Technology has been the saving grace for HR managers in the tumultuous period since the pandemic began in 2020. Technology has eased the sudden transition in the work culture across industries by providing the required tools and techniques to continue work in the situation of closed-down offices.
HR managers have to take care of the most important assets of any organization — its employees. From handling their grievances to helping them learn and polish skills relevant to their jobs, HR managers play a vital role in making life easier for employees.
HR technology has seen many changes over the last ten years or so, but the most significant changes have been witnessed in the last couple of years, especially after the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic.
These changes in HR technology have had a big impact on basic HR operations such as recruitment, onboarding process, training and development, and more.
In this article, we will take a look at the five most vital trends in HR technology that will shape the future of HR management.
1. Recruitment will see increased use of AI-powered tools
Mass resignations and job losses because of the pandemic have created an opening for talent acquisition from across the globe because of remote working conditions. As more and more job applications come in every day, HR managers are expected to use AI-powered tools to sort through them.
AI-powered tools are equipped with appropriate and powerful algorithms to compile professional data of the applicants and match them with the requirements of a given post. AI, thus, helps in filtering resumes and presents a list of the most suitable candidates in front of the HR managers.
2. Hybrid workforces will present unique challenges
Ever since the employees have gotten a taste of remote work and its efficiency in most cases, they have started demanding more of it as the offices are set to reopen. The demand comes in the form of hybrid work environments. A hybrid work environment combines the best of both worlds — remote work and going back to the office.
Hybrid work environments might be an ideal and appropriate demand from employees but, HR managers will have to face several operational challenges in the wake of its adoption at large. Striking a balance between remote work and office will require increased use of relevant technology.
3. Cybersecurity initiatives will become a part and parcel of HR operations
As the workforce has gone completely digital in the past few years, the challenges to data security and privacy have only risen. Having complete databases online puts organizations at the risk of cyber-attacks and data theft from data pirates. Therefore, cybersecurity initiatives have become a part of employee training as a necessity.
HR managers will be required to include more and more of these cybersecurity initiatives in their day-to-day operations in the coming years. The idea is to equip HR professionals with the best in class technology, to make them immune to said data theft attacks on confidential company information, and to allow them to protect the personal data of employees.
4. All-encompassing employee management apps will become a necessity
Employee management software or human capital management apps such as the Paycom app will take center stage in employee training and management operations in the near future. HR managers have already been depending on such HCM software to ease their work in the new normal without compromising on its quality.
An employee management software has the required tools and resources to help HR professionals in their daily tasks, be it employee onboarding & training or taking employee feedback on various issues related to working. What has been a helping hand for HR managers lately will become an absolute necessity in the future.
5. Onboarding will depend heavily on digital tools
The employee onboarding process is their gateway into a new organization and needs to make them feel welcome. HR managers have the responsibility of carrying out the onboarding process and imparting training & development for relevant job skills for beginners. Onboarding has become a virtual process in the wake of the pandemic and is primed to continue that way.
In such a scenario, digital tools used for onboarding will become a mainstay in the arsenal of HR professionals going forward.
The HR professionals need to take active cognizance of these technology trends and create their strategies around them by meeting the expectations of the employees they manage and their employers alike.
