Issue26
trends inautomation
Impulse
18
–
19
PESTLE is typically thoughtof asa
strategicmanagement tool, yet it is just as
relevant to theHR team. External factors
can influencehowacompanyplans for
them, but a largepart of this ishow
human resourcesarestructured tocope
withchangeandhowwell prepared the
workforce is for it.
Organisational change isneverquick, yet
external influencescan rapidlyaffect a
company. ThewayHR respondscanhave
far-reachingconsequencesanddetermine
whether, over the longer-term, the
company ishere tostayor avictimof
influencesbeyondour control.
Themanufacturingandengineeringsector
hashad its fair shareof changeover the
lastdecade. Ithashad to react tocheaper
foreign imports, devaluationof thepound,
worldwide recession, hugechanges in
technology, amajor switch inpolitical
partiesand their ethos towards the
industry, European legislation, skills
shortages, regulationand increasingly
challengingenvironmental targets. It is
true tosay, ithas its fair shareof external
influences that canbeeither an
opportunityor significant threat,
dependingonhow theyareplanned for.
In the tableoppositeare just a few factors
whichcanhave far reachingconsequences
formanufacturersand, if notplanned for,
can threaten the long-term futureof the
industry.
Political
Economic
Sociological
Technological
Legal
Environmental
• 2015potential changeof government
• Scottish independence
• Changes inEuropeanparliament
• EmergenceofGlobal super-powers
• The impact ofworldwidepoliticsand
civil unrest
• Rapideconomicgrowth
• Impact of interest ratehikes
• Fluctuating currency
• Priceof rawmaterials
• Rateof inflation
• Overseas competitionand cheaper
imports
• Ageingworkforce
• Move towardsgreaterwork-life
balance
• Globalworking
• Flexibleworking
• Generational differencesand their
different expectations
• Diversity inwork
• Global changesandemergenceof
newmarkets
• Consumerisationof devices
• Increasedsystem integration
• Socialmedia
• Cloud-based technology
• Automationand Industry4.0
• Artificial Intelligence
• Customer expectation that
accompanies technological advances
• Environmental regulations
• Employment law
• WEEE regulations
• EUCompliance
• Health&Safety
• Energy resources–pricingand
availability
• Sustainabilityand recycling
• Wastemanagement
• Transport
