Applying AI For Intelligent COVID Recovery In The Services Economy

By John B. Larsen, CEO Weave Workforce

The world finds itself in a situation that few could imagine just a few short months ago. Uncertainty swirls around us, inducing feelings of fear and doubt with the potential to bring the global economy to a halt. But this is not the time to slow down or wait for an easy path forward. This is the time to marshal the best that we have and get to work rebuilding our future.

Service businesses have dealt with especially uncertain demand through the pandemic, turning workforce allocation into a frustrating task. Managers struggle to connect all the information available and translate it into insights about how to plan for the upcoming weeks. New restrictions have altered the way business is done, causing variations to service times and employee roles. Businesses need to respond to these changes but may not know how to track and address them. Conventional methods of workforce planning are insufficient to meet the sudden and unexpected changes to customer expectations and operating constraints.

While it may feel overwhelming, in some ways we are better equipped for this than ever before. Combining artificial intelligence (AI) with the availability of extensive data opens the door to workforce optimization beyond what’s possible with human judgment alone. AI can empower dramatically more connected, more aware, and more responsive workforce planning.