Huge shifts are expected in HR in terms of the way technology is used to identify, connect, engage and replace people.
For a long time, the role of technology has been limited to facilitation of daily tasks. But technology is now set to take an all-inclusive role in your company.
Here are five future-proof ways in which HR practices will evolve.
HR practice #1: Blind hiring
Lately, the US tech industry—more specifically, Silicon Valley—has been rife with accusations of workplace bias. The question on the minds of HR managers is how to minimize such controversies. To do so, many have adopted the practice of blind hiring.
In the typical screening and interviewing process, recruiters may become unwittingly biased by information regarding certain aspects of the background of a candidate, including age, gender, race and, in many cases, even a candidate’s alma mater.
Adopting a blind hiring process in which resumes are stripped of demographic data ensures that the initial screening process is carried out strictly on the basis of achievements and abilities.
Companies are also using recruiting software that uses AI to automate the screening process and anonymizes candidates by removing or ignoring demographic-related details. The result is an increasingly diverse candidate pool being recruited on the bases of merit – rather than bias – that can occur early in the recruitment process.
HR practice #2: Passive candidates
Passive candidates have always been an attractive source of hires for recruiters. Nowadays, the recruitment process involves more than merely reviewing resumes. Social media, for instance, is increasingly being used by recruiters to contact candidates.
Likewise, recruiters also use online communication methods such as sub-forums and hashtags to identify talent pools. Engaging these candidates as individuals or groups—depending on the platform—enables recruiters to have a clear sense of their target candidates and whether the candidates are ready to make a career change.
HR practice #3: A remote workforce
Remote working, which involves working from home, at a coffee shop, or a co-working space, is an increasingly popular trend. In the past 20 or so years, the portion of employees working under some form of telecommuting arrangement has multiplied.
Among the factors behind this is the advancement in VPN technology, which allows remote employees easy access to their companies’ systems from any location with a good internet connection. As a result, companies can now recruit talent from locations all around the world.
For corporations, remote working provides HR managers with access to a growing candidate pool. Furthermore, offering current employees the remote working option is a way for companies to retain their staff at the same time enhancing job satisfaction through improved work-life balance. As tools for collaboration and video conferencing continue to evolve, the remote working trends are set to grow even further.
HR practice #4: Upskilling employees
Artificial intelligence has led to the simultaneous loss, creation and transformation of jobs. Demand for certain skills is on the rise as HR and AI experts expect employees to work alongside robots. Specific functions will be added and removed from a vast majority of current jobs as algorithms take over routine tasks and free up humans to do more strategic and creative tasks. The transition process won’t always be easy.
One answer lies in companies reviewing their human resources and finding a way to pivot their employees into secure roles. For this to happen, HR managers need to identify employees who are ready to take on various aspects of jobs, such as troubleshooting, problem-solving, and management that require a human touch.
Careful planning on how to upskill staff will ensure that companies save on transition costs associated with automation while getting the most out of their current workforce.
HR practice #5: Gamification
Many industries have adopted the gamification technique in recent years. The concept of spinning engagement into a form of competitive activity has proven useful in a number of ways, including marketing, training and even recruitment.
A growing number of brands that are now using gamification to generate healthy competition among teams, motivate staff, promote customer loyalty, and create a buzz. Numerous techniques for gamification are available, some of which are easily implemented and others require high-level technical expertise and advanced planning.
In HR, gamification has in some cases used in the screening process where tests for cognitive abilities and essential skills have been turned into a fun type of engagement. Thanks to mobile apps, you can have candidates play recruitment games as underlying algorithms generate critical analytics about participants.
Both the employers and candidates benefit. On the one hand, employers can tap into a wealth of data that can be used to determine candidates’ qualifications. On the other hand, candidates have an incentive to participate because playing offers them an opportunity to demonstrate their skills to potential employers.