14 WORKFORCEMANAGEMENT
CORAL DEPLOYS CLOUD WFM ACROSS STORES
help improve customer service levels and increase staff productivity, as well as reduce costs and administration time. The company has implemented
C
WorkPlace OnLine cloud schedule and attendance management software with USB biometric registration devices. The roll out will enable the company to deploy the right people to meet customer demand and provide visibility of labour resources across all shops.
As one of the largest retail bookmaking
businesses in the UK, with 10,000 colleagues across 1,700 licensed betting shops, Coral is anticipating the new WFM systems
oral, part of Gala Coral Group, has rolled out new workforce management (WFM) systems to
will reduce administration, where shop managers can now quickly and easily create staff schedules via the software’s intuitive interface, which also minimises training time. Andy Hicks, Coral central operations
director, commented: “It is easy to use for staff, reliable and gives us excellent visibility and control of our workforce. It’s a real example of how cloud has effi ciently delivered a reliable, scalable solution of strategic importance to the company.” Quick deployment was enabled
through WorkPlace’s rapid implementation approach, USB biometric registration, effective training and Coral management’s commitment and focus, in addition to the cloud-based nature of the WorkPlace OnLine WFM product.
SURVEY: UK IT SKILLS FAIL TO KEEP PACE
‘Big data,’ mobile solutions and new regulation are creating a shortage of IT professionals in the UK, according to the latest Robert Half Professional Hiring Index. The benchmark revealed net four in fi ve (84%) chief information offi cers (CIOs) were fi nding it increasingly challenging to fi nd skilled IT professionals. Based on responses from 600
executives across the UK, including 100 CIOs, the Index is the fi rst bi-annual recruitment survey of its size and scope to focus exclusively on professional-level hiring in the UK. Executives facing above- average IT recruitment challenges include those from publicly listed organisations (93%), large companies (92%) and London and Southern England-based enterprises (88%).
According to nearly half (46%) of CIOs
surveyed, IT professionals with technical skills in ‘database management’ were in most demand. This was closely followed by network administration/engineering (41%), Windows administration (36%), desktop
RETAIL TECHNOLOGY JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012
support (33%) and business intelligence/ reporting services (28%). Neil Hedges, Robert Half Technology (UK) senior manager, said: “IT departments across all sectors are facing a shortage of skilled professionals. A shift in technological advancement means that businesses are unable to fi ll critical back-offi ce roles that support organisational growth and fl exibility. In particular, data management was highlighted as a top requirement by CIOs, as businesses prepare for changes in regulatory requirements such as Solvency II/Basel III, and the huge amount of unstructured data that is being hosted.” “Big data is becoming a signifi cant issue
for organisations. Many are struggling to manage the vast amount of information passing through the business and lack the tools required to analyse it in a reasonable timeframe, using conventional techniques. Unfortunately we are experiencing a situation where demand is outweighing supply in certain areas, and companies are struggling to attract the requisite talent to support this change.”
When asked about the main initiatives
planned for the next 12 months, four in 10 (38%) CIOs said that mobile solutions were top of their agenda. Virtualisation and information risk and security shared second spot, each favoured by 35% of respondents, and application development and customer and partner collaboration followed, with 34% and 28% respectively. CIOs also reported that they plan to
upgrade and introduce new technology in 2012, with over half (53%) confi rming that they planned to invest this year. Hedges added: “During a period of
rapid and often unanticipated change, businesses need to adapt to stay ahead of the curve. Mobile solutions have been a top priority for CIOs, particularly as companies look to provide remote working access for their employees. As new platforms such as cloud computing, tablet computers and smartphones continue to gain momentum, IT professionals skilled in these areas will be in high demand.”
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40