NZBUSINESS.CO.NZ 5
AUTOMATION NOT ALL BAD
CONTRARY TO the current public debate that as companies go digital,
jobs will be increasingly at risk, it turns out that New Zealand employers
anticipate that the continued growth in automation will drive an increase in
headcount over the next two years, requiring more people and skills.
Automation will also happen at different speeds across the country, with
some key industries and functions likely to suffer while others gain.
All this is highlighted in ManpowerGroup’s latest report: Robots Need
Not Apply: Human Solutions in the Skills Revolution – which covered
42 countries, including New Zealand, on the impact of automation on
headcount, the functions most impacted and the soft skills that are both of
JUHDWHVWYDOXHDQGKDUGHVWWR¿QG
Regarding the impact of automation, 20 percent of Kiwi employers
expect to grow their workforce, while 64 percent plan to maintain current
headcount over the next two years.
So digitisation should result in a net gain for employment in the near-
term, so long as job seekers have the right skills blend.
Looking inside organisations, the impact of automation varies by
function. Frontline and customer-facing roles, as well as IT functions, come
out on top with anticipated headcount increases of 19 and 18 percent.
+RZHYHUPDQXIDFWXULQJDQGSURGXFWLRQDVZHOODVDGPLQDQGRI¿FH
functions expect decreases of 17 and 15 percent.
With more New Zealand employers undergoing digital transformation,
VNLOOVQHHGVDUHFRQVWDQWO\FKDQJLQJ PDNLQJLWGLI¿FXOWIRUFRPSDQLHVWR
¿QGWKHWDOHQWQHHGHG7KHULVHLQFRQVXPHULVPDQGWKHYDOXHFRPSDQLHV
now place on customer service is increasingly evident and human strengths
are more valued than ever.
In fact, more than half of New Zealand companies surveyed say
FRPPXQLFDWLRQVNLOOVERWKZULWWHQDQGYHUEDODUHWKHKDUGHVWWR¿QG
and the skills they now value most, followed by problem-solving and
collaboration.
ManpowerGroup New Zealand GM Paul Robinson believes that while
today’s in-demand skills are quickly evolving in response to digitisation,
this latest data demonstrates the positive impact automation can have on
the labour market.
“Automation doesn’t have to be a bad thing for people and employers.”
He says now’s a critical time for employers to embrace digital change in
order to identify the right mix of skills and talent to augment, rather than
compete with, technology.
HOW SOCIAL MEDIAFEEDS WEBSITESHHHHFNEW RESEARCH has revealed the
extent to which social media is increasingly
GULYLQJWUDI ¿FWREXVLQHVVZHEVLWHV
Pure SEO's 2018 New Zealand Internet
Search Trends and Insights report represents
the largest ever analysis of New Zealanders'
search habits – identifying new insights into
how Kiwis have been engaging with search
engines over the past year, and what the
coming year's trends are likely to be.
CEO Richard Conway says the information
will be invaluable for informing businesses'
digital marketing strategies. He says in 2017
there was a 31.3 percent increase in website
visits from social sources such as Facebook,
Twitter and LinkedIn compared with the same
period in 2016.
An estimated 95 percent of those visits
came from Facebook, which Conway
says continues to improve its targeting
capabilities, allowing businesses to market
straight to their existing audiences and
attract new ones.
However, he says simply having a social
media presence will not necessarily boost
the Google rankings for a business's website.
"Digital marketing strategies should also
focus on earning authoritative links from
external websites and activities that build a
loyal audience.”
Conway also cautions businesses to
broaden their focus when developing their
digital marketing strategy.
"Search engine marketing – organic and
paid – is a highly specialised discipline that’s
constantly evolving, creating new challenges
and opportunities for business owners,
marketers and advertisers. What held true a
year ago may no longer be true today.”http://content.pureseo.co.nz/new-
zealand-internet-search-trends-
and-insights