Uses of Technology in Human Resources

 

Uses of Technology in Human Resources

Technology like HRMS Software is already present in the day-to-day life of most companies but its potential is not always fully exploited. Human Resources departments can significantly improve their performance thanks to the digitization of many of their processes.

Although more and more companies are betting on digitization, there are some departments that may encounter some resistance. This is the case of technology in Human Resources, an area in which solutions of very different types have a place designed to respond to the entire life cycle of the employee: from their recruitment to their departure from the company.

 

General profit of applying technology in Human Resources

 

The competitive advantages that a company can achieve through the implementation of different technological systems are observed in practically all areas of action of the Human Resources department. As common notes to all available HRMS Software, some general benefits can be distinguished:

·         Consumerization of the employee experience: consumerize is a verb not recognized by the RAE and that involves treating the employee as one would a customer. The idea is to provide you with an optimal experience, something that is achieved by the hand of technology in Human Resources. A "usable" technology that is easy to use.

 

·         The technology for Improvement of Labor Engagement : as a result of the above, employees feel more committed to the company, which is much closer to them thanks to the new communication channels. They also recognize greater autonomy in their day-to-day activities, as a result of the introduction of resources such as the employee portal.

 

·         Reduction of the workload of the HR department: by automating many of the most repetitive tasks that HR professional’s face, such as routine information gathering, absence and vacation management, among others.

 

·         Obtaining more complete statistics: having reliable and updated data is essential to take better solutions. HRMS tools facilitate the collection and storage of data, as well as its transformation into statistics that allow the state of the company or the impact of any decision on the workforce to be calibrated more precisely.

 

1. Recruitment of personnel with technology for HR

Locating the best talent available on the market and ensuring that these professionals fit the vision of the company is one of the pillars of any recruitment process.

However, those responsible for this task face significant difficulties in completing it successfully. Smaller companies cannot dedicate many staff to recruiting. 

 

The largest companies, on the other hand, are forced to close multiple contracts during the year, which forces them to speed up each process to the maximum.

 

2. Better training thanks to technology in Human Resources

Knowledge is power and the best way to enhance it within companies is to have a good training plan . It should not be forgotten that companies are obliged to react quickly when there is a change in the market, including the appearance of new technologies or the opening of businesses abroad, to name two examples. If workers are not trained quickly to face these new scenarios, the competitiveness of the company will soon suffer.

 

Those responsible for Human Resources can access permanently updated information on the certified skills of employees , as well as coordinate in a more agile way the different plans in progress. In addition, as it is a much more flexible didactic model, it favors more meaningful learning for workers.

 

3. Personnel selection

Beyond the recruitment tasks, the personnel selection processes require taking into account many variables. How can we know if the best resumes will respond the way we want in a real work context?

 

Can we identify personality traits of the candidates that hinder harmonious cooperation within the company? How can we manage this whole process without systematically resorting to physical meetings with the candidates?

 

We observe in Artificial Intelligence systems, which detect the reactions of the interviewees to better define their personality, as well as check their reactions in certain situations that they would have to face if they access the position.

 

4. Personnel screening

We have already introduced this benefit within the staff recruitment chapter. To make the best possible decision regarding a recruitment, it is necessary that those responsible for it have as much information as possible about the candidates , as well as being able to locate the most compatible candidates in hundreds of databases.

 

5. Performance evaluation

Work performance is a variable that can be affected by numerous conditions, some of which come exclusively from the worker himself, but others are related to the decisions made within the company. Is the worker occupying the ideal position? Would you perform better if you took on other responsibilities? When it is decided to modify a work system, how do we evaluate its impact on the workforce?

 

All these questions must be uncovered by a good performance evaluation system. It happens that, most of the time, direct observation is not enough to find the causes of a bad result.

HRMS tools for performance evaluation allow working with multiple evaluation models, as well as different response formats, and generating feedback between employees and HR managers.

 

6. Work environment surveys

The work environment can significantly influence employee performance and, by extension, the competitiveness of a company. By this we mean both the interactions between workers and the relationship between them and the heads of each department.

 

As it is an issue that can generate conflicts between people at different levels of the command ladder, it is understandable that many employees prefer not to communicate a situation with which they are unhappy.

 

7. Big Data and People Analytics

One of the trends that is sounding the most at the moment in the field of Human Resources management is that of Big Data. Companies handle an increasing volume of data and, in addition, regulatory changes on data protection force them to be extremely careful with the information they have in their possession.

 

The same happens with the so-called People Analytics, that is, the set of techniques aimed at collecting the data generated by the employees themselves and by the rest of the agents who act in the company. This information can be of great interest to detect strengths and weaknesses of the company, check the evolution of different variables and make decisions with a better knowledge of the real situation of the company.

 

8. Gamification, another use of technology in Human Resources

In a traditional way, the training of employees and their learning in any area of ​​the company has been carried out with two types of methodologies: the study of theoretical contents and the direct observation of the most experienced employees.

 

It is not that these techniques are wrong but it is evident that new work environments require new training solutions. The Gamification responds to this need. The introduction of games and dynamic learning techniques facilitates the acquisition of new skills, reduces the risk of dropping out of courses, improves employee satisfaction, reinforces their motivation and contributes to a better work environment.

 

9. Chatbots

Chatbots or conversation robots are common in certain remote services, streamlining the processes of users or clients and allowing companies to screen and answer queries without the need to occupy many workers. Once its effectiveness has been verified, some companies have started to use Chatbots in the field of Human Resources management.

 

This technology can be used to enable a new communication channel with employees, very useful for answering queries on issues related to the company's internal processes. By automating responses based on each type of question, it is no longer necessary for a professional to personally attend to each question. It can also be used to send personal communications, both individual and group, to the staff.

Another interesting use of Chatbots for Human Resources departments is observed in the hiring processes. Candidates can interact with these programs to provide the information necessary to move forward in the process.

 

In addition, professionals interested in filling available vacancies will appreciate receiving immediate responses from their contacts. According to Career Builder, 58% of jobseekers rate the lack of response to their applications very negatively, which can affect the image of the brand.