The last few years are marked by an avalanche of changes in the HR industry. As new players enter the HR technology industry, companies turn to digital tools to enhance employee productivity and efficiency. In turn, HR tech firms continue to entice business leaders to make the most of new developments to support, recruit, and develop their workforce.
Industries with a talent-constrained market are investing in HR tools and platforms to increase the functionality of their recruitment practices. One example is the recruitment data analytics tool that helps HR teams find talent faster and reduce costs per hire. Instead of relying on manual approaches and guesswork, HR professionals can use the recruitment analytics software to sharpen and streamline their hiring process.
As the global pandemic altered the business landscape, COVID-19 has accelerated the growth of technological advances in the HR industry to keep up with the emerging challenges in the workforce. As a result, HR practitioners are scrambling for ways to redefine work arrangements, hiring and onboarding, employee engagement, career development, and other key HR functions. That being said, we’re listing down the emerging tech trends helping HR teams cope with the different challenges brought by the pandemic.
Cloud-based HR
Remote working is gradually becoming the new normal in the corporate environment. While cloud-based HR platforms have been widely available in the past years, the COVID-19 pandemic pushed this trend to the forefront. In the process, the emergence of this new tech tool allowed companies to adapt a remote-first model or offer a remote working setup to their employees.
As employees transition to a new work setup, the HR department is no exception. Remote employees need to be managed differently, so HR practitioners need a resource management tool to continue their HR-related functions in the cloud. This is where cloud-based HR solutions come in handy by helping HR teams integrate different functions of HR management, such as time management, benefits, onboarding, payroll, and collaboration software.
Cloud-based HR has become the norm for fast-growing businesses and globally distributed remote workforce. This allowed HR practitioners to access real-time data even if they’re out of the office. In turn, cloud-based self-service tools allow employees to manage and control their tasks, data, and benefits, while giving the company an effective tool to analyze their productivity and engagement.
Tools to address employee wellness
The transition from the traditional office environment to a remote work setup led to adverse implications for employees’ mental health. Many find themselves struggling to adapt to the work situation as they try to balance their life at home and work. Those who can’t create the boundary between work and home are now suffering from work-from-home burnout.
Employee wellness is another new HR trend that focuses on helping employees prevent burnout and caring for their physical and mental well-being. This is very important as it affects the business as a whole, including job performance, retention rates, and team productivity.
To support employees’ mental health, companies are offering solutions to promote employee wellness, such as recognition programs, access to professional counselors, and other personalized wellness systems based on employee data. Health tools such as wearables and gamification will also grow that serve as fitness trackers for employees.
Health firms are also emerging to provide solutions to mental health concerns. For example, Lantern is a mental health startup that offers digital therapy tools to overcome issues concerning mental health. They partner with private firms to help their employees manage their stress and other work-related problems.
Enhanced hiring practices
Even before the pandemic, technology has transformed the entire recruitment process. Everything has gone digital, from résumés, application processes, and interviews. Thanks to technology, HR teams have a variety of tools to streamline the applicant experience.
But because of social distancing measures of COVID-19, HR managers have to shift the hiring process online. This is where candidate experience platforms become useful to facilitate conversations and connections between the HR recruitment team and applicants.
Companies today are also struggling to find qualified talent to fill available positions. In this case, platforms using machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) may serve as useful tools to HR teams to understand and analyze applicant profiles to a higher degree. When used efficiently, this will help hiring teams create the perfect candidate-job match.
As we move beyond 2021, new HR trends will soon emerge filled with a renewed dedication in areas concerning remote work, employee experience, and mental health. Moving into the digital landscape will encourage corporate leaders to seek solutions in tackling new challenges, managing data to improve practices, and delivering more value and alignment. In the process, HR technologies will drive the company’s success by applying innovative approaches.
