News & insights

Finding the right balance between HR and Technology.

By Fiona Frudd

HR analytics can be a great way to analyze people-related problems it’s just making sure we use in the right way! It enables us to discover new and useful insights that are based on objective data rather than intuition or a ‘gut feeling’.

 

HR can contribute massively towards an organisation becoming more data-driven. With the right combination of data at hand, we can perhaps learn to understand more into the reasons why. Once we close the gap between theory and practice, HR analytics will stop popping up on our trend lists.

 

How can HR blend the latest technologies?

 

A few of the latest technologies:

 

  • RPA (Robotic Process Automation)
  • AI (Artificial Intelligence)
  • VR (Virtual Reality)

 

RPA (Robotic Process Automation)

The automation RPA allows HR professionals to focus on the most important parts of their work - Saving time and being more effective. Being able to use software tools that can partially or fully automate a human activity that is grueling and manual, rule-based, and repetitive surely is a winner! Imagine being able to double-check HR compliance and not having to manually update the applicant tracking system!

 

AI (Artificial Intelligence)

Useful for HR that most AI applications available today is for the recruitment and hiring processes.

 

  • They reduce recruiting timelines and help in candidate screening.
  • Helps to predict when to start hiring people for a certain department to prevent having unfilled positions during crucial periods.
  • AI can make HR operations run more smoothly, so people get more done instead of drowning in paperwork.
  • AI can keep track of operations to help HR stay on top of things and create valuable insights by suggesting actionable strategies based on data.

 

Automation and analytics are not AI!  Some processes in HR currently labelled as AI are actually automated processes.

 

Remember: true AI means it can do something that it’s not coded to do.

 

The most advanced AI applications are expensive and not widely used just yet but as technology evolves, they could become a fundamental part of our daily lives.

 

VR (Virtual Reality)

VR can enhance HR capabilities, especially within recruitment and hiring, onboarding, learning, and development. It can create a realistic 3-D image or environment, which humans can perceive as real and interact with in realistic ways.

 

Successful uses of VR technology for HR:

 

  • The British Army uses VR to overcome its recruitment challenges. It created four VR experiences based on combat training, adventure training, tank training and parachute training. These were then posted on YouTube 360 as a part of their recruitment strategy. The results were great with an increase in applications of 65% in the first month the campaign ran and an increase of 41% in the second month.
  • VR can also be used as part of a screening process for other hands-on roles.
  • Tailored VR experiences help pinpoint the most skilled candidates pre-interview. Once at the interview stage, VR can enable candidates to demonstrate their practical skills. This means that if a lot of on-the-job training is required for the role, VR can be a fantastic investment.

With the right balance between HR and Technology we help make better decisions for our organisations. It is good to keep an eye on new technologies and understand how they will affect our industries and how they could help our HR operations. Leveraging analytics within HR could lead to better working environments for employees, giving HR the evidence-based leverage, they need to back up their decisions with management and better profits overall for the organisation! The perfect blend could be a match made in heaven…

Fiona Frudd
Fiona Frudd
Head of Marketing