In order to continue competing and keep up with technological innovation, companies, whether in the technology sector or In order to continue competing and keep up with technological innovation, companies, whether in the technology sector or other sectors, are looking to fill the capacity gaps of their employees on a daily basis with these types of digital profiles.
In the telecommunications sector, we are experiencing a growing transformation brought about by new technologies and network and IT architectures. This transformation necessarily involves the automation of processes and routines, the widespread application of artificial intelligence where possible, the training and learning of employees and also a consistent change in the organisation. This is necessary to drive growth and value. This is already happening in many places and is changing at a rapid pace.
The software-based network
It is also important to emphasise that Autonomous Networks are already a reality with varying degrees of implementation and we will already be able to see several services that are supported by this architecture, such as 5G, SDN, AI/ML, Data, Cloud, Slicing, etc. We are talking about a software-based network, which in turn is becoming increasingly autonomous and proactive and which also needs new organised workforce roles adapted to this reality. This new way of organising has to be more efficient, it has to avoid traditional silos, such as the divisions between Network, IT, the people who plan, those who implement and those who operate. Strategies must be sought so that responsibilities and ways of working are increasingly end-to-end in the same collaborative environment. We need to attract and retain new digital profiles to join the people with decades of experience building and operating telecommunications networks and systems.
Transforming internal talent
One of the biggest challenges in implementing new technologies is human resistance to change. Organisations, especially those with an average age of their collaborators that is high, face difficulties in adapting quickly to new ways of working. It is important that employees understand that change is a positive thing, because it is designed to enable people to update their skills and share them with the new generation. It should also be emphasised that, in a tough and competitive labour market, updating skills is always a good idea if you want to remain qualified and active in the workplace.
Professional retraining and keeping up to date with labour innovations, although necessary, is not the only answer to the transformation required. Companies face significant challenges in attracting and retaining talent, especially in critical areas such as artificial intelligence, software development and data management.
In the field of collaboration between teams, one factor that enables people to cooperate better and in a truly collaborative way is to avoid having separate organisational structures where roles are not directly related to the end customer or the service. In the telecommunications industry, within what are known as CSPs, a customer-oriented structure and end services seem to be the best way and form for agile and collaborative work. In that sense, this truly brings a holistic, committed and proactive vision.
The complexity of changing processes and structures without interrupting operational continuity adds another layer of difficulty, which hopefully can be more easily overcome with the responses that are intrinsic to the change itself, that is to say, intergenerational effort to make the change, professional retraining, attraction of new talent and the breaking down of structural silos.
The human factor is the protagonist in autonomous networks
Although the technology and the complexity of the network and system architectures continue to evolve very quickly, the human factor will continue to be the most valuable resource for managing and advancing in the context of Autonomous Networks.
To overcome these challenges, organisations have adopted increasingly dynamic working methodologies. Today’s market and customers need solutions from their providers that respond to their needs very quickly and almost in real time. In this context, having an Agile, working format with teams that can work autonomously is a good way forward. Keeping decentralised teams working towards the same goal (DevOps) where different areas are mixed is also a way of achieving faster results. The implementation of these methodologies allows for greater flexibility and responsiveness, which is crucial in a constantly changing technological environment.
Seeking to automate monotonous manual processes or those with a repetitive component is essential. Currently, there are already automated processes in many stages of the life cycle of a CSP in this type of process. However, it is necessary to continue working to further automate and give more intelligence to this type of repetitive process. The next step is the search for and creation of increasingly zero-touch processes, that is, the decision and execution of certain processes without human intervention. This is the objective that the industry is working on the most today and it will considerably transform the way we work. From this perspective, some of the benefits and examples for collaborators are:
- Time saving: configuring each computer, service or device is faster and more standardised. For example, once the technician decides to carry out a configuration available in a list of certified configurations, the computer self-configures, integrates and starts up automatically.
- Reduction of human error: By automating the process of configuration and service provision, the errors that can occur are minimised. For example, automatic configuration of the path of a VPN by the routers of a network.
- Greater operational efficiency: Collaborators can focus on more strategic and higher value tasks, instead of wasting time on repetitive activities.
- Consistency of security policies: Define and automate standard configurations to ensure they comply with security policies.
Automation of activities with minimal human intervention (zero-touch approach) has a very significant impact and transforms the workforce. This not only improves operational efficiency, but also enables and empowers employees to focus on highly complex and value-added tasks.
The adoption of new technologies requires the development of new skills and abilities. This includes competencies in data, software development, artificial intelligence, among others. Some important skills, competencies and new ways of working in an Autonomous Networks environment can come from both a more technical aspect and a more managerial aspect:
Management skills Technical skills
- Effective communication
- Learning agility
- Flexibility and adaptability Inclusive profile
- Effective time management
- Empathy
- Agile Mindset
Multi-task management
- Quick decision making
- Systemic Analysis
- Negotiation skills
- Adaptability
- Technical skills
- Data Science and Engineering
- Software Lifecycle
- CI/CD/CTBigData Software Deployments
- Cybersecurity DevOps
- Solution Architect
- Solution Architect
- Cloud
- OSS and BST Architectures
- Telco Cloud
Optimising the flow of talent is essential to maximise the return on the skills available from employees. This involves finding reskilling opportunities for teams, ensuring that people can adapt and grow in the changing environment that is autonomous networks.
Finally, it is important to pay special attention to a strategy for developing new relationships with industry, suppliers and integrators. One possibility is to have a mix of insourcing and outsourcing that can help companies quickly access the skills and capabilities they need. Collaborating with external partners allows companies to be more agile and respond quickly, for example, to the needs of new services and new market demands. Here too, it is necessary to establish rules and policies that reflect the demands of a more dynamic and technological work environment.
A challenging perspective on talent management
The search for talent and specialised profiles for this Autonomous Network environment is becoming increasingly competitive and there is growing demand for specialised profiles. A certain shortage of talent and people with the necessary skills represents a constant challenge for companies. Although retraining is crucial, it is not enough on its own to meet these challenges.
Companies need to be able to implement changes in their processes without disrupting their operations. One viable way to overcome these challenges is to adopt agile methodologies, such as DevOps, which encourage employee autonomy.
On the side of processes and the way of working itself, an approach of zero-touch, supported by automation, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) is fundamental to increase agility. If a certain degree of automation and intelligence is achieved in the process, employees will be able to focus on activities with greater added value. Not forgetting that AI and ML, by themselves, provide valuable insights that optimise and streamline decision-making and work management.
