Two recent Randstad U.S. and Women in Technology International programs showed how technology is being applied to the world of human resources.

On May 10, Alisia Genzler, president and chief client officer at Randstad, talked about preparing teams for a digital future. A week later, Senior Vice President Angie Keller discussed the development of skills for future success.

“The most interesting points in this webinar are the ones that reveal how two-fold this workplace issue is,” Genzler said. “Only 10 percent of companies have mastered the digital tools and transformation shifts needed to drive their business operations.”

Genzler said over half of employees don't think they have the skills to pay the bills in a future digital economy.

“A standout point, to complement Alisia’s remark, is that employees have a heightened awareness of digital transformations’ stake in the workplace,” Keller said. “In the same way employers know they can use their innovativeness to attract employees, employees realize they can position themselves as indispensable if they possess tech-savvy skills.”

As for the goals of this webinar series, Genzler said it's important to spread awareness about how important these technology skills and strategies are.

Citing talent attraction and retention, she said digital leaders have to be agile and understand how to adapt.

We also have to prepare employers for the talent shortages they may face if they don’t embrace the latest technology,” Genzler said. “We’re aiming to provide leaders the strategic and comprehensive steps to recruit and foster valuable talent. This may come in the form of consulting organizational heads to implement development programs that are geared to build employees’ expertises.”

Keller, speaking to career professionals, wants to motivate individuals to hone their skills.

“We want to inspire the whopping 90 percent of employees who want these digital skills to acquire them,” Keller said. “Our team at Randstad hopes to provide employees actionable steps to bridge the gap from where they are now to where they want to be. It will be an accomplishment if talent walks away with a better grasp on how to expand their skills and how they can align themselves with the strategies employers are using for greater innovation.”