With AI and automation cornerstones of UK Government public sector reform, employees say they are ill-prepared for the future.
New research by experience solution platform Granicus has revealed widespread concerns within the public sector about staff preparedness for technological overhauls.
25% of civil servants said they saw digital literacy as the most urgent issue that needs to be addressed for staff to keep pace with changes. Emphasising the need to be upskilled, 30% cited training and development as priorities.
Obstacles to AI and emerging technologies were also identified in leadership and vision at middle management and executive levels. 36% and 34% of staff respectively pointed to disconnect between mandated aims and those tasked with overseeing their implementation.
Overall, less than half – 46% – of respondents said they were happy with their organisation’s current digital services. However, 58% agreed they had the right tools and technology in place and available to them. Analysts suggest this could mean introducing new systems and applications is not enough to improve efficiency and effectiveness, and the main goal should be ensuring staff can maximise the benefits of platforms.
‘We know there has been a real shift to digitising services and improving frontline engagement with citizens and their communities over the past 12 months,’ said Ian Roberts, Managing Director of Granicus.
‘Digital transformation is not just about technology, it’s about the people,’ he added. ‘The research reveals that digital literacy is a key barrier to change, which means training, development and upskilling the workforce are key solutions to addressing this need for the public sector in the months ahead.’
Image: Campaign Creators / Unsplash
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