014).

Legal Factors

As Twentyci continues to become a customer intelligence provider, it must prioritize adherence to data protection laws and make them the cornerstone of its operations. This is because compliance with data protection laws will be crucial for avoiding legal consequences, building customer trust, and enhancing the business’s reputation (Huerta & Jensen, 2017).

Environmental Factors

Although environmental factors may be overlooked and appear less relevant to business operations, the growing emphasis on sustainability permeates across all sectors and, as such, becomes significant to Twentyci’s customer intelligence services. Businesses with a positive reputation for environmental responsibility can cultivate customer loyalty and ultimately attract environmentally conscious customers (Kotter, 2012).

The Emergence of New Work Archetypes

Ideally, the rapidly changing landscape of customer intelligence has spurred the emergence of eight work archetypes that are essential to Twentyci’s business success, among them include; Data Guru, AI specialist, Customer Experience Designer, Digital Marketer, Legal Advisor ( Handy,2015), Cyber Security Expert, Sustainability Officer, and Transformation Consultant. However, Transformation Consultant and Data Guru are paramount for Twentyci’s transition from manufacturing support business to digitally driven customer intelligence. Accordingly, Data Guru is the primary driver for customer intelligence as it plays a critical role in harnessing the power of data. Succinctly, Data Guru is responsible for collecting, organizing, and interpreting customer data transforming it into actionable insights to drive informed decision-making. As such, Data Guru has the potential to enable Twentyci to deliver value to its clients through data-driven strategies, therefore, giving the business a competitive edge (Kotter,2012). On the other hand, a Transformative consultant plays a pivotal role in guiding the company through intricate change management and strategic planning ( CIPD,2022). Therefore, by providing insights into digital transformations and steering the business toward its goals and objectives, Transformation Consultant guarantees a seamless transition ( Berman & Bell,2011).

Transitioning to a New Staffing Profile

Transitioning to a new business model compels Twentyci to realign its HR and talent management strategies to support its digital transformation and meet its new operational requirements. Therefore, by utilizing the CIPD talent management factsheet as a guide, Twentyci may take steps such as; Talent Identification, Workforce planning, Upskilling and Reskilling, recruitment, retention, and success planning.

Talent Identification

The first step the company needs to start with when transitioning to a new business model is talent identification (Morteza, 2018). The company must identify the essential skills and roles that align with the new business model, considering employees and new hires. By assessing the talent pool, the company can decipher the extent of upskilling and reskilling needed.

Workforce Planning

The next step after talent identification is workforce planning. A comprehensive workforce is essential in bridging the skills gap and facilitating a smoother transition. Accordingly, the most paramount components of workforce planning include identifying no longer relevant roles, determining areas for upskilling, and recognizing new talents ( Handy,2015).

Up skilling and Reskilling

After workforce planning, the third step entails upskilling and reskilling. Therefore, Twentyci needs to invest in capable programs to upskill and reskill existing employees and ensure they are well suited to adapt to the new demands of their new roles. Concisely, this approach fosters employee engagement and loyalty and ensures the seamless integration of talents within the transformed organization (Vinayan et al., 2020).

Recruitment

Ideally, there are instances where upskilling and reskilling cannot fill the skill gaps. Here Twentyci must focus on recruiting new talents with expertise in data analysis, customer intelligence, and digital transformation to ensure the business gains a competitive advantage.

Retention

To retain top talent, Twentyci must create an engaging work environment. Among the ways to achieve this includes providing competitive compensation packages, opportunities for career advancement, and a positive work culture. Furthermore, Twentyci can also retain top talent by providing flexible work arrangements, offering wellness programs, and giving back to the community. By doing this, the business will foster employee loyalty and also bolster its commitment to the company’s digital vision (Kumar & Reinarts,2012).

Succession Planning

As the business prepares for future leadership change, it should implement succession planning to identify and develop future leaders to guarantee continuity and stability during the transition process.

Conclusion

Twentyci transformation journey requires strategic talent management and workforce planning to ensure long-term success in the digital era. Accordingly, by leveraging the PESTLE framework to analyze external factors and identify fundamental work archetypes, the business can proactively align its talent pool with the demands of the new business model. In addition, embracing upskilling, reskilling, retention, recruitment, and succession planning will also be fundamental in fostering a seamless transition to the digital space and unlocking the full potential of customer intelligence.

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