Dear PPMA colleagues and friends.

I’m delighted to tell you all about some exciting research we are doing in partnership with Midland HR. This research aims to put PPMA members at the heart of technology innovation.

Our Yorkshire and Humber branch have been working with MHR to see how we can carve a path for the workforce of the future and what impact technology and HR & OD professionals will play in that. Technology’s transformative impact is being felt at work at a rate much faster than anticipated. As part of our Let’s Talk: Digital strategic theme, we need to help HR & OD leaders become instrumental in navigating the way in this 4th industrial revolution.

The research project aims to establish the current position of public sector HR & OD professionals in terms of their skills and behaviours, in relation to the adoption of technology and their readiness to drive their organisations forward. Utilising the research, along with MHR, we’ll be producing a guide, supported by industry experts, on how HR & OD leaders may need to change the HR & OD function; what skills do they need to invest in or develop and what behaviours do they need to roll out across HR & OD and the wider business.

To ensure we are aligning too with our Let’s Talk: Future Workforce strategic theme, the research will take into account the requirements of a 21st century workforce and how technology such as AI and robotics will serve to augment people, rather than necessarily replace them.  This will help us make jobs more fulfilling, rewarding and productive.

The research will be released in October as part of the PPMA Northern Conference, after which we will disseminate this with the wider PPMA community.

Please watch out for more news about the research on ours and MHR’s social media channels.