Over the past few years, we’ve seen a rapid move towards digitisation, with people spending more and more time on their mobile phones. Now, the digital space is becoming an important touchpoint for businesses to attract their talent. The human resource industry has recently experienced a surge in the launch of several HR technology solutions for everything from recruitment to payroll procedures.
To provide insight into this quickly changing landscape, we’ve collected the thoughts of some HR Tech experts on what to expect next.
Unlimited access to workforce data
Linda Mougalian, the Division VP- Product marketing and Strategy at ADP, forecasts that human resource management will go mobile. She notes, “We live in a mobile world…HR practitioners, managers and employees need to be able to access their workforce data, whether they’re at a desktop or waiting at the airport.”
This increasing need for access to unlimited workforce data anywhere, any time has been reflected on by Danny Lessem, CEO of Australian HR Tech innovator ELMO. He highlights the cloud-based solutions already available in with capabilities ranging from recruitment and on-boarding, to performance evaluation and payroll management. Lessem believes use of these platforms not only supports the need for workforce data access at the touch of a button, but it also “improves efficiencies, increases productivity and allows for forward planning.”
Shift to blended workforces
The improved real-time access to workforce data, can be expected to lead to more flexibility in workforce structures. We can expect to see shifts from traditional hierarchies to a largely blended workforce, where temporary and permanent staff work together.
With more people seeking control over their work schedule, and technology making it easier to do so, people are starting to favour employment models based on flexibility and autonomy. Sidekicker’s CEO, Tom Amos highlights his casual staffing platform used by businesses to hire qualified staff for temporary or hourly jobs. Amos shares, “By providing people easier and faster access to work, or helping businesses better manage their workforces, this tech helps to optimise HR and business operations overall.”
Focus on continuous performance management tools
Another trend we can expect to see is an increased focus on continuous performance management. According to Josh Bersin, founder of Bersin by Deloitte, “CPM tools will allow employers and their staff to track tasks and achievements as contingent and temp workers move between projects and teams.”
Use of AI for recruitment and management
A number of organisations are now using AI systems to aid employees in their job hunts. Pat Reynolds, the VP/CIO of Business Process Services, noted how the company is using ‘Watson’, its AI platform, as a coach. Watson helps employees at IBM find mentors, professional development opportunities and job openings.
Senior Director and Principal Data Scientist of Ultimate Software, Moritz Sudhof, highlighted their organisation’s use of AI during restructure. He said, “The system gathered data that informed managers on how employees were feeling about the change, which helped to more smoothly guide the process.”
More candidate engagement during recruitment assessments
Gamification, the use of game elements for non-game processes, has been proposed to engage future talent by adding fun to the recruitment process. These apps will give employers true insight into the prospective employee’s practical skills. Futurestep’s Managing Director ANZ, Tim Powell says. “Hiring managers can use techniques to test candidates’ skills by constructing various situations focused on highlighting specific traits that would otherwise be difficult to check.” In addition, Josh Bersin, forecasts a widespread use of VR for training and workplace exploration during recruitment.
With continued investments in HR Tech in 2018 and beyond, digital developments are likely to reshape the employment processes even further.