Customer journey focus causing Australian businesses to restructure

The need to move toward matrix, cross-functional or hybrid structures to better enable collaboration and a customer-focused approach is driving 54 per cent of Australian employers to restructure their department or organisation.

This is according to the 2019/20 Hays Salary Guide, which surveyed over 3400 organisations in Australia.

According to the findings, 49 per cent of employers said the key driver of organisational restructures is a change in required skills. This is well ahead of digital transformation (24 per cent),and the requirement for a more flexible workforce (24 per cent).

CMO previously reported the report found hybrid marketers boasting of both generalist and specialist skills, marketing automation managers, and content specialists are among the hottest jobs in Australia’s marketing sphere right now. The proliferation of martech across the country has led to a rise in the types of content skills being sought within marketing teams.

“Restructures driven by a change in the required skill set are often the result of today’s growing trend of adopting cross functional operating models,” Hays Australia and New Zealand managing director, Nick Deligiannis, said.

“Traditionally, an organisation consisted of functional departments, but given today’s pace of change, there’s a need to move toward matrix, cross-functional or hybrid structures to better enable collaboration and a customer-focused approach.

“Customer centricity is a key focus and area of differentiation for most businesses, particularly in terms of how an organisation is most effectively and efficiently structured to deliver value to a customer. There’s a real focus on securing candidates who understand the customer journey and with competencies in agile methodology and business projects and change."

According to Hays, other factors include rapid technological developments, such as AI and automation, which create a need for new capabilities.

“These restructures are a clear indication the supply of professionals with the skills that employers need is tightening,” Deligiannis said. “With candidate shortages remaining problematic for organisations, hiring in for specific skills – both technical and soft – will therefore be a priority for change, growth and competitive advantage.”

Follow CMO on Twitter: @CMOAustralia, take part in the CMO conversation on LinkedIn: CMO ANZ, follow our regular updates via CMO Australia's Linkedin company page, or join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CMOAustralia.