THE DIGITAL HUMAN TOUCH

20 FOR 2020: 20 "TECH & HUMAN" ORIENTED TRENDS FOR THE YEAR 2020

“Without technology, humanity has no future, but we have to be careful that we don't become so mechanized that we lose our human feelings.” – Dalai Lama

2020 is much more technology-driven than forecasted. There has been a noticeable and significant shift in how things used to be, thanks to the world of automation & digitalization. Having said that, organizations should also ensure that there is no disconnect between employees and organizations due to greater advancement in their HR transformation journey. HR is the custodian of culture and human connect, should operate with the right balance of technology and human touch.

Few HR Tech trends that will help HR now and forward:

1. Agile and flat organization: Spontaneity is the necessity and so is collaboration and synergy. Teams coming together in a truly integrated manner to manage unpredictable is the need of the hour. The system should empower task owners and give them the required authority.

2. Automated and personalized L&D: Learning now must be micro, generation driven, mobile-first, innovative. There is an unavoidable need to reskill resources in this fast-changing world and encourage them to adapt to the changes. Gamification, On the Go modules, AR & VR program to train employees is gaining popularity because of the effective and engaging learning experience.

3. Continuous Feedback System along with Annual Performance appraisal: Thanks to feedback tools that are assignment centric, easy to use, and mobile-friendly. Technology has enabled a system that renders real-time review assessment and feedback mechanisms which helps in designing initiatives to drive performance, coaching, and development opportunities based on business needs.

4. Tailored recruitment system and blind hiring: Like employee engagement and experience, candidate engagement and experience is also emerging as a critical focus point. Chatbots have helped significantly by taking over a few processes like candidate screening. Interestingly blind hiring has undoubtedly removed biasedness from the hiring process to a great level.

5. Data-driven decisions and initiatives: Data and analytics will overshadow instincts. Intuitions and predictions will be questioned because of the evidence-based model and approach. Every decision will be taken based on validated data and there will be very little scope of errors or biasedness.

6. Employee experience and well-being: It’s all about people. Companies have to become more inclusive in their work environment. The use of technology will be impactful and helpful in, assessing and improving both these aspects.

7. Data security: Data security was and is of the utmost importance. HR must handle employee data carefully by standardizing the processes to keep the data safe and intact. Data-driven cybersecurity has to be maintained by using reliable tools.

8. Simplified HR model and processes: Self-service mode will be highly useful which is aptly customizable and configurable. All administrative services like leave, timesheet and payroll will be automated using mobile applications.

9. Cloud-based HR: It’s time to be REAL time. A real-time single platform that handles learning, career progression employee development, performance management

10. Accept Virtual as real: There will be advanced tools to monitor and achieve productivity, to understand and know where employees are and how productive they can be. We are already in a zone where we can work with anybody from anywhere at any time.

With the help of technology, HR will be able to invest time in making human connections than working alone on spreadsheets and policies. HR must challenge the myth of getting replaced by effectively doing everything that no machine can do.

Very important for HR to develop a shared vision and collaborate with different functions and teams to achieve organizational goals.

Human-centric HR trends that are here to stay forever are:

1. Be human: When the focus is primarily on revenue and other growth-oriented numbers, humans are not treated that well. Somewhere we compromise on our ethics and values, many times with our policies too. Doesn’t take much to be a human, just be aptly empathetic, transparent, and ethical.

“Employees engage with employers and brands when they’re treated as humans.”- Meghan Biro

2. Personal development over traditional organizational pyramid: Personal development opportunities will remain a major criterion for choosing and staying with an employer. The aspiration and career path for younger generations are substantially different from elder generations. Where baby boomers always believed in “Lifetime employment”, Gen Z believes in skills and expertise.

3. Blending is the key: Blended environment, culture, training, engagement plans to fit every body’s need. HR needs to find the right balance, they shouldn’t ignore elder generations but be more attentive towards millennial and GenZ as the future workplace trend will be characterized prominently by them.

4. More Personalized than generalized: HR will have to provide more human-centered, personalized, tailored solutions to meet an individual’s needs. One size fits all approach is no longer viable.

“Train people well enough so they can leave. Treat them well enough so they don’t have to.” - Sir Richard Branson

5. Everybody is an engagement manager: Alone, HR can’t win the game! Alone HR can’t and shouldn't take the responsibility of creating an engaged workplace. It’s a misconception that HR defines the culture and maintains it. It will be a win-win situation only when everybody plays a part in building the foundation.

6. Shared vision and purpose: Very important for HR to develop a shared vision and collaborate with different functions and teams to achieve organizational goals. The strategy should definitely be business-centric but also people-focused.

7. Employee Experience along with Employee Engagement: Replacing is not a solution but adding is, we need to focus on overall experience than just engagement. It has to be more holistic to attract, recruit, and retain.

8.Know the business and your people: Primary contribution of HR is expected towards the right selection, induction, engagement, development, and retention and HR can only contribute to the expected level by knowing not only internal business and people but also external market and competition. HR should exhibit DIVERSITY, INCLUSION & BELONGING in all their initiatives and processes.

“To win the marketplace, you must first win the workplace.”-Doug Conant

9. Find the right balance: Over focus or even a little bit of ignorance on any front can disturb the required equilibrium. Their strategies and initiatives should clearly reflect “customers, business and employees will be treated with the same commitment and growth-oriented intentions”.

10. Change to see the change: Hibernate, migrate, and adapt! Adapting successfully to change in a Rapidly Changing Business Environment is the aptest way HR can handle most of the challenges and be present and future-ready

Being RELEVANT is the only way to EXIST & EXCEL. The ultimate solution lies in retaining the ‘human’ aspect of HR and adapting to the new and fast-changing world of automation and digitization.

  THE SECRET TO SUCCESS IS FINDING THE RIGHT BALANCE!