Want to know more? A full length video of this presentation is available as premium content to fieldservicenews.com subscribers...

sponsored by: 

Data usage note: By accessing this content you consent to the contact details submitted when you registered as a subscriber to fieldservicenews.com to be shared with the listed sponsor of this premium content who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this content.  

As we look back on this series we have seen Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News and John Hunt, Managing Director, EMEA, Astea take a look at some of the core changes we are seeing within our sector. These have included how significant these changes are, how we should adjust our KPIs to reflect this change and why field service companies must place people as a top priority in a world where the make up of the workforce is rapidly being altered.

Now as we conclude this series our attention remains with the people part of the field service equation as the two discuss how the skill-sets of the modern field service engineer have evolved from those traditionally sought after by field service organisations.

"There is a changing skill set requirement of the modern field service engineer. However, just what does the modern field service engineer look like in terms of those key attributes that field service organisations are seeking in new hires?" Oldland asked as this part of the topic opened up.

"There are some key characteristics that I think of when it comes to embracing this change," replied Hunt.

"Often they [Millennials] are less loyal to a company and more loyal to the type and the locale of the work. However, when they are loyal to a company, they will be fiercely so, and it will be because of resources at the top like Chief People Officers that are driving the recruitment, development and retention of the right type of person - that will be key."

"Technology such as artificial intelligence and augmented reality enables specialists to become even more specialised and valuable to the organisation.."

One interesting discussion going on the field service sector around this topic is whether to adopt an approach of broader yet shallower skill sets within the field workforce that can enable field service companies to both adapt to the more transitory nature of Millennials and also overcome the needed to reduce training times of field service technicians - a critical factor in overcoming the ageing workforce crisis hitting many, many organisations.

Technology such as Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality can undoubtedly play a role in this - but is there still a requirement for deeper layers of knowledge within at least some areas of the field service workforce?

Hunt believes there is a place for both in the modern field workforce.

"Much like management by exception enables any of us to focus on key parts of our jobs more, so do similar tools and technology such as artificial intelligence and augmented reality enables specialists to become even more specialised and valuable to the organisation," he comments.

"That typically results in higher employee engagement and effectiveness as they can focus more and more on what they enjoy."

"On the flip side, there is another end of the spectrum that doesn't wish to specialise. The job to them is a pay-check and nothing more - that is the reality. However, they can be productive based on the shallow broad knowledge base concept. They might be less loyal to the company, but they are going to have a role driven by a requirement for human intervention which is always going to be a necessity."

Want to know more? The full length video of this presentation is available as premium content to fieldservicenews.com subscribers...

sponsored by: 

Data usage note: By accessing this content you consent to the contact details submitted when you registered as a subscriber to fieldservicenews.com to be shared with the listed sponsor of this premium content who may contact you for legitimate business reasons to discuss the content of this content.