The Evolution of HR Technology & The Crucial Business Needs The Right Tech Can Address

The human aspect of running a business is more important than ever. Employees have high expectations and attrition rates are substantial, with Gartner predicting a turnover rate as high as 24% in the years to come. If companies want to retain employees in a competitive market, they need to stay up to date, and there is no room for outdated Human Resources strategies.Luckily, the field of HR technology is evolving rapidly to meet the needs of modern workplaces and global communication strategies, accompanied by things like learning experience platforms, all serving to shape employee culture through tech. From managing growing departments to keeping in touch with team members working digitally across the globe, new HR tech is improving the recruitment, onboarding, and communication experience for all different types of companies. 

Recruitment and Onboarding

The recruitment and initial onboarding process is incredibly important. It’s the first impression new employees get of a company and can heavily impact their decision to stay, so companies should always be striving to improve. Luckily, significant advancements have been made in recruitment technology over the years. Notably, the pandemic was a major disruptive event which forced HR to get smarter and more adept so businesses could stay competitive during a time when people couldn’t meet in person. 

Interviews moved online, allowing potential employees to speak with hiring managers from any location they chose. This eliminated some of the difficulty of onsite interviews, which can be fraught with rescheduling and cancellations. Additionally, without the restraint of needing to travel for an interview, companies can reach a wider, more diverse pool of applicants. More interviews can be conducted in less time, and the cost of paying for travel is avoided. Many companies also made use of virtual onboarding software, giving new recruits a seamless digital entry into corporate life and increasing the efficiency of the onboarding process. 

It’s clear that new HR tech arising from the pandemic has marked a major shift away from prior, more traditional, in-person recruitment and onboarding methods. Having to conduct business in person and on paper is a reality that employees are unlikely to accept again. Although much of the remote technology we currently use already existed prior to 2020, it has now become essential and has experienced a huge boost in popularity and recognition. There’s no doubt that had it not been for the pandemic, the HR technology landscape would look much different.

Communication

Communication within the company followed a similar paradigm. HR technology had to completely replace in-person activities with remote options when the pandemic started. This wasn’t without its growing pains: a study from Eurofound reported that potential downsides of remote work include longer working hours and intensification of work. However, there are also significant advantages, such as less time spent commuting, increased autonomy, and higher productivity. Regardless of its pros and cons, employees are unlikely to accept going back to the way things were pre-pandemic. Remote communication is here to stay.

Fortunately, remote HR communication technology has a number of functionalities built in to make interactions more efficient and effective. With smart functionality, HR tech professionals can create engaging, personalized experiences on platforms for their employees. Additionally, certain platform functionality gives users total access to entire workforce teams. It can also replicate the idea of “breakout rooms” across digital communication. New HR technology makes interaction quick and direct, removing any middlemen and streamlining the entire process, helping the businesses’ bottom line.