Successful ServiceNow implementation and ongoing management rely heavily on having skilled and experienced personnel dedicated to the platform. ServiceNow is a powerful and complex tool, and having the right expertise on board is critical to realizing its full potential and avoiding costly pitfalls.
Implementation expertise
ServiceNow implementations involve intricate configurations, customizations, and integrations that are tailored to an organization's unique processes and requirements. Skilled ServiceNow consultants and architects have deep knowledge of the platform's architecture, best practices, and industry-specific use cases. They can navigate the complexities of setting up ServiceNow correctly from the start, ensuring proper data structure, security models, and workflows. Experienced consultants can also provide valuable guidance on process optimization and change management, facilitating a smoother transition for end-users.
Technical proficiency
ServiceNow is built on a proprietary scripting language (JavaScript) and utilizes various technologies like HTML, CSS, and web services. Skilled ServiceNow developers are proficient in these technologies, enabling them to create custom applications, scripted behaviors, and integrations with other systems. They can troubleshoot and optimize performance issues, ensuring the platform runs smoothly and efficiently. Technical expertise is also crucial for maintaining data integrity, implementing robust security measures, and ensuring compliance with industry regulations.
Administration and governance
Once implemented, ServiceNow requires ongoing administration, maintenance, and governance to ensure its continued effectiveness. Skilled ServiceNow administrators are responsible for user management, access controls, upgrade planning, and enforcing best practices across the organization. They monitor system health, performance, and utilize ServiceNow's built-in tools for incident management, problem management, and change management. Administrators also play a critical role in enforcing governance policies, ensuring data quality, and maintaining documentation and training for end-users.
Business process expertise
ServiceNow is a platform designed to support and automate various business processes across multiple domains, such as IT, HR, Customer Service, and more. Having personnel with domain-specific knowledge and experience is crucial for effectively configuring and customizing ServiceNow to align with an organization's unique processes. They can identify opportunities for process optimization, automation, and ensure that ServiceNow is being utilized to its full potential within their respective domains.
Now enter Generative AI. Organizational challenges with workers are about to become significantly more challenging. These workers are more productive and efficient but also at a higher risk of leaving their current employers. A discussion covering insights from a study by McKinsey talent leaders Aaron De Smet and Brooke Weddle, emphasize the importance of keeping these valuable employees engaged.
According to Aaron, the stakes are significant in two key ways. First, employees can achieve much higher productivity with gen AI. However, if they become disengaged, their productivity can drop sharply, often by half. This decline is due to reduced working hours and decreased work quality as engagement wanes.
Secondly, disengaged employees are more likely to leave the company. If these employees are proficient in their roles and skilled in using gen AI, their departure represents a substantial loss. The company then faces the challenge of not only replacing this talent but also addressing potential systemic issues that could lead to further attrition among new hires.
On the subject of employee autonomy and flexibility, Brook says companies that have successfully addressed this issue maintain a clear alignment between their business objectives and the work environment they cultivate to support those goals. Problems arise when companies mandate a return to the office without clearly communicating how this contributes to performance outcomes, leaving employees uncertain about its benefits.
Most employers are still evaluating how to create work environments that meet employees' needs while addressing concerns about cultural erosion, particularly for newer employees who require mentorship and development. Efforts to bring employees back to the office may been well-intentioned but the balance to generate engagement requires leaders to share the value of meaningful work and a collaborative spirit.
In the study they found it surprising that respondents had an overwhelmingly positive reaction to gen AI, with only 4 percent worried about job displacement, despite more than two-thirds not yet using it at work. Aaron De Smet explained that respondents feel Generative AI allows them to focus on more valuable tasks, enhancing their job satisfaction and security. While some job displacement may occur, it will mostly affect non-users of AI, such as call center employees replaced by AI systems. For AI users, gen AI is seen as a tool that enhances their roles by handling less valuable tasks, thus allowing them to maximize their skills.
This underscores what we have been saying at Blueprint Solutions, the need for companies to adapt their management and engagement strategies to retain high-value gen AI talent, ensuring these employees remain productive and committed to their roles and to use Generative AI tools to enhance time-to-value. To read more about Blueprint AI and our mission, see www.blueprintsolutionsglobal.com.
Credits: Aron De Smet, Julia McClatchy, Brooke Weddle, Roberta Fusaro, Lucia Rahilly, "Gen AI talent: Your next flight risk" https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/gen-ai-talent-your-next-flight-risk
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