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Sudheer Warrier

Vice President and Global Head, Utilities Business Unit, TCS

Kristine Dery

Research Scientist, MIT Sloan CISR

How an Empowered Workforce Can Help Utilities Respond to Crises

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While embracing a digital workplace, Utility organizations should keep in mind their diverse workforce which includes energy traders, control room operators, call center workers, and the field force. Their digital workplace strategy should also address challenges such as service disruption and safety risks caused by extreme weather events, aging and vulnerable distribution infrastructure, and need for real time data and communication channels.

In this executive perspective, Sudheer Warrier, VP and Global Head, Utilities Business Unit, TCS, gives the industry expert view point on how a Utility organization can adopt the digital workplace successfully to empower the workforce. This perspective also has a Research Scholar viewpoint by Kristine Dery, Research Scientist, MIT Sloan CISR, who talks about the three things utilities executives should include when developing a digital workplace plan that includes the field force.

Some of the key considerations for digital workplace adoption in Utility companies are:

  • Stepping up to digital empowerment to dispel the anxiety about adopting new technology
  • Building the digital workplace project on a foundation of digital transformation while giving attention to human elements such as collaboration & communication
  • Adopting agile approach to development and deployment leading to faster adoption and more rapid return on investment
  • Considering how the tools themselves can be flexible to support an adaptive work environment
  • Looking for speed bumps and having mechanisms in place to triage and act on them in a transparent way
  • Fostering information-sharing to enable problem-solving