Key technologies driving change

5G will be rolled out across New Zealand this year. Photo / Getty Images

Technology continues to bound ahead like an exuberant puppy as we head further into the 21st century. Getting to grips with how this tech will impact our workspaces over the next years can be tricky, as the goalposts seem to continually shift. Nevertheless, there are clear indications that certain key technologies will continue to drive change in our workforces in 2020. Here's a rundown of what you can expect to see develop in your offices in the new year.

Artificial intelligence

In industries such as insurance, artificial intelligence has already been transformative. According to a report by AI Forum (an artificial intelligence think tank based in New Zealand), AI is already present in many aspects of certain industries. These include automated customer service agents, AI fraud detection, automation of back-end processes, and process automation. AI will increasingly be needed to understand the vast amount of information being generated in the digital realm.

"When you think about the way that knowledge is increasing at an exponential rate, human beings will need these tools [AI]. We can't crunch this amount of data anymore without some assistance," says Amy Fletcher, an associate professor at the University of Canterbury, in a report by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

5G

It's been touted as a health hazard (there's no evidence to back this) but 5G mobile network technology is a game changer. The name stands for fifth-generation mobile technology and it's set to bring data to your device (and workplace) at lightning speed.

It's up to 10 times faster than 4G and reduces "latency time" (the amount of time from when you press a button on a device to when it functions). In a business role, it will allow for the adoption of new technologies allowing for greater analytics, machine automation that will improve workplace safety, and cloud-based processes that help eliminate human era. Vodafone is currently the only network offering 5G for mobile, and you need to be near the transmitters to get it. Spark offers 5G wireless broadband. Both companies will roll out 5G further across the country this year.

Putting data to work

Data is the driver of our digital paradigm shift. The ability to break down and analyse this data can have huge implications for the workplace. There are a wide range of data analysis programmes on the market, and it's likely we will see these appearing in more of our workplaces.

A range of businesses and organisations are already using these tools. Spark, for example, recently used New Zealand data firm Harmonic Analytics to generate and analyse information for its Lifestyle Management Programme. This allows Spark to use existing data to predict repairs, provide status updates, and make recommendations around replacements to ageing stock.

In-house accounting

Xero and MYOB have allowed many small businesses to bring accounting in-house. Further developments to cloud-based accounting will offer even more benefits to these businesses, as they gain access to data that was previously denied them. Forecasting, use of machine learning for extraction of bills and receipts, and short-term cashflow snapshot tools will allow businesses even more insights into their performance, and allow them to fine tune their organisation accordingly

Robotic process automation

One of the biggest developments in technology has been robotic process automation (RPA). There were issues with earlier iterations of RPA, due to problematic user processes being "learned" by the robots, leading to automation of mistakes. But the new generation of RPA has learned the lessons of the past and eliminated "human error" by replacing humans with AI. This will allow AI to analyse the most efficient ways in which to process information, then "teach" this to the system that is underpinning the robotic process.

The implications are huge: as companies automate their more mundane, repetitive processes, they will free up staff to upskill and add value.

Human resources technology

Human resources technology enables business to effectively track applicants through hiring processes, monitor employee engagement, schedule training, and organise payroll.

Many larger companies already use HR technology, but there will be increased use of this technology as more people switch on to the opportunities it holds.

There are a wide range of HR technologies available, for different aspects of the working environment.

A study conducted by HR New Zealand revealed that there is no dominant system used in New Zealand, and a high level of dissatisfaction with many of the systems. But fully integrated systems that cater to all human resource needs have been identified as highly desirable and there are likely to be advances in this area as 2020 progresses.