As it becomes increasingly important for IT to align with critical business objectives, implementing advanced workforce management solutions will become relevant to more effectively manage an organization’s biggest asset and largest controllable expense – the workforce.

As IT spending in the Middle East is set to increase by more than seven percent in 2014, Kronos Incorporated, a global leader in delivering workforce management solutions in the cloud, shares predictions about top trends and issues that will impact the field of workforce management.

Top Workforce Management Trends for 2014

•    Making Data Small – Big data and analytics have been buzzwords for several years but the real value lies not in big data – which most organizations are swimming in – but in the ability to make data small and actionable. Tools and technologies that enable organizations to do this will remain a hot topic in the coming year.

•    To Cloud or Not to Cloud? – Touted as the “next big thing” for several years now, the focus on cloud computing will shift this year. As more organisations in the Middle East look to move their HR systems to the cloud, practical advice on how to do so successfully will be needed. In addition, more will be written about why some organizations are choosing not to move to the cloud and the value of vendors that offer both options.

•    The Workplace Goes Social – Social media has revolutionized the way people communicate in their personal lives but its impact has yet to be truly leveraged in the workplace in the Middle East. Social tools can drive manager and employee collaboration and knowledge acceleration to allow organizations to more effectively achieve business success.

Gamification will also be a focus this year with organizations using social gaming technology in everything from hiring and onboarding employees, to training and development, to rewarding them for a job well done.

•    Mobile Workforce Management – Like social media, mobile technology has transformed the way we communicate and interact with each other, yet it remains largely unleveraged by organizations for workforce management.

With the Middle East expected to have one of the fastest-growing smartphone penetration than any other region in the world, it is critical for organizations to leverage this trend to boost productivity. Employers will need to determine how to best use the technology to gain access to the information they need – when and where they want it – to make frequent tasks simpler and less time consuming, and to keep employees happier and more engaged.

•    Smart Talent Acquisition – As the economy continues to recover in the Middle East, organizations will come under increased pressure to acquire talent from a limited pool of candidates. For example, it is expected that IT spending in the healthcare sector alone will increase by an annual rate of 10 percent in Saudi Arabia and UAE.

With this increase, the region will need to invest in IT solutions to source, screen, and select the best qualified candidates with efficiency and speed.

“As more multinational organizations are considering expansion in the Middle East, rethinking workforce management is a necessity,” said Ahmed ElShrif, director, Kronos, Middle East.

“If enterprises keep employing conventional methods, inefficiencies in workforce management can be a costly hurdle to growth. Organizations in the Middle East must find smarter ways to cut costs and boost productivity and the acceleration and wide-spread adoption of cloud applications has also opened the door for most organizations, irrespective of size, to invest in workforce management.” – TradeArabia News Service