Human platform Inspiring staff through digital technology


D


igital transformation is a prerequisite for every organisation planning to compete and survive in the 21st century. Most


organisations, however, focus on the technology portion of that transformation, yet cultural and organisational factors are just as critical. In a survey* by the Economist Intelligence


Unit of 600 senior executives at large organisations worldwide, more than 40% of respondents said encouraging cultural and organisational change as well as developing breakthrough strategies to recruit and train digital talent are important parts of their digital transformation effort. And when it comes to recruitment, training and retention, the travel, transportation and hospitality sectors face significant challenges. One of the world’s largest economic


sectors, travel, transportation and hospitality employs almost 10% of the global workforce representing 313 million jobs, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council. And in an industry that must deliver an excellent customer experience, people make the difference between success and failure. Unfortunately, demographic and cultural


trends are working against the industry. As the overall workforce ages, experienced employees are leaving. According to the European Commission,


in 2018 the EU-28 member states had the highest employment rate since 2005 and were progressing towards a target rate of 75% employment. At the same time, many countries have falling fertility rates and rising life expectancy. Market analysis agency Global Data notes


that the old age dependency ratio – which measures the number of people aged above 65 as a share of those of working age (aged 15 to 64) – is projected to increase across the EU-28 from 31.2% in 2017 to 35.3% by 2025. The US Bureau of Labour Statistics estimates that by 2024, 25% of the US workforce will be composed of workers over the age of 55 and a third of those workers will be older than 65. Younger workers are not lining up to fill


the talent gap. They are more interested in joining the gig economy, taking on short-term stints instead of committing to a career in travel, transportation and hospitality.Today, more than 57 million workers freelance, about 36% of the US workforce, with almost half of millennials freelancing, according to a study by global freelance platform Upwork entitled ‘Freelancing in America: 2018’. The US Bureau of Labour Statistics


Put yourself in a position to thrive, writes Duncan Alexander, digital solutions director, DXC Technology


estimates there were more than one million job openings in the leisure and hospitality sector in 2018 compared with 350,000 in 2009. The problems facing the industry


are twofold: how to deliver exceptional, personalised customer service amid severe worker shortages, and how to create an engaged, effective workforce when large numbers of companies’ employees are transient, seasonal workers.


Creating the human platform Companies in the industry are recognising they can’t build 21st-century digital organi- sations without 21st-century digital humans. The idea of developing the ‘human


THE GERMAN travel sector has the highest number of travel agency and tour operator employees (Figure 68)


platform’ is becoming increasingly popular as a way of recruiting and retaining the talent needed to provide the type of customer service companies must deliver. We’re all accustomed to highly engaging and personalised digital experiences in our


FIGURE 68: TRAVEL AGENCY & TOUR OPERATOR EMPLOYEES, 2018


50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000


0 162,000 123,000 107,000 76,000 55,000 50,000 58,000 79,000 87,000 66,000


Total (incl. part time)


Full time Source: Eurostat


France Germany Italy Spain UK


Travel Weekly Europe Report 2019 | 43


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