Firms are automating.
1. Many firms are automating. What kinds of functions are being automated today? Which kinds of employees are being displaced by machines?
2. What do most firms do about employees being displaced by automation? What has Accenture chosen to do?
3. What has Accenture learned about retraining employees? What are the keys to making such retraining work?
4. Can other firms learn from what Accenture has done? Do other firms have the same scope to do what Accenture has chosen to do? Why or why not?
Sample Solution
1. Today, firms are automating a wide range of functions including data entry, customer service and support, production processes and even driving tasks. Employees in roles that involve manual or repetitive tasks are likely the most exposed to displacement by machines.
2. Most firms respond to employee displacement due to automation by laying off employees and replacing them with machines or outsourcing their workforce needs. Accenture has chosen instead to invest in retraining displaced employees for new roles within the firm, while offering additional benefits such as job security and career development opportunities along with financial incentives for learning new skills and technologies.
3. Through its experience with retraining programs, Accenture has learned that successful reskilling requires strong investments in both time and resources from the company as well as an understanding of each individual’s needs and strengths in order to tailor training solutions accordingly. Additionally, fostering collaboration between managers, trainers and HR professionals is essential for creating effective integrated solutions that can help ensure training success.
4. Yes, other firms can learn from what Accenture has done when it comes to retraining employees displaced by automation; however, not all companies will have the same scope or ability to do this on the same scale since it depends greatly on several factors such as budget size and access to resources needed for successful implementation of such measures (e.g., trainers). Nonetheless, any firm can use the lessons learned from Accenture's experience when developing its own automated systems so that they minimize current workforce disruption while ensuring future success through more holistic approaches involving re-skilling existing personnel rather than simply replacing them outright with machines or outsourcing solutions.