| | MARCH 20209CIOReviewexperience realm, companies should not lose sight of the fact that technology alone can't handle all customer requests or interactions; a human touch is often needed. Therefore, relational skills like problem solving and empathy remain invaluable, and these soft skills should not be overlooked in training. Consider partnering with institutions like professional associations, technical colleges and universities to find solutions and programs that address the skills your organization needs. For instance, cybersecurity is a common challenge facing businesses today. Many educational institutions have developed training programs like an online course that companies can adopt. In addition to adopting training programs from universities like Georgia Tech, at Aflac, we have also developed in-house training programs when we cannot find an outside one that fits our requirements. Continuously investing in training, supports employee retention and productivity and innovation, mitigating the costs of these initiatives.INVOLVE EMPLOYEES IN YOUR INNOVATION PLANSEveryone in your organization has a role to play around innovation and moving the company forward. To inspire productivity and buy-in to your company's future roadmap, business leaders must make their employees an integral part of the plan creation and journey. For example, when creating future customer roadmaps, which outlines how you'll evolve the customer experience, pull employees from different levels--from the C-Suite to the front-line call center--to help inspire the design. Additionally, business leaders need to talk with employees about the role of advanced technology like AI and robots in their innovation plans and how this technology can assist, not replace, their work. For example, what areas of a team's work can be automized or streamlined? How can robots assist the team in completing routine tasks like claims processing? By bringing employees in on the ground floor, they can see how innovation efforts are going to benefit them, making them less resistant to change. As we move into the second half of the year, companies need to communicate with their employees about both their short-term and long-term business initiatives and how everyone fits into those goals. By setting a clear path for the workforce and sharing both successes and failures, business leaders create a culture that is comfortable with change, fears failure less and is capable of moving fast. This allows companies to be drivers of disruption, not victims. This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a solicitation. Aflac herein means American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus and/or American Family Life Assurance Company of New York and/or Continental American Insurance Company and/or Continental American Life Insurance Company. At Aflac, we have also developed in-house training programs when we cannot find an outside one that fits our requirements.Virgil Miller
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