Digital Transformation and the Changing of HR

HR used to be last in the technology line, but their role in the digital transformation framework puts them at the forefront of the technology evaluation process.The Human Resources team no longer spends countless hours on administrative work, such as working out schedule conflicts or fixing payroll problems. Digitally transformative processes have automated many of these processes or made them more efficient overall. HR's free time can now be used for more strategic duties, such as talent management. Previously, this task got handled during the few spare minutes of the day the team had or passed off to recruitment. In many cases, it fell by the wayside due to a lack of available time and resources.Technology has changed this frustrating situation for HR. They are now in a position to make a significant impact on the long-term health and success of your organization. New technology also eliminates the silos that kept your departments separate thus allowing integrated systems to share data throughout your organization.

HR's Changing Role in the Digital Age

An interesting side effect of digital transformation in HR is a shift towards marketing-like duties. They no longer take the forefront on administrative duties thanks to new technology, so they explore ways to get more out of current employees and find high potential talent.

HR Data-Driven Decision Making

Data analysis plays a significant role in this process. HR can see employee performance insights to gain a better understanding of your on-hand talent. You can view their progression within the company, the projects they work on, reviews, salary and many additional metrics. This information helps HR create opportunities designed to make the most out of each person's skills, while still aligning with your organization's overall goals.

Technology Evaluation

HR used to be last in the technology line, but their role in the digital transformation framework puts them at the forefront of the technology evaluation process. They look for systems with seamless integration between HR and the rest of the organization. When they have un-siloed access to data throughout the organization, they get the insights required to grow the company strategically.HR also looks for features supporting the long-term growth of your business. Employee retention and recruitment, particularly for competitive roles, are necessary in today's business environment.

Cross-Departmental Collaboration Policies

Your company has tried and true policies that have worked for many years, but they don't fit in a highly collaborative environment. Each department has sometimes conflicting rules in place that need to be restructured after a reorganization. HR shifts to consider organization-wide changes to the current procedures. While you face disruption in the short term, you avoid long-term problems, such as two people on the same team being held to completely different department standards.Social technology, such as team-based chat, enterprise social networks and unified communications tools, play an important role in encouraging collaboration between departments. Your employees need these social options to discover opportunities. HR can work on policies dictating appropriate ways to use this technology and identifying ways to improve the flow of information.

Bring Your Own Device Policies

Many employees have mobile devices they prefer to use on a daily basis. They use smartphones and tablets whether there are policies in place or not, in these circumstances HR needs to adapt to the current reality. When they work with employee preferences rather than restricting productivity-increasing options, you have an easier time getting buy-in for new policies.

The Importance of Quality Onboarding

When you create a digital transformation strategy, employee onboarding often falls to the bottom of the priority list. You want to change the way your company does business, not focus on small details like new hire training. However, ignoring the ways you can optimize this process is a big mistake.Automation cuts down on the resources required for repetitive and manual tasks associated with bringing in new talent. It also puts an essential foundation in place for your company's future growth. Previous HR onboarding processes required significant hands-on time with each person. While standard procedures are in place, human error introduces inconsistencies with each employee.After HR has taken hold of it’s new technological vision, the same experience can be offered to other departments and service areas that require digital change initiatives. These may sound like minor elements to your digital transformation processes, but they’re actually core pieces that empowers HR to scale your business quickly. A business doesn’t have to invest hundreds of man hours into getting someone up to speed before they can tend to other essential duties, thus allowing them to put more of their energy on developing talent and finding the best applicants possible.ROI for new hires also becomes much faster, as employees aren't waiting endlessly for access to systems, wasting time on inefficient training, or running into other problems. They get in and they start making a name for themselves immediately.HR is no longer at the tail end of the technology queue. They have access to powerful tools that move them away from administrative paperwork and put them firmly in a position to make long-lasting strategic decisions for the organization. As more companies work through updating their organizational processes to compensate for their digital transformation initiatives, HR's role will continue to evolve and center itself as one of the most important areas of an enterprise.