Munna Abdullahi - Why did I join Smart WFM?

I recently started working with Smart WFM, a consultancy that focuses on maximising people value, productivity and experience.

In the past I would have been surprised that I would have ended up in the workforce management space. The truth is that all the time I spent thinking about my career (a bit too many hours in hindsight) I had never thought about the workforce management discipline being such an integral part of Human Resources due to its tightness with the operational workforce.

Why did I join Smart WFM? I am more than happy to share my story.

After completing my Executive Masters of Arts (EMA) and Bachelor of HR Management with the University of Melbourne I had obtained a lot of practical client experiences via the internships I had completed in the areas of Organisational Development, Recruitment, Induction and Industrial Relations. I was on the hunt for a new role within Human Resources to expand my skill set. I was specifically searching for a position that would be focused on technology and using this to benefit people. 

After a lot of job searching, a contact from the Australian Human Resource Institute (AHRI) kindly let me know that there was a potential opportunity for a graduate role within the area of workforce management. The job description looked interesting so I decided to throw my hat into the ring, though I didn't consider myself to possess the skills required.

My first conversation with Jarrod was around the people, process and technology aspects that are needed for an organisation to go through change successfully – especially now with such a strong focus on digital ways of working.

• The People aspect. The need for the right people to be involved in the change process and understanding what it means for them (it is important that leaders and management support and drive the change).
• The Process Aspect. It is important to have industry best practice and efficient processes in place to simplify the ways of working.
• The Technology Aspect. Implementing the technology in a way that meets the people’s expectations and future proofing the system to ensure the technology remains relevant to the business.

After a few conversations with other employees of Smart WFM, I realised that this role that was being offered to me was more than I could possibly imagine as it brought together my formal HR knowledge with operations at the business coal face.  I love the opportunity to consult with clients by using workforce management techniques to optimise, streamline and automate employee time and attendance and employee scheduling while improving the overall people experience. This role would allow me to develop skills in three main areas:

• Consultancy 
• The interaction between WFM, Human Resource & Payroll 
• Project management (into the future)

Plus, the technology focused aspect of software consultation would set a solid and robust foundation of skills in an environment that is ever changing but founded on a digital way of working.

The icing on the cake for me was Jarrod's leadership. Not only is Jarrod interested in the development of his people, but also her wants to share the wisdom of his 20+ years experience in the WFM field. Along with his commitment to positive social contribution via pledge1percent.org. The real question is how could I not join Smart WFM?

I am looking forward to the exciting opportunities that the future has in store for Smart WFM and adding value to our client’s initiatives.