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Two HR Technology Trends — And An Opportunity

Forbes Human Resources Council

Paul Phillips is the Global Head of Talent Acquisition & Total Reward at Avanade.

The adoption of technology in human resources operations is ongoing and accelerating. And it's happening just in time.

Spurred by Covid-19, the world of work is transforming before our eyes, moving beyond the first rush to enable remote workers to a lasting realignment in entire industry segments. Our challenge as HR leaders is to help our companies adapt fast enough to take advantage of the opportunities emerging from today's digital transformation.

From developing flexible, borderless workforces that align to new business models to attracting, rewarding and retaining the next generation of personnel, we in HR are uniquely poised to harness the current workplace revolution in ways that will spur future business success. And from my post inside a technology services company, I'm particularly interested in how technology can help.

Two near-term trends I'm watching: expanding the use of chatbots throughout HR operations and the incorporation of wellness technologies into benefits programs.

Make Chatbots Members Of Your HR Team

As I have talked about before, I am a big proponent of the use of chatbots as an HR tool. Many of us already use chatbots as part of our recruitment and onboarding programs to answer basic questions and provide real-time basic information. Thanks to advances in chatbot technology, they're becoming smarter, more useful and better able to engage in humanlike conversations, which can expand the opportunities to use this low-cost, high-impact tool.

Properly programmed, chatbots can answer common questions and provide basic information about everything from policies and procedures to company holidays. They can be used to provide a step-by-step guide during benefits enrollment and can be programmed to provide instant feedback and insights from engagement surveys and performance reviews. While they require frequent updating and monitoring, chatbots provide the 24/7 rapid-response user experience our personnel have come to expect.

Of course, chatbots work only if they're used. One overlooked opportunity to enhance adoption is to introduce a new chatbot to those who will be using it, explain its benefits and invite users to help guide its development. To avoid the cringe-worthy names often inflicted on a chatbot, hold a naming contest where you can. You may be surprised how making a chatbot an actual member of your HR team will enhance its usefulness.

Embrace Wellness Technology

Of course, the topic of wellness has never been as much in the spotlight as it is now as we continue to grapple with a global pandemic. The health and well-being of our workforces will continue to be priority No. 1. That's why I see an opportunity to build wellness technology into our benefits packages.

I expect technologies now in the consumer space to move into corporate adoption and specialized technologies to emerge that will help employees manage today's "work from anywhere" environment.

In new studies by my company, we've seen an increase in morale in employees who have the option to work remotely, even part-time. And many remote workers report lower stress levels because of lack of a commute. But there are also downsides to working remotely. How many hours do you sit in your chair without moving? How do you handle expectations that you will be available 24/7, since you are "right there?" How about those days when you are on back-to-back calls from morning till night?

Some coping technologies are available now to the public for little cost or effort. Look for these apps and wearables to be incorporated into company-sponsored wellness programs:

• An app that encourages you to take a periodic deep-breathing break.

• Timers that remind you to get up and move around.

• Fitness and step trackers that challenge you to build exercise into your workday.

• Apps with a variety of stretches you can do while auditing audio calls.

My personal favorite is one that is available now: an Outlook rule I created that automatically schedules my 30-minute calls for 25 minutes and my hour-long calls for 50 minutes. That's enough time to stretch, grab a fresh water, take a bio-break or answer a couple of emails before my next appointment, significantly lowering my stress throughout the day. It has proved to be so helpful that I have encouraged my entire team to adopt it.

Calling All Innovators

While chatbots and wellness technology are available and ready to be ported into corporate programs, there's one gaping HR need yet to be filled: a strategic workforce planning tool.

It's easy to say that the flexible workforces of tomorrow will allow you to choose your own work schedule, based on your preferences and family responsibilities. That you will be able to choose when to come into the office or take time off in the middle of the year. But how does a company schedule and manage all of that? Organizations have attempted to create their own customized programs from the ground up, but as of yet there is no comprehensive "software as a service" option.

I see the opportunity for a comprehensive, customizable SaaS-based system that can be configured to reflect the requirements of a wide variety of industries, from retail to financial services to technology services, one that can handle the complicated issues of cross-border taxation and government contracting personnel protocols. Creating such a program wouldn't be easy, but it could be rewarding — and profitable.

The incorporation of technology into all aspects of human resources will continue. We are at the exciting point in the adoption cycle where we can work with developers to create impactful and engaging tools that will benefit our own work and help us support our companies' business objectives.


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