Technology has become pivotal in business. Technology has given us applications in record keeping, marketing, sales, production, development, and much more. Some companies may think that technology does not matter much in human resources, but that is an erroneous belief.
HR departments can dramatically improve their performance with the latest tools. To give your HR department a constant edge, check out these six technological trends that will transform your success:
Recruitment
In the past, job candidates had to walk into your office and hand you a resume. This is no longer the case. The vast majority of resumes you receive will be sent online or via email. While it’s a big adjustment, this change gives more people access to positions, and it can make going through the candidates much easier.
Recruitment software can be used to screen incoming resumes, ensuring that you only have to look at qualified candidates. Plus, you can amplify your recruitment footprint. By using social media tools like Facebook and LinkedIn, you can reach out to qualified candidates that you might not have otherwise been able to contact.
These are just a few of the ways that recruitment has become increasingly dependent upon technology.
Remote Workers
Many people like the flexibility and freedom of working from home and will seek out companies that support remote workers. You may also consider letting trusted employees transition into remote workers if they move out of the area if the specific job allows.
This means they get to keep their job, and the company doesn’t need to go through the trouble of hiring a replacement.
In addition, this enables your company to reach more people and ensures you hire the best, even if they don’t live nearby. However, supporting remote workers requires an investment in technology. Cloud PBX communication platforms like Broadvoice unify business phones, video conferencing, texting, and collaboration under a single phone number. Thus, allowing your team to call and collaborate from anywhere.
Remote workers need software solutions, streamlined communication functions, and security measures in place. When people work remotely, you need to track performance even more carefully.
That is why investing in human resources software is a good idea. For example, BambooHR is an Applicant Tracking System that gives you insight into the life cycle of each employee while showing you the employee’s current state. Tools like this make dealing with employees – whether remote or onsite – easier than ever.
Cloud-Based HR
With the cloud, data is stored online with a third party and not on your private servers. There are many business applications that operate in the cloud,
When thinking about cloud-based HR, consider the pros and cons. Onsite systems are often more secure and offer better integration with your other systems. However, cloud-based options are easier to maintain and very affordable.
When you turn to a third party to support your HR information system, you no longer have to worry about maintenance and security. This frees up your HR staff to worry about more pressing concerns.
The initial transition can be difficult, but once established, these cloud-based systems are easy to use and promote access from anywhere.
Learning
Ongoing training for employees is critical, but it is often easier said than done. Hiring someone to conduct a training session is expensive, and employees rarely have time to enroll in outside classes.
Alternatively, technology can be your new training solution. Employee training has become increasingly digital in recent years. Employees can complete training sessions online. Some companies even use gamification and virtual reality platforms to take the training experience further and make it more enjoyable.
The power of online training is that it is more versatile than traditional alternatives. With online platforms, employees can work at their own pace and in their free time. This also allows companies to offer more customized training programs to fit the varied needs of each individual employee.
Analytics
Analytics is about using data to make better decisions. This is very relevant in the HR field. Your HR team should gather as much data as possible in order to make decisions regarding the employee experience.
Important data can include information on employee engagement, performance, attendance and more. The key is to find the right tools to track this data. Fortunately, analytics technology has advanced significantly in recent years.
Now, you can use surveys and other feedback tools to gather and analyze data. This provides critical insights into how your employees are performing and what you can do to motivate them further.
One great example is the human capital management software. HCM software tracks all elements of employee performance, providing HR departments with the data needed to review and maintain the workforce.
Security
Technology makes a lot of things better, but it does have some drawbacks. As everything goes digital, your data is now more vulnerable. When you put your employee data online for HR purposes, you need to make sure that you are protecting that data.
Employees are trusting you with their personal information, and if you fail to protect it, then you are failing your employees. This is why you will need to invest in more security measures as you invest in more technology.
There are ample solutions for data security in HR when you look at the right technology and software. Such security measures do more than protect your company’s data – this technology also protects your company’s integrity.
The Bottom Line
Ultimately, technology can have a multifaceted impact on your HR department. You can use technology to support employees at every stage from recruitment to retention to retirement.
Just remember that an investment in HR technology is an investment in your employees. Therefore, these six HR technology trends can have a company-wide impact for years to come.